The search and selection of the Quality Manager

To fully understand the concept about the fundamental importance of such a figure, and the importance of carefully searching for and selecting a Quality Manager, one need only inquire about his or her duties and responsibilities.

In general, the Quality Manager is responsible for coordinating and managing the quality management activities of production processes to ensure specific standards for them. In detail, he carries out activities that affect the entire production process, a wide-ranging, controlling, delicate, demanding action with enormous responsibility. It devises useful measures to monitor the flow of production and to ensure high quality standards in all steps of processing: from the beginning of activities to the realization of finished products to be put on the market.

The Quality Manager is responsible for planning the control activities and management of the document systems of the various stages, so as to ensure compliance with national and international standards relevant to the field in question. In this logic, active and continuous collaboration with the various managers is necessary and essential. Another essential task attributable to this professional figure is that of establishing a system of indicators to monitor performance and ensure consistent and long-term quality levels.

The Quality Manager continuously collects and pulls together information found from each party (control systems, suppliers, consumers) to identify any defects and develop improvement actions to counteract identified deficiencies. Improvement and corrective actions to be taken immediately if budgeted quality standards are not achieved and, therefore, to be put in place to remedy circumstances of nonconformity. The Quality Manager also liaises with external inspectors assigned to monitor manufacturing processes and other technical specialists.

To summarize, the main tasks of a Quality Manager could be as follows:

– writing and reviewing a company’s quality planning;

– defining quality management documentation (quality system);

– monitoring company procedures to check the proper application of established protocols;

– internal inspections;

– analysis and processing of information to trace consumer satisfaction;

– assessment of suppliers to ensure compliance with technical requirements;

– collection of information and statistical data to monitor performance;

– definition of critical issues following the mapping of business procedures;

– prevision of corrective measures when necessary;

– development of new essential quality concepts: from the quality of the business organization to the quality of the final product;

– close cooperation with other company managers and periodic reporting to top management on the progress of quality management systems.

A demanding set of tasks to be carried out exclusively with certain requirements, skills and a great sense of responsibility. No profession can be improvised out of thin air, least of all the so delicate profession of Quality Manager. Once we have a good understanding of what the tasks and the value of the role are, we now turn to see below the requirements and skills useful for carrying out this profession.

Quality manager: requirements and skills

The training useful for becoming a Quality Manager changes depending on the field of interest. By way of example, profiles with technical skills in the field are obviously particularly suitable for filling this role in a metalworking company. For those searching for and selecting a Quality Manager, a master’s degree is certainly a key calling card, however, with established experience in the field it is possible to perform these tasks even without a degree. A degree may also be sufficient if accompanied by years of experience and specific training in the field.

Comprehensive and very useful training paths to increase notions and skills and to carry out important business activities such as those attributable to the professional figure of the Quality Manager. A delicate job that cannot be invented and carried out without above all the knowledge:

– of quality management systems;

– of process analysis and control techniques;

– knowledge of the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard regarding business processes.

In addition, the Quality Manager cannot do without good interpersonal skills, communication skills, some autonomy when it comes to problem solving and excellent stress resistance skills. Indeed, a role that involves not only management, control and corrective interventions but also relationships and confrontations with customers and suppliers, especially if you work in companies or for companies of a certain type and size.

Quality manager: job opportunities

The career outlets for a Quality Manager are numerous and diverse. In addition, it is possible to become a Quality Manager after performing managerial duties in other areas of a company. Thus, the fields of interest for pursuing this professional career are diverse; just take a look at the job offers.

The search and selection of the Quality Manager interests, for example, textile, apparel, food, chemical-pharmaceutical, and other many industries. Different job outlets offering the possibility of a career also as freelancers as external consultants or as trainers for institutions and companies. Different opportunities in various productive fields and in different contexts, for work that is yes challenging but also rewarding in every respect. By the way, depending on the work realities, the need to make transfers for factual comparisons with suppliers and customers also changes a lot.

As mentioned, there is no shortage of job opportunities, provided, however, that you meet specific requirements, skills and industry experience. This is because the role of Quality Manager is particularly demanding, stressful and expensive, on his actions depend many of the fortunes and future of a company. Indeed, the latter can become and remain competitive in the market for a long time only by marketing end products of high quality and liking, from this point of view precisely the rigorous controls during all stages of production make a substantial difference.

Big responsibilities, stress and fatigue but also excellent profit margins for a professional figure of Quality Manager. Indeed, this is a well-paid, particularly sought-after and rewarding profession. Any self-respecting company today can very hardly do without such a professional, because it is precisely the quality of the final products that greatly affects the winning business of a company and the trust or otherwise of consumers.