Quality Manager

Nortek•Dyersburg, TN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Quality Manager leads quality strategy, culture, and execution for Nortek Data Center Cooling’s Dyersburg manufacturing facility. The role partners with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Customer Quality to ensure products meet customer expectations and to improve operational performance. It champions proactive quality practices focused on prevention, process capability, and continuous improvement, while balancing customer requirements, manufacturing realities, and business objectives. The manager leads the facility Quality Management System in alignment with company requirements and the intent of ISO 9001:2015; oversees manufacturing quality controls, audits, nonconformance and corrective-action processes, and customer and supplier quality activities; and develops quality personnel and organizational capabilities. The position is primarily based at the Dyersburg manufacturing facility, with regular production-floor presence and occasional travel as needed. The role aims to build a “Right First Time” culture, improve first-pass yield, reduce defects and quality costs, strengthen process controls and supplier performance, reduce customer and warranty issues, and provide useful quality data for business decisions. Success is measured through customer issues, yield and quality costs, action and audit closure, inspection and test readiness, supplier performance, training competency, and progress on site quality objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent directly relevant experience.
Progressive quality leadership experience in a manufacturing, engineered-to-order, or industrial equipment environment, including responsibility for leading teams, improving processes, implementing quality management systems, and delivering measurable improvements.
Demonstrated success leading teams and improving product quality, process capability, customer satisfaction, and operational performance.
Strong working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems.
Experience leading root-cause analysis, CAPA programs, nonconformance management, audit readiness, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, test procedures, and manufacturing documentation.
Strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to think independently, constructively challenge assumptions, and make fact-based business decisions.
Ability to work safely in an active manufacturing environment and use required personal protective equipment.
Ability to inspect equipment and work areas, which may involve standing, walking, bending, reaching, or accessing production and test locations.
May need schedule flexibility to support production priorities, customer events, containment activity, or critical quality issues.
Occasional travel may be required for customer, supplier, field, audit, training, or other company needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience in HVAC, data-center cooling, air-handling, refrigeration, electrical-mechanical equipment, or other complex configured-to-order manufacturing.
Formal auditor training or certification; ASQ certifications such as Certified Quality Engineer or Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence are beneficial.
Experience with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, 8D, 5-Why, fishbone analysis, PFMEA, control plans, statistical process control, and layered process audits.
Experience supporting customer factory witness testing, commissioning, installation, warranty, or field-service quality activities.
Experience using Autodesk Construction Cloud/BIM 360 or similar platforms for project documentation and issue tracking.
Prior experience in a regulated or customer-controlled project-delivery environment.

Responsibilities

Lead implementation, maintenance, and continual improvement of the facility Quality Management System in alignment with company requirements and the intent of ISO 9001:2015.
Ensure quality procedures, work instructions, forms, records, and document controls are current, accessible, and followed.
Plan and support internal, customer, and third-party audits; document findings, assign actions, and verify sustainable closure.
Monitor applicable compliance obligations and promptly escalate gaps or risks.
Promote disciplined change control for engineering, process, material, and supplier changes.
Provide visible floor leadership for incoming, in-process, and final inspection, end-of-line testing, packaging, and shipment release.
Define and consistently apply inspection and test plans, acceptance criteria, check sheets, control plans, and workmanship standards.
Partner with Operations and Engineering to identify process weaknesses, implement preventive controls, and reduce defects, rework, scrap, and disruption.
Establish hold, quarantine, disposition, and release controls for nonconforming material and product.
Ensure measuring and test equipment is suitable, controlled, calibrated, and used correctly.
Assess manufacturing, shipping, packaging, installation, and service feedback and provide actionable recommendations.
Lead or facilitate containment, root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive action, and effectiveness verification using structured problem-solving methods.
Govern nonconformance, MRB, CAPA, deviation, and quality-improvement actions through closure.
Analyze recurring defects and process trends and prioritize improvement work based on customer impact, risk, and business performance.
Capture and communicate lessons learned and incorporate applicable improvements into future builds and processes.
Support operational reviews with quality status, risks, aging actions, trend data, and recovery plans.
Represent site quality in customer reviews, witness testing, audits, escalations, and quality-related project meetings.
Coordinate quality deliverables for customer or project requirements, including quality plans, inspection records, test documentation, punch lists, and turnover records.
Support evaluation of field issues, warranty concerns, service-parts needs, installation deficiencies, and methods of procedure when site quality involvement is required.
Ensure customer-facing responses are timely, fact-based, technically supported, and aligned with approved business positions.
Provide manufacturing and engineering with quality feedback from customer, commissioning, installation, and service experience.
Partner with Supply Chain and Engineering to define supplier quality requirements and acceptance criteria.
Support supplier qualification, issue escalation, corrective action, and performance improvement for critical materials and components.
Align incoming inspection priorities with supplier performance, risk, and product criticality.
Provide quality input to procurement decisions, sourcing changes, and supplier recovery plans.
Lead, coach, and develop quality personnel, establishing expectations, accountability, and growth opportunities.
Develop and scale site quality systems, processes, and organizational capabilities to support production growth, operational complexity, and customer expectations.
Build partnerships across Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Service, and Commercial teams.
Promote early identification of quality issues, direct resolution, prevention of recurrence, employee empowerment, and continuous improvement.
Lead through visibility, engagement, data-driven decisions, ownership, and urgency.