Quality Engineering Manager

SUMMARY:

The Quality Engineering Manager will direct the hardware quality support organization to support customer, manufacturing, and supplier continuous improvement programs. This role is responsible to ensure product quality and process concerns are identified and resolved effectively to drive continuous improvement.

• Develop, implement and revise quality initiatives to improve quality systems and procedures company-wide.
• Manage and support product and business improvement project plans, recommend corrective action and drive successful implementation.
• Manage all satisfaction expectations with customers including product quality, order quality, support services, and system tools interaction.
• Manage customer communications with Quality Engineers and act as the company escalation to all customers.
• Demonstrate ability to effectively communicate with customers, functional managers, employees and suppliers to sustain reporting requirements, identify areas for improvement and drive programs to implementation.
• Manage Supplier Quality improvements through supplier management communications and audits to assure supplier test process and quality control can meet UNICOM requirements.
• Demonstrate ability to effectively present quality results, resolution status and overviews.
• Manage development of process enhancements to meet changing quality compliance requirements and new Business Management System compliance standards to support business development.
• Manage the internal quality audit team and conduct periodic in-process audits and inspections to ensure that processes for meeting customer and partner requirements are repeatable and reproducible.
• Lead the Quality Engineering team in conducting quality training throughout the organization.
• Acts as consultant to all functional team members in addressing corrective and preventive actions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure that processes needed for quality assurance are established, implemented and maintained
• Provide leadership on new quality improvement tools and initiatives
• Act as the lead quality representative to drive key quality process issues and coordinate corrective action improvement plans by deploying effective cross functional team interpersonal skills.
• Drive OEM and sub-contractor supplier quality concerns to supplier management representatives to complete failure analysis, root cause and corrective action.
• Participate in supplier/vendor evaluation
• Provide expertise as needed for Innovation and Lean projects across all functional areas.
• Consult functional team members in periodic in-process audits and inspections to monitor process changes
• Consult functional team members in Quality Audits of UNICOM products and processes here and at the suppliers as required to ensure processes meet quality expectations
• Consult functional team members in addressing corrective and preventive actions
• Address customer concerns through issue resolution and corrective action implementation
• Support Engineering design initiatives such as packaging, product design and New Product Introductions
• On-going oversight and maintenance of our Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
• Monitor facility maintenance projects as they affect BMS compliance standards
• Support Privacy and Security requirements and manage quality systems in support of ongoing changes and controls required
• Monitor operational changes to ensure continued compliance with requirements and standards
• Manage and conduct internal quality audits in support of the internal auditor team
• Support ongoing compliance of the Business Management System to meet ISO 9001 Quality System and ISO14001 Environmental Management System and ISO-27001 Information Security Management System requirements and customer expectations
• Support external quality audits by ISO registrars and customers and support action items through the use of the Corrective Action process
• Learns about Company’s business as appropriate. Shows up to work on time and attends work as scheduled.
• All other duties as requested by supervisor or department head.
• Approximately 20% Travel between plants and suppliers.

COMPETENCY QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. If an employee does not meet the required competency level in any area, a required development training plan will be implemented.

Job-Specific Competencies:

(Education and/or years of experience; technical and/or analytical; software or applications; department and/or position specific; internal or external certifications required)

• Requires a Bachelor of Science in a relevant field from an accredited Engineering or Quality Management program; or Computer Science Discipline and a minimum of 10 years of Quality Systems related manufacturing experience.
• Requires a minimum of 5 years of experience in manufacturing and/or electronic assembly environments, with at least 3 years of experience in quality improvement application and/or statistical analysis
• Ability to write clear and concise reports and business correspondence that reveal the results of process measurements, analysis conducted and suggested improvement plans.
• Above average collaborative and team skills.
• Proficiency with standard Microsoft programs and statistical analysis tool sets is required.  Familiarity with Great Plains, Oracle and FactoryTalk and SharePoint is desired or will be a required development training.
• Experience working with suppliers to drive technical failure analysis and verification of successful implementation of corrective action
• Train suppliers and team members in quality tools including FMEA, problem solving, continuous improvement and failure analysis methods to drive business improvement team leaders
• Ability to interpret and understand Business Management System (BMS) process flow charts and comprehend inputs, outputs, and interactions.
• Continually improve business processes to improve efficiencies and responsiveness.
• Working knowledge of ISO standards and applicable regulations including implementation/support practices and internal and external auditing procedures.
• Ability to interpret, understand and manage Quality Management certification requirements to latest standards for ISO 9001 Quality System, ISO14001 Environmental Management System and ISO27001 Information Security Management System.
• Knowledge of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) social corporate compliance processes in support of cross functional involvement and maintenance.
• Experience working with external parties on matters relating to the QMS, EMS, and ISMS.
• Requires knowledge about the company’s products and services. In depth knowledge will be required development training.

Management Competencies: (Management experience required)

• Must have strong communication and collaborative skills to lead teams through problem-solving and process improvement.
• Must have excellent communication and presentation skills to interact and communicate effectively with company executives, suppliers and customers as well as technical and support personnel.
• Strong time management skills to manage multiple activities in parallel and varied priorities.
• Proven ability to lead successful teams and change management experiences. 
• Proven analytical/statistical background with ability to perform quantitative/qualitative analysis and work effectively in a matrix’s environment.

• Report to top management on the performance of the Quality Engineering activities and identify any need for improvement
• Ability to manage quality personnel and assign work and problem-solving tasks to junior quality personnel and mentor their development
• Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups and /or board of directors.
• Ability to effectively establish credibility, present facts and information and respond to questions from managers, clients, customers and suppliers.
• Ability to facilitate improvement through stewardship and persuasion of peers and upper management.
• Ability to drive cross-functional and effectiveness teams to address operational issues and support key business factors
• Manage and consult teams to drive process and product improvement projects
• Ensure the promotion of awareness of regulatory and customer requirements throughout the organization
• Know and follow established company core values.

Core Competencies:

(Other core requirements including communication, presentation, language, math, and reasoning skills)

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Candidate must posses the ability to communicate both verbally, and in writing in English.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to logically break down complex situations into tasks, or to formulate fault trees for risk analysis.
• Ability to compose reports and provide clear correspondence. 
• Ability to use word processing, spreadsheets and electronic office tools.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Knowledge of advanced mathematics skills that will enhance implementation of Statistical Process Control is required
• Working knowledge of Lean Six Sigma concepts. Green Belt training and application experience preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; to sit, stand, walk; and to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

• Lifting Requirement:    20 pounds
• Lifting Limitations:        50 pounds

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

UNICOM Engineering is a Strategic OEM Integration Partner; starting with scalable and reliable hardware, combined with a suite of services from design engineering to system integration, logistics, regulatory and trade compliance, as well as support. UNICOM Is known best for its solution design technologies, integration expertise, and unique deployment capabilities. UNICOM is proud to be in compliance with ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and TL9000; assuring that customers receive high-reliability products and services that meet or exceed industry standards. With primary facilities Plano, TX, Canton, MA, and Galway, Ireland, UNICOM continues to maintain one of the largest portfolios of purpose-built turnkey platforms.  For additional information, visit: www.unicomengineering.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

UNICOM’S VISION

To provide technology solutions to enable innovators to drive digital transformation and exceptional experiences

UNICOM’S MISSION

Enabling global technology companies to deliver innovation while providing superior brand protection

UNICOM’S CORE VALUES

Integrity, Partnership, Flexibility, Innovation, Flawless execution

PERKS OF WORKING AT UNICOM

Employees of UNICOM have a wide range of benefits available to them such as Medical, Dental, Vision, Healthcare and Dependent Care FSA, Voluntary Life Insurance Plans, and 401(k). UNICOM provides its employees with Basic Life and AD&D Insurance, Long Term Disability Insurance, and Short-Term Disability Insurance. In addition to accrued PTO, UNICOM offers 8 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays each year. UNICOM provides employees with a Tuition Reimbursement Program and Employee Assistance Program which also includes a large library of educational videos to encourage growth. UNICOM also provides employees with a Wellness Program to promote a healthy lifestyle. Peer recognition for going above and beyond is encouraged and milestone tenure is recognized and celebrated. UNICOM was given a rating of 4.13 (out of 5) on the confidential internal 2025 Employee Survey!