TRB Lightweight Structures is seeking an experienced and hands-on Quality Manager to lead and develop the company’s operational quality function across manufacturing, supplier quality, customer quality, and process improvement.
This role is responsible for driving operational quality performance across the business, ensuring that products, suppliers, and manufacturing processes consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements while establishing a clear culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
The successful candidate will provide strong day-to-day leadership to the Quality Department, coordinate resolution of customer and supplier quality issues, lead operational quality recovery activities, and work closely with Production, Engineering, Purchasing, and Supply Chain to improve overall business performance.
The role requires a practical and decisive individual who is comfortable operating within a fast-paced SME manufacturing environment and capable of balancing strategic leadership with hands-on operational support where required.
The business already has dedicated support for Quality Systems administration and audit coordination. This role is therefore heavily focused on operational quality leadership, supplier performance, customer issue resolution, and driving actions through to completion
Key Responsibilities
Operational Quality Leadership
- Lead and develop the Quality Department, providing clear direction, structure, prioritisation, and accountability.
- Drive resolution of quality issues across manufacturing, suppliers, and customers.
- Ensure actions are clearly assigned, tracked, and closed out effectively.
- Provide strong operational leadership during periods of customer or supplier escalation.
- Promote a proactive quality culture focused on prevention rather than firefighting.
- Ensure robust management and disposition of non-conforming product.
- Promote practical problem-solving and data-driven decision making
- Review quality KPIs, trends, and operational risks with Senior Management.
- Support Quality systems manager with ownership of the Quality Management System in line with ISO9001 and IRIS requirements
Customer / Supplier Quality Management
- Support Quality systems manager in root cause investigations, corrective actions, and recovery plans.
- Ensure customer concerns are managed professionally and responded to within agreed timescales.
- Coordinate structured problem-solving using methodologies such as 8D, 5 Why, and RCCA.
- Support customer audits and maintain customer confidence.
- Lead supplier quality performance management activities across the supply chain.
- Manage supplier non-conformances, corrective actions, and containment activities.
- Work closely with Purchasing and Supply Chain to improve supplier accountability and performance.
- Conduct supplier audits, supplier visits, and supplier development activities where required.
- Escalate supplier risks and drive closure of supplier quality issues.
Skills & Experience
Required
- Proven experience in a Quality Manager, Senior Quality Engineer, or Operational Quality leadership role within manufacturing.
- Strong experience managing supplier quality and customer quality issues.
- Experience leading operational quality recovery and driving actions through to closure.
- Strong working knowledge of ISO9001 quality systems and audit processes.
- Experience leading root cause investigations and corrective action activities.
- Strong leadership, communication, organisational, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to manage priorities and maintain structure under pressure.
- Practical hands-on approach with strong attention to detail.
- Experience working within an SME manufacturing environment.
Desirable
- Experience within rail, aerospace, automotive, or engineered manufacturing sectors.
- IRIS certification knowledge or experience.
- Internal or Lead Auditor qualification.
- Experience with APQP, PPAP, FAI, or structured problem-solving methodologies.
37.5 hour per week, Monday to Friday
Job Type: Permanent
Pay: From £45,000.00 per hour
Application question(s):
- Do you have strong knowledge ISO9001 quality systems and audit processes?
- How many years experience do you have in a Quality Manager, Senior Quality Engineer or Operational Quality Leadership role within manufacturing?
Work Location: In person
