Deputy Manager – Quality Management Excellence (QME)

Position Purpose:

The Deputy Manager – Quality Management Excellence (QME) will establish, maintain, monitor and continuously improve the Integrated Management System (IMS) across all functions of the company. The role ensures compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, customer-specific requirements, statutory requirements and company SOPs, while driving a culture of process discipline and continual improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain and continuously improve the Integrated Management System covering IATF 16949, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
• Maintain all quality system documentation, SOPs, procedures, work instructions, formats and records.
• Prepare and execute the annual internal audit programme and conduct monthly cross-functional system audits.
• Audit Production, Quality, Purchase, Stores, Maintenance, Tool Room, HR, Administration, Logistics, Finance, Sales and other support functions for compliance with approved SOPs.
• Coordinate customer audits, certification audits and surveillance audits and ensure timely closure of findings.
• Track NCRs, CAPAs and verify effectiveness of corrective actions.
• Drive process compliance, standardization and continual improvement initiatives.
• Identify competency gaps and conduct training on IATF 16949, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, SOP compliance, documentation and customer-specific requirements.
• Motivate and influence cross-functional teams to adhere to established quality standards and procedures.
• Prepare monthly compliance dashboards, audit reports, management review inputs and quality KPI reports.
• Be fully conversant with and proficient in using PLM/PLMI solutions for document control, engineering change management, workflow approvals, audit evidence, training records and overall quality system maintenance.
• Drive digitalization of quality documentation and ensure integrity, traceability and version control within the PLM/PLMI platform.

Authority:

• Conduct announced and unannounced audits in any department.
• Issue Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) to any function.
• Demand corrective and preventive actions from process owners.
• Escalate unresolved non-conformities to senior management.
• Recommend temporary suspension of non-compliant processes posing quality, safety or certification risks.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Mechanical/Production/Industrial/Automobile or equivalent).
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in an automotive manufacturing company.
• Experience in an IATF 16949 certified organisation is mandatory.
• Qualified Internal/Lead Auditor for IATF 16949. Lead/Internal Auditor qualifications for ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 preferred.
• Working knowledge of VDA 6.3 is desirable.
• Strong working knowledge of Quality Core Tools (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA, Control Plans, 8D, RCA).

Behavioural Competencies:

• Leadership and team motivation
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Training and coaching capability
• Analytical and problem-solving ability
• High integrity and accountability
• Cross-functional collaboration and change management

Key Performance Indicators:

• 100% planned audit completion
• Timely closure of NCRs and CAPAs
• Customer and certification audit performance
• Departmental SOP compliance scores
• Training hours delivered and competency improvement
• Reduction in repeat non-conformities
• Improvement in process compliance index