Quality Manager

Position Summary:

Ag Express Electronics is seeking a Quality Manager who will be responsible for leading all aspects of quality assurance to ensure our products meet the highest standards of reliability, compliance, and customer satisfaction. This role requires a proactive leader who excels in resource management, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. The Quality Manager will oversee Quality Management System, implement industry best practices, and lead a team of Quality Technicians to deliver consistent and measurable outcomes. This position plays a key role in driving excellence across our operations and upholding our commitment to quality as a 100% employee-owned company.

This role is located at our Des Moines, Iowa location.

Key Responsibilities:

Resource Management

• Lead, develop, and allocate Quality Technician resources to ensure optimal coverage and skill alignment across projects and manufacturing shifts.
• Strategically balance workloads to meet production deadlines without compromising quality.
• Maintain calibration schedules and ensure availability, functionality, and proper use of inspection tools, gauges, and testing equipment.

Quality Assurance & Standards

• Oversee and improve quality control processes, including inspections, testing, control plans and other key documentation.
• Maintain and support ISO 9001 compliance through regular audits, documentation, and process standardization.
• Ensure compliance with internal standards and external regulatory/industry requirements.
• Implement and manage sampling plans and inspection protocols such as Acceptable Quality Limits (AQL).
• Identify and resolve quality issues using root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (CAPA).

Process Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement efforts to enhance product quality, reduce rework and scrap, and increase efficiency.
• Establish and monitor quality metrics, using data analysis to drive sustainable improvements.
• Facilitate regular quality audits and feedback loops to promote accountability and alignment.

Strategic Leadership & Team Development

• Identify short and long-term quality risks and opportunities, develop strategies to align quality objectives with overall business goals.
• Assign responsibilities based on team strengths to maximize effectiveness.
• Build a culture of accountability and collaboration with clear expectations, regular feedback, and shared ownership of outcomes.
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and performance feedback to support technician growth and retention.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Operations, Engineering, and Production teams to resolve issues and enhance outcomes.

• Serve as a quality subject matter expert for new product launches, customer escalations, and internal resolutions of quality issues.

Culture & Engagement

• Foster a positive and engaged work environment aligned with Ag Express Electronics’ core values.
• Promote a culture of ownership, transparency, and shared success.

Skills and Qualifications:

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in basic mathematics and statistical methods to support inspections, sampling plans, and data analysis.
• Strong working knowledge of quality tools and techniques such as control charts, Pareto analysis, fishbone diagrams, PPAP’s, and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA).
• Experience wi