Quality Manager

Quality Manager – Packaging

Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4
Salary: £45,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Working arrangement: Site-based, with occasional customer travel

The Opportunity

Aqumen Recruitment is recruiting an experienced Quality Manager on behalf of an established international manufacturing business.

Based at a technically diverse manufacturing facility in Bradford, the business produces packaging products for industrial customers.

This is a hands-on product and process quality role.

You will take ownership of the site Quality Management System, lead quality improvement activity and ensure internal and customer quality concerns are investigated and resolved effectively.

The position would particularly suit someone with experience in high-volume technical manufacturing environment.

The Role

As Quality Manager, you will work closely with Production, Engineering, Supply Chain and customers to improve product quality, manufacturing performance and customer satisfaction.

You will be visible on the manufacturing floor, supporting operational teams while also acting as a technical quality contact for customers.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Maintaining and continually improving the site Quality Management System.
• Ensuring compliance with ISO 9001 and relevant customer, product and regulatory requirements.
• Leading internal, external and customer quality audits.
• Managing customer complaints, manufacturing non-conformances and corrective actions.
• Conducting structured root cause investigations using tools such as 8D, RCA and CAPA.
• Working with Production and Engineering to reduce defects, scrap, rework and recurring quality issues.
• Establishing and maintaining appropriate inspection, testing and process-control standards.
• Ensuring products meet agreed dimensional, material, functional, sealing, print and finish specifications.
• Analysing quality data to identify trends, risks and improvement opportunities.
• Maintaining quality procedures, specifications, control plans, inspection records and supporting documentation.
• Supporting supplier quality investigations and the approval of materials and components.
• Visiting customer sites when required to investigate concerns, present findings and agree corrective actions.
• Coaching manufacturing teams in quality standards and structured problem-solving methods.
• Promoting a proactive quality culture focused on defect prevention and continuous improvement.

Essential Experience

To be considered for this position, you should be able to demonstrate:

• Experience as a Quality Manager, Quality Lead, Quality Assurance Manager or Senior Quality Engineer within a technical manufacturing environment.
• Practical experience of managing or maintaining an ISO 9001 Quality Management System.
• Experience investigating manufactured-product defects and process non-conformances.
• Experience managing customer complaints from initial investigation through to corrective action and closure.
• Working knowledge of structured quality tools such as 8D, RCA, CAPA, FMEA and SPC.
• Experience working closely with manufacturing, production and engineering teams.
• The ability to interpret product specifications, drawings, inspection results and quality data.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The confidence to communicate directly with customers and present technical findings.
• A full UK driving licence and willingness to visit customer sites when required.

Relevant Manufacturing Backgrounds

The role is particularly suited to candidates with quality experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Packaging of any sorts including, metal, plastic, polythene,
• Printed, decorated, coated or labelled packaging.
• High-volume component or product manufacturing involving controlled dimensional, material and functional specifications

Candidates from other manufacturing sectors will also be considered where they can demonstrate comparable product-quality, process-control and customer-facing experience.

Desirable Experience

The following would be beneficial but is not essential:

• Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor training.
• Experience with UN-certified or dangerous-goods packaging.
• Knowledge of printing, decoration, coating or labelling quality.
• Supplier quality management experience.
• Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement training.
• Experience with calibration, measurement systems or inspection equipment.

Sector Focus

This vacancy is focused on manufactured-product quality, process capability, product specifications and customer performance.

It is not primarily a food safety, hygiene, HACCP or BRC technical management position.

Applicants with food-sector experience may still be suitable where they can demonstrate relevant packaging manufacturing, product-quality or industrial process experience.

Why Apply?

This position offers the opportunity to:

• Take ownership of quality performance at an established manufacturing site.
• Work across both metal and plastic manufacturing processes.
• Lead visible improvements in product quality and customer satisfaction.
• Work directly with operational teams, suppliers and customers.
• Influence quality systems, standards and site culture.
• Develop within an established international manufacturing group.

Salary and Benefits

• £45,000 per annum.
• Permanent, full-time employment.
• Company benefits package.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression within an international manufacturing group.

Aqumen Recruitment is managing this vacancy on behalf of our client.