Quality Assurance Supervisor

General Description

The Quality Supervisor is responsible for developing, implementing, maintaining, and improving the company's quality management systems, inspection processes, and quality standards. This position provides leadership to quality personnel and works closely with production, engineering, maintenance, purchasing, and management to ensure that customer requirements and internal quality standards are consistently met.

The successful candidate will play a key role in reducing defects, improving process capability, driving corrective actions, managing audits, and supporting continuous improvement activities throughout the organization.

Skill/Effort Requirements

​

• Post-secondary education in Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Metallurgy, Industrial Technology, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of quality experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory or management experience.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing quality systems and inspection techniques.
• Experience reading and interpreting: 
  • Engineering Drawings
  • Blueprints
  • GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing)
  • Customer Specifications
• Strong working knowledge of measuring equipment including: 
  • Calipers
  • Micrometers
  • Height Gauges
  • Bore Gauges
  • Hardness Testing Equipment
• Excellent problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred

• Experience in forging, steel manufacturing, automotive, machining, or heavy industrial environments.
• Experience with heat treatment and metallurgical inspection.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management systems.
• Internal Auditor certification.
• ASQ certifications such as: 
  • Certified Quality Manager (CMQ/OE)
  • Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
  • Certified Quality Auditor (CQA)
• Experience with SPC and quality data analysis.

Responsibilities

Quality Management Systems

• Manage and maintain the company's Quality Management System (QMS).
• Ensure compliance with applicable quality standards, customer specifications, and company procedures.
• Develop, revise, and control quality procedures, work instructions, and inspection documents.
• Lead internal quality audits and coordinate external customer and certification audits.
• Maintain quality-related records and documentation.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

• Supervise incoming, in-process, and final inspection activities.
• Review inspection reports and ensure product conformity before shipment.
• Establish quality standards and inspection criteria for forged products.
• Monitor product quality trends and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Analyze defects, customer complaints, scrap, and rework to identify root causes.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop quality inspectors and quality technicians.
• Schedule and assign quality department activities and priorities.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing coaching and training.
• Promote a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Customer & Supplier Quality

• Act as the primary contact for customer quality concerns and non-conformances.
• Coordinate customer complaint investigations and corrective action responses.
• Support supplier quality evaluations and vendor corrective actions when required.
• Participate in customer visits, audits, and quality meetings.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause analysis activities utilizing: 
  • 5 Whys
  • Fishbone (Ishikawa) Diagrams
  • Corrective Action Reports (CARs)
  • CAPA Processes
  • Statistical Process Control (SPC) where applicable
• Identify opportunities to improve product quality, reduce defects, and increase process reliability.
• Support Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.

Regulatory and Compliance Requirements

• Ensure compliance with: 
  • Occupational Health and Safety Act (Ontario)
  • Customer-specific requirements
  • Industry quality standards
  • Internal quality procedures
• Participate in safety initiatives and promote safe work practices throughout the quality department.

Quality Metrics & Reporting

• Develop and track key quality performance indicators including: 
  • Internal PPM
  • Customer PPM
  • Scrap Rates
  • Rework Rates
  • Audit Results
  • Corrective Action Closure Rates
  • Cost of Quality
• Provide regular quality performance reports to senior management.