Quality Control Systems Managers

Operations & Service Delivery

Level 6690 of 1200 points

Job description

Quality Control Systems Managers

Job purpose

To plan, direct and coordinate the quality assurance programme, formulating quality control policy and controlling the quality of laboratory and production work, so that raw materials, components and finished products meet established testing, inspection and regulatory standards.

Skills

Technical knowledge of production processes, raw materials and quality control technique, chemistry and the properties and handling of substances, applied mathematics and statistics for sampling and trend analysis, engineering and testing technology, and the regulatory standards governing submissions and inspections, together with training design and the management principles needed to run a function. Bachelor's degree, with several years of related experience and on-the-job training.
Provides feedback and interpretation of quality control test results to production management and staff, communicates quality control information to all relevant departments, vendors and contractors, and instructs vendors and contractors on quality guidelines, testing procedures and how to eliminate deficiencies. Confers with marketing and sales to define client requirements and expectations, and instructs staff in quality control and analytical procedures.
Identifies quality problems and areas for improvement and recommends solutions, identifies critical points in the manufacturing process and specifies the sampling procedures to be used there, and monitors new product development to anticipate problems in mass production. Holds the authority to stop production where serious product defects are present — a judgement with immediate cost and safety consequences that must be made quickly on test evidence.
Reviews and updates standard operating procedures and quality assurance manuals, creates and implements inspection and testing criteria, and directs product testing throughout production cycles. Priorities are largely self-set, though the production schedule and regulatory inspection dates fix the timetable.
Work is carried out at a computer and in laboratory and production areas, collecting and handling production samples and inspecting materials and equipment. Common protective equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves or hearing protection is worn.

Responsibilities

Oversees workers including supervisors, inspectors and laboratory workers engaged in testing activities, instructing them in quality control and analytical procedures, setting performance standards, coaching and recruiting. Accountable for the work outcomes of these staff and for the health and safety of other workers, and the quality decisions taken bind production departments outside the function.
Generates and maintains the quality control operating budget and monitors spending within it, evaluating new testing and sampling technologies for usefulness. Stopping production or rejecting raw materials commits cost on the postholder's own authority.
Coordinates the selection and implementation of quality control equipment such as inspection gauges, verifies that raw materials, purchased parts, in-process samples and finished products meet standards, reviews and approves quality plans submitted by contractors, and audits and inspects subcontractor facilities and external laboratories.
Owns the quality record: documents testing procedures, methodologies and criteria, directs the tracking of defects and test results, and produces reports on nonconformance, daily production quality, root cause analyses and quality trends. Reviews the quality documentation used for regulatory submissions and inspections, where an inaccuracy carries regulatory and product safety consequences.

Effort required

Exacting analytical work in which accuracy is critical: test results, sample data and defect trends must be interpreted correctly, and decisions are made frequently and under time pressure against a running production process, on a high volume of contact with other departments, vendors and contractors.
Stopping production, rejecting material and reporting nonconformance sets the postholder against production, commercial and supplier interests, generating conflict from inside and outside the organisation. Independence must be held under pressure, with accountability for worker safety and for company results.
Predominantly seated work at a computer, with time in laboratory and production areas to collect samples and inspect materials. No lifting or exertion is recorded.

Working conditions

Indoors and environmentally controlled, with time in laboratories and production areas where protective equipment is worn and samples and chemical substances are handled. No noise, temperature or outdoor exposure is recorded. Psychosocial demand comes from conflict over quality decisions and from accountability for product safety.
Almost all incumbents work more than forty hours a week, the great majority on a regular established schedule, with a small proportion whose hours vary with production demands. Work is done to time pressure, elements of it repeat, and the product must meet a competitive standard. Determines own tasks, priorities and goals with considerable freedom, and decisions taken frequently carry weight for co-workers and company results.

Skills

40% · 269 points▾

KnowledgeLevel 4 of 8
72 of 144 points
Factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work. The job requires a range of thinking and practical knowledge to find solutions to specific problems in the job or study area.
Interpersonal and communication skillsLevel 4 of 5
77 of 96 points
Advanced communication and interpersonal skills. The job holder is required to manage complex interactions, mediate interpersonal conflicts and support group collaboration.
Problem-solving skillsLevel 4 of 5
77 of 96 points
Non-standard problems. The job involves solving complex, non-standard problems involving multiple factors to consider. Solutions often require careful analysis and the adaptation of current methods.
Planning and organisational skillsLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate organisational skills required. The job requires the organising and prioritising of multiple tasks, with some level of adjustment to plans on the basis of changing circumstances or deadlines.
Physical skillsLevel 0 of 5
0 of 72 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any particular physical skills (although there is likely to be some physical activity).

Responsibility

35% · 284 points▾

PeopleLevel 4 of 5
115 of 144 points
High level of responsibility for people. The job involves significant responsibility for the well-being and development of others. This includes making decisions that affect others' jobs, tasks or welfare, such as managing teams, providing care, teaching or ensuring psychological safety. It can also include hiring, evaluating, motivating, coaching and leading workers.
Goods and equipmentLevel 2 of 5
34 of 84 points
Some responsibility for goods or equipment. The job involves the use and maintenance of equipment or stock, and the job holder is responsible for ensuring resources are used appropriately and safely.
InformationLevel 4 of 5
77 of 96 points
Considerable responsibility for information. The job manages large amounts of valuable or sensitive information, deciding what is needed and how it is used and ensuring it is protected.
Financial resourcesLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Moderate responsibility for financial resources. The job requires handling significant financial resources, including managing budgets, overseeing expenditures, being accountable for spending and participating in financial decision-making.

Effort

15% · 89 points▾

Mental effortLevel 3 of 5
36 of 60 points
High level of mental effort. The job involves frequent concentration on complex tasks that require considerable mental effort, such as interpreting complex data.
Psychosocial and emotional effortLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate psychosocial and emotional effort. The job requires the regular management of emotional responses, such as dealing with sensitive or challenging individuals or situations.
Physical effortLevel 1 of 5
10 of 48 points
Minimal physical effort. The job involves light physical tasks, such as occasional lifting or moving light objects.

Working Conditions

10% · 48 points▾

Environment (physical, psychological or emotional)Level 2 of 5
34 of 84 points
Occasional exposure to hazards or stress. The job involves occasional exposure to mild physical risks (e.g. working with light machinery, occasional noise) or psychosocial risks (e.g. occasional interpersonal conflict or minor repetitive tasks). Exposure occurs two to three times a year.
Organisational environmentLevel 2 of 5
14 of 36 points
Occasional organisational demands. The job may involve occasional irregular hours (e.g. the requirement to work weekends or holidays), minimal travel or limited digital connectivity outside normal working hours.