Quality Manager - Manufacturing

Company: Summit Polymers
Location: Portage
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE: Manager, Quality (Manufacturing) FLSA STATUS: Exempt REPORTS TO: General Manager SUMMARY This Quality Manager is a plant staff management position reporting to the Plant General Manager. The Quality Manager is responsible for complete oversight and execution of Summit Polymers quality management system and procedures. The Quality Manager collaborates with other staff managers to lead the quality organization in pursuit of three major objectives. One, provide outstanding customer service. Two, ensure compliance to established international, customer, and internal standards. Three, support the manufacturing department who are the “owners” of quality. The Quality Manager is the expert in the plant for IATF 16949 / ISO 9001 standards compliance, auditing, and ongoing improvement, the expert for customer requirements and approvals, the expert for specific product and process requirements, and the expert in performing root cause problem solving activities that eliminate defects. RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES Day to day leadership of the plant quality organization Directs and prioritizes activities of subordinate Quality Engineers, Quality Technicians and Quality Auditors. Directs responses to customer and internal quality issues. Coordinates customer site activities including routine pro-active QE visits, on-site quality representative activities, and reactive QE visits to address customer concerns. Coordinates, facilitates, and reports on internal and external audits. Coordinates and facilitates new product launch quality support and task completion. Provides monitoring, oversight, and direction related to standards and procedure compliance. Interfaces with manufacturing, engineering, and shop floor associates to provide real time guidance related to part or process quality. Management of Quality Team Develops and administers Quality Engineer performance metrics that support achievement of plant and department objectives for safety, quality, productivity, and delivery. Communicates quality team member performance expectations clearly, monitors actual performance continually and provides performance feedback frequently. Coaches, counsels or issues discipline as appropriate to quality team members Performs training needs analysis for subordinates and facilitates training completion. Trains and mentors quality department team on external requirements, internal requirements, customer response, core quality tools, customer portals, problem solving, and all other quality related activities. Organizes and deploys the resources of the quality department to best meet the needs of manufacturing. Ensures quality plans are in compliance to all related statutory and regulatory requirements. Manages internal Layered Process Audit activities, including audit schedule, response to audit findings, and management review of audit results. Manages plant document and data control through the Qualtity Coordinator in compliance with Summit procedures. Manages ongoing plant validation activities including measurement, testing, statistical anaylisis, and quality tool calibration requirements. Interfaces with corporate quality laboratory on lab services outside of plant’s capability. Engages suppliers when necessary on supplier quality issues, directs supplier responsible containment, validates supplier problem solving and corrective actions and performs on-going supplier performance assessment with Corporate Supplier Quality Engineers. Leads and collaborates with plant staff managers to ensure adherence to Summit Quality Manual requirements. Leads continuous improvement of assigned plant Quality performance metrics, including but not limited to customer scorecard ratings, containment cost, quality return & debit cost, and external defective ppm. Provides support when required during off hours relating to quality. New Product Development Facilitates and ensures plant quality participatation during product Design Input and Design Output process to ensure all aspects of product quality and quality tools are considered. Reviews and ensures new product documents comply with Summit Polymers and customer requirements, including but not limited to PFMEA, Process Flow/Control Plan, Quality Inspection Standards, First/Last Piece Instructions, Receiving Inspection Instructions, Dock Audit Instructions and Safe Launch Instructions. Ensures compliance to customer requirements for Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA). Participates with Corporate Supplier Quality Engineers in review of supplier PPAP documentation. Manages the Appearance Approval Report (AAR) process including directing colorant, paint, film, and purchased component suppliers, developing internal color and gloss tolerance values, attending customer color harmony events, and proactively engaging customer color harmony through life of production. Supervises the QE work on PPAP package development and continually reviews PPAP content, quality of work, and timeline compliance to support successful on-time PPAP customer approval. Ensures compliance to all customer web based application submissions throughout product development process. Provides final signatory approval when required on completed PPAP packages for submission to customer, including initial PPAP and subsequent PPAP completed for engineering changes through the life of the product. Directs product safe launch containment activity, including review of safe launch containment instructions, internal reportorting of safe launch findings, and facilitation of corrective actions. Supports launch preparation activities, internal development trials, customer run at rates, on-site customer builds, and internal product development milestone reviews. Customer Product Quality Support Develops and maintains positive working relationships with external customers. Engages immediately in reaction to high visibility customer quality concerns. Travels to customer locations as required supporting containment, investigation, and presentation of corrective actions (or disputes) for customer quality concerns. Provides functional & technical knowledge and performs research in support of manufacturing operations in resolving quality concerns. Supports continuous improvement activities that create improvements to standardized work methods and operational efficiency. Problem Solving Facilitates and supports Practical Problem Solving (PPS) activities to fully define the problem, determine root cause, and develop and validate root cause based corrective actions to resolve customer, internal and supplier quality concerns. Assures compliance to Summit PPS A3 standard, and when required provides a report out on the subject to the senior leadership of the organization. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Bachelor’s Degree in an Engineering field or related science discipline is preferred 5-7 years of experience in automotive quality function is required, with 1-2 years experience in quality management being preferred Experience with Class A appearance, injection molded, decorated and assembled products is preferrred ASQC CQE / CQM certification is a plus Experience as Internal Auditor for IATF 16949 / ISO 9001 is a plus Agreement to complete all post-hire required training is required SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Interpersonal skills necessary to effectively interact with all levels of Summit Polymers and customer organizations, including performing effective negotiations, leading effective training, presenting problem solving results. Strong computer literacy, including Microsoft Excel, Word, Power Point and customer websites. Knowledge of AIAG based quality core tools including APQP, PPAP, MSA, GD&T, & FMEA. Competence using Toyota’s Practical Problem Solving methodology. Knowledge and understanding of IATF 16949 / ISO 9001 Standards. Knowledge and experience as responsible leader with external audits, including IATF certification audits, Ford Q1 MSA audit, GM BIQS audit, VW & BMW VDA audit, Nissan ASES audit and FCA Process Planing and Quality Risk audits. Knowledge and experience with specific customer quality response formats, including Ford 8D, GM SPPS, FCA NCT, Nissan PIR 8D. Knowledge of GD&T and Metrology tools and methods. Knowledge of SPC & Statistical Analysis and related software skills (Minitab or similar). Excellent written and oral communication skills. A minimum score of 50 on the Wonderlic Select Assessment (Traditional score of 26 on the cognitive portion). TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS This position typically does require up to 15% travel. DISCLAIMER The information contained in this job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor are they intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Keywords: Summit Polymers, Gary , Quality Manager - Manufacturing, Science, Research & Development , Portage, Indiana