Quality Assurance Team Leader

Position Summary

To lead the Quality Assurance team, ensuring the effective maintenance, compliance, and continuous improvement of the company’s Quality and Environmental Management Systems in line with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and IATF 16949 standards. The role combines hands-on quality activities with team leadership and cross-functional collaboration to drive operational excellence.

Job Duties/Responsibilities

The main duties of this role include:
Quality & Environmental Management Systems
•    Maintain and continuously improve the integrated management system in accordance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and IATF 16949
•    Ensure all processes and documentation remain compliant
•    Support system updates, document control, and change management activities

Audits & Compliance
•    Plan, conduct, and support internal audits
•    Act as a key contact for external audits (certification bodies and customers)
•    Ensure timely closure of audit findings and nonconformities

Quality Assurance & Improvement
•    Lead investigations into nonconformities, customer complaints, and internal quality issues
•    Drive root cause analysis and implementation of effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA)
•    Promote and support continuous improvement initiatives across the business
•    Monitor and report on quality KPIs and trends

Job Duties/Responsibilities Cont.

Team Leadership
•    Manage, coach, and develop a small QA support team
•    Allocate workload and ensure team objectives are met
•    Foster a culture of accountability, quality, and continuous improvement

Operational Support
•    Work closely with other functions to resolve quality issues
•    Support new product introduction (NPI) and process changes from a quality perspective
•    Ensure adherence to customer-specific requirements where applicable

Education

Experience Required

To effectively perform the duties of a Quality Assurance Team Leader, Individuals must be able to demonstrate a number of competencies that are essential to the position, which include:

Essential
•    Proven experience in a quality assurance role within manufacturing (electronics preferred)
•    Working knowledge of ISO 9001 (or similar quality management system standard)
•    Experience in leading or supporting internal and external audits
•    Demonstrated experience of team leadership or supervision
•    Strong problem-solving capability using structured methods (e.g. 8D, RCA)
•    Good communication and stakeholder management skills
•    Organised, detail-oriented, and able to prioritise effectively

Desirable
•    Experience working to ISO 14001 and IATF 16949 standards
•    Background in electronics manufacturing or similar technical environment
•    Understanding of ESD control standard e.g. BS EN IEC 61340
•    Knowledge of quality tools such as FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, MSA, 5S, Kaisan
•    Experience working with electronics workmanship standards e.g. IPC-A-610

Qualifications
•    Degree, HND, or equivalent in Electronics, Engineering, Quality, or a related discipline (preferred)
•    Lead auditor qualification (desirable)

Key Competencies
•    Leadership and team development
•    Analytical thinking and problem-solving
•    Attention to detail
•    Continuous improvement mindset
•    Communication and collaboration
•    Accountability and ownership

Work Environment

Occasional requirement to support audits or projects outside normal working hours

Travel

Occasional UK/oversees travel may be required

Competencies

Benefits

• Staff Bonus Scheme 
• 23 days holidays (increase to 26 after a period of time) Also the opportunity to an additional 4 days annual leave based on sick and working from home limits.
• Pension Scheme (pays up to 7.5% of the employees’ salary as long as the employee matches the sum paid by the company) 
• Life Insurance (4 x employees salary)
• Income Protection Cover 

Other benefits:

• Employee Appreciation day - celebrated in August for employees and their families
• Christmas Celebrations 
• Hours of Work - 8.30am to 4.30pm with 1/2 hour for lunch
• We have a good benefits package and our site in Milton Keynes have been renovated and we have excellent working conditions.