Manager - Quality

Job Description Position:Assistant Manager – Customer Quality Department :Quality Assurance Reports To Quality Manager / Head – Quality Job Summary The Assistant Manager – Customer Quality is responsible for managing customer quality requirements, ensuring customer satisfaction, and driving quality excellence across products, processes, systems, and documentation. The incumbent will serve as the primary customer interface for all quality-related matters, lead customer complaint investigations, coordinate cross-functional teams for effective problem resolution, and drive continuous improvement initiatives to achieve world-class quality performance. The role requires close collaboration with Engineering, Manufacturing, Production, Process Engineering, Testing, Supply Chain, and Program Management teams to ensure compliance with customer-specific requirements, industry standards, and organizational quality objectives. Key Responsibilities Customer Quality Management Act as the primary point of contact for customer quality-related issues, complaints, audits, and escalations. Develop and maintain strong customer relationships by understanding customer quality expectations and business requirements. Ensure customer-specific requirements are deployed and implemented across internal quality systems and manufacturing processes. Customer Complaint Management Lead investigations into customer complaints, field failures, and product returns. Drive structured problem-solving using 8D, 5 Why, Fishbone Diagram, FMEA, and other quality methodologies. Coordinate cross-functional teams to implement timely and effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA). Monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions and ensure timely closure of customer issues. Quality Planning & Product Assurance Develop quality assurance plans, inspection criteria, testing procedures, and control plans for new and existing products. Participate in New Product Introduction (NPI), First Article Inspection (FAI), and product qualification activities. Review manufacturing readiness and ensure quality risks are identified and mitigated before mass production. Monitor product quality performance and drive improvements in First Pass Yield (FPY) and defect reduction. Continuous Improvement Lead quality improvement initiatives to enhance product reliability, manufacturing yield, and customer satisfaction. Analyze quality data, customer feedback, and process performance to identify improvement opportunities. Promote Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement methodologies. Customer Communication Provide regular quality performance updates to customers. Prepare and present customer reports, 8D reports, corrective action plans, and quality metrics. Participate in customer meetings, audits, and technical reviews. Documentation & Reporting Maintain customer complaint logs, customer return records, audit reports, quality scorecards, and corrective action records. Monitor manufacturing yield, internal rejection trends, and quality KPIs. Track Engineering Change Notices (ECN), document revisions, and implementation status. Prepare monthly quality dashboards and management reports. Compliance & Audits Ensure compliance with customer-specific requirements, IPC standards, ISO 9001, and applicable regulatory requirements. Lead and support customer, certification, and internal quality audits. Ensure timely closure of audit findings and implementation of corrective actions. Team Leadership Coach and mentor Quality Engineers and Inspectors on quality tools, customer requirements, and best practices. Drive a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement. Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve organizational quality objectives. Qualifications Education Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Electronics Engineering or a related discipline. Experience 7–10 years of experience in Customer Quality, Manufacturing Quality, or Quality Assurance within the Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) industry. Minimum 2–3 years of experience in a leadership or supervisory role. Proven experience in handling customer complaints, customer audits, and quality improvement initiatives. Technical Skills Strong knowledge of electronic components, PCB Assembly (PCBA), Box Build, and electronics manufacturing processes. Expertise in quality tools including 8D, Root Cause Analysis, 5 Why, Fishbone Diagram, FMEA, Control Plan, SPC, and CAPA. Knowledge of First Article Inspection (FAI), NPI, PPAP/APQP (preferred), and Engineering Change Management. Familiarity with IPC-A-610, J-STD-001 (Class 3 preferred), and ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems. Experience with electronic testing equipment and manufacturing quality systems. Preferred Certifications Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt. ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent. ISO 9001 Internal Auditor certification. IPC-A-610 Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) is preferred. Key Competencies Strong leadership and people management skills. Excellent customer relationship management. Outstanding communication and presentation skills. Analytical thinking and structured problem-solving. Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management. Decision-making and conflict resolution. Planning, prioritization, and execution. Continuous improvement mindset. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Customer Complaint Closure Time Customer PPM (Parts Per Million) Customer Satisfaction Score On-Time CAPA Closure Audit Performance and Closure First Pass Yield (FPY) Internal Rejection Rate Customer Return Reduction Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) ECN Implementation Effectiveness Benefits Supporting Thales customer requirements