QMS & Supplier Quality Manager

Kirkhill•Brea, CA

About The Position

The QMS & Supplier Quality Manager develops and sustains the organization’s Quality Management System in alignment with applicable industry standards, including AS9100 and ISO 9001, accreditation requirements, and business needs. The role regulates, controls, and improves quality processes across the business; manages the audit program; ensures audit nonconformities are corrected and independently verified; and promotes continuous improvement. It also leads the Supplier Quality Management Program so externally provided products, materials, and services meet engineering specifications, contractual requirements, and established quality standards. The position liaises with Quality Assurance, Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, suppliers, customers, and third-party certification bodies, and serves as an authorized management representative on behalf of the Quality Director for QMS matters. The manager maintains the AS9100D QMS and its documentation, leads internal audits, supports third-party certification and surveillance audits, and serves as the primary contact for QMS-related customer and regulatory audits. The role addresses systemic quality issues, risk-based thinking, quality objectives, management reviews, document and record control, configuration management, and calibration and measurement equipment control. It also oversees supplier qualification, approval, monitoring, audits, corrective actions, risk mitigation, development, outsourced manufacturing, special processes, and external calibration service providers. The position tracks and reports quality and supplier performance, recommends improvements to executive management, and supports quality-related strategic planning and resource allocation. The ideal candidate has extensive aerospace quality management experience, expertise in AS9100D compliance, strong supplier quality capabilities, and a record of driving operational excellence. The role requires effective communication, interpersonal skills, responsiveness, customer focus, the ability to manage multiple projects, and willingness to travel as needed when business or customer demands require it. All successful candidates must complete a post-offer pre-employment physical examination, drug/alcohol screen, and background check as a condition of employment.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, Quality Management, Manufacturing, or a related technical discipline; equivalent combinations of education and directly relevant aerospace experience may be considered.
Minimum 5 years of progressive quality assurance experience in aerospace or defense manufacturing.
Minimum 3 years of experience managing or administering an AS9100 Quality Management System.
Demonstrated experience in supplier quality assurance, supplier audits, and supplier corrective action management.
Experience supporting successful AS9100 certification and surveillance audits.
Experience working with aerospace customer-specific quality requirements.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple quality initiatives and cross-functional projects.
Comprehensive understanding of AS9100D and ISO 9001 requirements.
Strong working knowledge of AS9102 First Article Inspection.
Working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 requirements applicable to calibration laboratories and measurement traceability.
Experience with AS9100 internal auditing and supplier quality system assessments.
Understanding of NADCAP special process requirements and supplier oversight.
Knowledge of engineering drawings, GD&T, and aerospace manufacturing processes.
Experience with SCAR, 8D, root cause analysis, and corrective action systems.
Knowledge of quality risk management and continuous improvement methodologies.
Familiarity with ERP systems, electronic QMS software, and Microsoft Office applications.
Effective communication at all levels of the organization and excellent interpersonal skills.
Ability to multitask and manage multiple projects; excellent responsiveness and customer focus; strong motivational and team development skills.
Willingness to travel as needed when business demands or customers require it.
Successful candidates must submit to a post-offer pre-employment physical examination, drug/alcohol screen, and background check.

Nice To Haves

AS9100 Lead Auditor or Internal Auditor qualification; Certified AS 9100 Lead Auditor is preferred.
ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).
ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE).
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
Experience supporting major aerospace OEM and Tier 1 customer quality requirements.

Responsibilities

Manage and maintain the company's AS9100D Quality Management System to ensure continuing compliance with applicable standards and customer requirements.
Develop, review, revise, and maintain quality policies, procedures, work instructions, and QMS documentation.
Lead internal quality audits and coordinate and support AS9100D third-party certification and surveillance audits.
Serve as the primary point of contact for QMS-related customer and regulatory audits and as authorized management representative on behalf of the Quality Director for QMS matters.
Identify systemic quality issues and implement corrective and preventive improvement measures, including risk-based thinking.
Monitor QMS effectiveness through quality objectives, performance indicators, and management reviews; prepare performance reports and follow up on assigned actions.
Ensure appropriate document control, record retention, and configuration management.
Oversee the calibration and measurement equipment control program for compliance with AS9100D, applicable ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, and customer-specific requirements.
Develop, implement, and maintain the Supplier Quality Management Program in accordance with AS9100D.
Establish and maintain supplier qualification, approval, monitoring, and periodic reevaluation processes, and maintain the Approved Supplier List and authorized supplier scopes.
Conduct supplier quality system audits, process assessments, and on-site evaluations.
Monitor supplier quality, delivery, and responsiveness metrics.
Manage Supplier Corrective Action Requests, including root cause analysis and verification of corrective action effectiveness.
Collaborate with Purchasing and Engineering to resolve supplier quality issues; evaluate supplier capabilities, process controls, and manufacturing readiness.
Ensure engineering, quality, contractual, and regulatory requirements are flowed down to suppliers.
Coordinate supplier development initiatives to improve product conformity, delivery performance, and reliability.
Oversee supplier risk assessments and mitigation strategies, and ensure effective control of outsourced manufacturing and special processes.
Evaluate, qualify, approve, and monitor external calibration service providers, including verification of ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and applicable scopes when required.
Establish and monitor measurable quality objectives and develop and maintain QMS and supplier quality performance dashboards.
Track audit findings, corrective action closure, supplier defect rates, and supplier on-time delivery.
Present quality performance results and improvement recommendations to executive management; identify quality-related business risks and recommend corrective actions.
Support strategic planning and resource allocation for quality improvement initiatives.
Travel as needed when business demands or customers require it.