Plant Quality Manager

Company Profile
80 years and countless innovations later, JCB is the world’s largest privately-owned manufacturer of construction and agricultural equipment. At 22 plants spanning four continents—and countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, India and Brazil—JCB manufactures a range of more than 300 products including Loadall telescopic handlers, backhoe loaders, excavators, wheel loaders, compact excavators, skid steer loaders, compact track loaders, Access aerial work platforms, rough terrain forklifts, and Fastrac tractors.
JCB people are at the heart of our business and as a family-owned business we answer to our customers, not a group of shareholders. That freedom allows us to concentrate on developing the latest technologies and incorporating them into our equipment. We focus on what our customer needs on the jobsite – a machine that holds up in the toughest environment and increases their productivity.
At JCB, we stand behind our products – and our name.

Position Purpose
The Plant Quality Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of plant quality performance, ensuring compliance with JCB standards and exceeding customer expectations. This role serves as the voice of quality within the facility, driving a culture of zero defects, accountability, and continuous improvement.
This position provides leadership to the plant quality organization, owns product and process quality through all manufacturing stages, and partners cross-functionally with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, and Leadership to deliver world-class quality performance.

Major Tasks, Responsibilities & Key Accountabilities
Leadership & Strategy
· Lead, coach, and develop the plant quality team (inspectors, engineers, and supervisors).
· Act as the plant’s quality authority and business partner to Operations and Engineering.
· Define and deploy plant quality strategy aligned with JCB Production System (JPS) principles.
· Establish quality objectives and KPIs that drive customer satisfaction and operational excellence.
Product & Process Quality
· Own and manage quality gates across the entire manufacturing process.
· Ensure robust inspection plans, control plans, and standard work are in place and followed.
· Monitor and improve key metrics including DPU, scrap, rework, warranty claims, and FPY.
· Drive containment, corrective actions, and error-proofing (poka-yoke) implementation.
Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement
· Lead root cause analysis using structured methodologies (8D, A3, 5 Whys).
· Drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) for internal and external quality issues.
· Facilitate Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives.
· Promote Lean, Six Sigma, and data-driven decision-making across the plant.
Supplier & Customer Quality
· Partner with Supply Chain to define and enforce supplier quality requirements.
· Support supplier development and issue resolution impacting plant performance.
· Ensure effective response and resolution of customer complaints and field issues.
· Participate in customer audits and drive corrective actions to closure.
Quality Systems & Compliance
· Ensure compliance with ISO 9001 and JCB quality management systems.
· Maintain audit readiness and lead internal/external audit activities.
· Oversee documentation, procedures, and quality records integrity.
· Drive standardization and sustainment of improvements.
Reporting & Communication
· Provide regular quality performance updates to plant leadership and corporate teams.
· Use dashboards and visual management to communicate progress and drive accountability.
· Influence and engage all levels of the organization to prioritize quality.

Minimum Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, or related field.
· 5–10+ years of experience in manufacturing quality, including leadership responsibilities.
· Proven experience managing teams in a production environment.
· Strong knowledge of quality systems, tools, and methodologies (8D, FMEA, SPC, RCA).
· Experience with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement systems.
· Proficiency in interpreting engineering drawings and GD&T.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Competencies
· Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and SAP
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills
· Effective time management and organizational skills
· Detail oriented
· Ability to multi-task while maintaining a sense of urgency
· Work with minimal supervision
· Effective problem-solving skills
· Authority to make changes happen across functions and departments.
· Ability to communicate with all levels of personnel.
· Excellent understanding of analytical tools and proficiency in root cause