Quality Manager

US Farathane•Riverside, MO

About The Position

US Farathane is seeking a Quality Manager to develop, implement, and maintain the Quality Management System (QMS) in compliance with IATF 16949, customer-specific requirements, and applicable regulatory standards. The role leads quality assurance, quality engineering, and inspection activities to ensure product conformity, reduce defects, support continuous improvement, and maintain customer satisfaction in an automotive plastic injection molding environment serving OEM and Tier 1 customers. The Quality Manager is the site Management Representative for quality systems and leads the plant quality department, including its staffing, training, performance management, and work scheduling. The position reports quality performance and corrective and preventive actions to the General Manager and Corporate Quality, oversees audits and customer quality matters, and works cross-functionally to improve process capability and product quality. It also supports new product launches, supplier quality, production changes, and continuous improvement initiatives. US Farathane has supplied the automotive industry with plastics manufacturing for over 40 years. Its offerings include full-service support from black-box design concepts to engineered composites, TPEs and TPOs, and specialized extrusion and compression technologies.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or a related field, or equivalent experience of 5 years.
At least 5 years of quality leadership experience in automotive manufacturing.
Strong working knowledge of IATF 16949 and automotive core tools.
Experience in plastic injection molding or high-volume manufacturing environments.
Proven experience leading audits, customer interactions, and corrective actions.
Proficiency with quality data analysis, SPC software, and MS Office.
Strong knowledge of statistical analysis and process capability studies.
Experience supporting multi-shift manufacturing operations.
Strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
Effective communication with customers and internal teams.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Detail orientation and a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
Legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

IATF 16949 Lead Auditor certification.
Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Experience working with Tier 1 or OEM automotive customers.

Responsibilities

Lead and maintain compliance with IATF 16949 and customer-specific requirements.
Directly supervise the plant quality department team, including selection, hiring, training, performance evaluations, and work scheduling.
Serve as the site Management Representative for quality systems.
Report abnormal quality KPIs, customer scorecards, and related corrective and preventive actions to the General Manager and Corporate Quality.
Track required QMS quality metrics and develop action plans to achieve green metrics.
Review customer and engineering requirements to support successful new production launches in compliance with APQP and PPAP activities.
Develop, update, and control quality procedures, work instructions, and records.
Prepare for and lead internal, customer, and third-party audits.
Drive corrective and preventive actions using structured problem-solving methods.
Act as a primary quality contact for automotive customers, including OEMs and Tier 1 customers.
Manage customer complaints, warranty issues, and scorecards.
Lead 8D problem-solving, root cause analysis, and corrective action submissions.
Support customer PPAP submissions, launch readiness, and change management.
Oversee supplier quality performance, including audits and corrective actions.
Ensure compliance with APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, MSA, and SPC.
Monitor and analyze quality metrics, including PPM, scrap, rework, and customer returns.
Partner with Production, Engineering, and Tooling to reduce defects and improve process capability.
Support new product launches, process changes, and tooling modifications.
Ensure effective incoming, in-process, and final inspection systems.
Lead, coach, and develop Quality Engineers, Quality Technicians, the Quality Supervisor, Auditors, and Inspectors.
Establish department goals aligned with plant KPIs.
Conduct performance reviews and support training and skill development.
Promote a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Drive Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Use data-driven decision-making to identify trends and prevent recurring issues.
Manage and support layered process audits (LPA) and risk mitigation activities.
Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements related to quality.
Perform other duties as assigned.