Quality Manager

ITW • Waterbury, CT

38d • Onsite

About The Position

The Quality Manager leads by direct involvement in daily operations, ensuring product and process quality through hands‑on execution, strong customer engagement, and disciplined problem‑solving. This role is accountable for IATF 16949 compliance, rapid response to quality issues, and driving continuous improvement on the shop floor. The Quality Manager actively partners with Operations, Engineering, and Supply Chain to prevent defects, stabilize processes, and improve customer satisfaction.

Requirements

• 3-5 years’ experience in leading and developing a team.
• 5–10 years of automotive manufacturing quality experience, including direct shop‑floor involvement.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to engage operators, technicians, engineers, managers, and customers.
• 3-5 years’ experience in a customer-facing role.
• Proven experience in employee development, quality improvements quality issue containment, customer responses, corrective actions, and cost reduction.
• Strong working knowledge of IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA, DOE, and root cause analysis.
• Experience with GD&T, inspection techniques, and measurement systems.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Quality, or a related field preferred or equivalent experience.
• Lean manufacturing experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a strong daily presence on the shop floor, directly observing processes, reviewing quality data, and addressing issues at the source.
• Develop quality technicians, inspectors, and engineers in proper methods, expectations, and problem‑solving techniques, through training, goal setting, education, and employee development.
• Participate directly in containment, sorting, investigations, disposition, and verification of corrective actions when quality issues arise.
• Establish departmental structure, goals, and objectives consistent with the corporate plans.
• Drives accountability across the department to achieve business goals and objectives.
• Oversee and directly support inspection, testing, layout inspections, and quality lab activities.
• Manage and oversee the activities of all quality department personnel, operations, techniques, and activities.
• Lead the team that is culturally focused on continuous improvement, problem solving, expectation, & results.
• Manage customer quality issues, including complaints, deviations, and corrective actions.
• Lead customer meetings related to quality concerns, audits, and launches.
• Support and lead structured problem‑solving efforts (8D, A3), verifying root cause effectiveness.
• Monitor customer metrics and scorecards; drive countermeasures as required.
• Own the practical execution of the IATF 16949 based Business System, ensuring procedures are followed — not just documented.
• Support the development, improvement, and implementation of the divisional business system.
• Conduct and participate in internal audits, layered process audits, and compliance checks.
• Lead corrective actions resulting from audits, escapes, and systemic weaknesses.
• Support Divisional Advanced Quality Planning activities, including control plan development, gage design, selection of special characteristics, and PPAP submissions and the transition to serial product.
• Actively lead PFMEA reviews, Control Plan updates, and errorproof implementation to prevent recurrence.
• Support/Lead SPC usage, capability improvements, and reaction plans at the process level.
• Support/Lead lean improvement activities such as 5S, standard work, waste reduction, and first‑time‑quality initiatives.
• Adhere to corporate policies, procedures, and safety standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned or directed.

Benefits

• ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager