Quality Improvement Manager

ETC•Mazomanie, WI

About The Position

ETC is seeking a hands-on Quality Improvement Manager to lead data-backed improvements, address product and process challenges, maintain strong ISO systems, and manage an inspector-heavy quality team. The role leads cross-functional teams in analyzing quality trends, solving systemic issues, and delivering measurable, sustainable results. It also emphasizes people leadership: coaching and developing employees, setting expectations, fostering accountability, supporting career growth, and building a collaborative, high-performance culture. The manager oversees quality measures and reporting, supplier corrective actions, product holds, inspection activities, pilot run reviews, and vendor performance. The role works closely with R&D, Manufacturing Engineering, Technical Services, Purchasing, Manufacturing, and suppliers to reduce defects and embed prevention and continuous improvement throughout design, sourcing, and production. The position is responsible for the ISO 9001 quality system and related processes, including quality notifications, corrective actions, calibration, internal audits, inspection teams, ESD maintenance, nonconforming material review and disposition, MRBs, and final inspection. The manager supervises the QA team leader and QA inspectors and handles hiring, orientation, training, performance management, career development, and employee development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a technical area, or 8 years of comparable experience.
3–5 years of previous supervisory experience.
5–10 years of continuous improvement, quality assurance, and quality control experience.
Familiarity with employment law.
Excellent communication and organizational skills.
Computer skills.
Knowledge of continuous improvement, quality assurance, and quality control.
Knowledge of gauging, measurement, and metrology.

Responsibilities

Lead cross-functional, data-driven teams to solve systemic product and process issues using structured problem-solving methods, with clear targets, owners, and sustainability plans.
Ensure teams review data, identify trends and issues, assign action items, follow up on completion, and distribute meeting minutes.
Conduct monthly reviews of quality reports with the team and manage quality measures.
Monitor SAP service notifications and quality notifications, top quality issues by product line, manufacturing scrap, NCMRs, on-time shipments, global product performance, vendor on-time delivery and PPM, and other relevant data.
Analyze quality information and provide insight to highlight areas of concern.
Manage corrective actions with suppliers and coordinate product holds.
Manage QA involvement in first-piece inspections and in-process audits, and manage pilot run reviews.
Assist Purchasing with selecting new vendors and regularly reviewing existing vendor performance.
Work with vendors to achieve and maintain direct-to-stock status.
Work with R&D, Manufacturing Engineering, Technical Services, Purchasing, and Manufacturing to embed continuous improvement and prevention principles in design, sourcing, and production.
Complete special projects and requests in a timely and positive manner, and perform other duties as assigned.
Ensure necessary functions have defined policies and procedures and oversee the ISO 9001 quality system.
Oversee SAP quality notifications, the corrective action system, the calibration system, and internal audits.
Assist with resolving quality alerts and corrective actions in a timely manner.
Manage inspection teams according to QSP 10.1, identify required inspections, and assign inspection responsibilities.
Manage ESD maintenance activities according to QSWI 15.1.4.
Manage the nonconforming material system according to QSP 13.1 and coordinate MRBs.
Manage final inspection according to QSP 10.1, develop and improve final inspection processes, identify required final inspections, and assign responsibility for product audits.
Manage Quality department employees and directly supervise the QA team leader and QA inspectors.
Coordinate and collaborate with other departments in establishing and carrying out responsibilities, and maintain positive communication between departments.
Handle hiring, orientation, training, performance management, career development, and overall employee development for department personnel.
Formulate, implement, and review department-related ISO procedures; instruct employees on procedures and work instructions; and inform employees about company and departmental plans and progress.
Maintain reporting on department activities and monitor departmental efficiency, making improvements where appropriate.