Quality Assurance Manager — Automotive Paints & Coatings | IATF 16949
Cleveland, OH | 5 days on-site
Up to $170,000 + bonus + excellent benefits
US relocation supported within United States
Pab Staffing Solutions is recruiting on behalf of a leading automotive paints & coatings manufacturer for a highly visible Quality Assurance Manager to lead site quality standards, strengthen quality outcomes and build a proactive quality culture across a large and complex Cleveland manufacturing facility.
This is a site leadership role with real authority. You will own QMS effectiveness, product release, non-conforming product disposition, internal audits, quality improvement and customer-facing quality escalations.
We're looking for an experienced automotive quality leader with current, hands-on IATF 16949 expertise, IATF Lead Auditor capability, strong people leadership and proven experience dealing directly with automotive customers. Paints, coatings or chemical process manufacturing experience would be highly desirable.
Why this role?
• Genuine site leadership with authority over product release, product disposition, quality escalations and corrective action effectiveness
• A clear mandate to revamp and strengthen the site QMS — not simply maintain it
• Work within the specialist automotive paints & coatings sector
• High visibility across Operations, Technical, Engineering, R&D and customer-facing teams
• Opportunity to drive measurable improvements in quality, yield, productivity and customer outcomes
• Up to $170K base + bonus + excellent benefits
• Relocation supported within the United States
What you'll own
• Champion a proactive quality culture and embed QMS principles across plant operations
• Own, maintain and continuously improve the site's QMS, certifications, processes and documentation
• Act as the quality gatekeeper for Management of Change and New Product Launches
• Integrate Customer Specific Requirements (CSRs) and Supplier Quality Manual requirements into the QMS
• Own the internal audit program, from strategic planning through hands-on execution and follow-up
• Lead and support customer and supplier visits, representing the site confidently on quality matters
• Manage customer complaints, off-spec situations, SCARs and non-conforming product investigations
• Lead root-cause analysis, corrective actions and effectiveness verification to prevent recurrence
• Lead quality metrics, identify trends and drive data-led improvement in PPM, yield, scrap, COPQ and customer quality
• Support quality systems including SAP, LIMS and ETQ Reliance
• Maintain robust document control and audit readiness
• Lead, mentor and develop the quality team
• Deliver quality training and coaching across the manufacturing site
• Collaborate closely with Operations, Process Engineering, Technical, R&D and customer-facing teams
Must-have requirements
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Quality, Engineering or a related discipline
• 5+ years' quality management experience within automotive manufacturing or advanced manufacturing
• 3+ years' people management/supervisory experience
• Current, hands-on knowledge of IATF 16949, including recent requirements/changes and Customer Specific Requirements
• IATF 16949 Lead Auditor certification — essential
• Minimum Six Sigma Green Belt certification; Black Belt advantageous
• Strong practical knowledge of automotive Core Tools, including FMEA/PFMEA, SPC, Control Plans, APQP, PPAP and MSA
• Proven experience managing customer complaints, SCARs, off-spec and non-conforming product issues, including root-cause analysis and sustainable corrective action
• Strong customer-facing experience within the automotive sector, including customer visits, escalations and challenging quality discussions
• Demonstrated experience owning or improving a QMS, audit program and quality systems
• Strong leadership, communication and cross-functional influencing skills
• Willing and able to work 5 days on-site in Cleveland, OH
• Must already be authorized to work in the United States; relocation support available within the US
Highly desirable
• Automotive paints, coatings or chemical process manufacturing experience — including e-coat, pretreatment, body paint or paint for plastics
• Experience working within an automotive OEM/Tier 1/Tier 2 supply environment
• VDA 6.3 experience
• QMS revamp, transformation or recertification project ownership
• Experience with SAP, LIMS and/or ETQ Reliance
• Demonstrated measurable improvements in PPM, scrap, yield, COPQ, CAPA closure, complaints or warranty performance
Package & location
Up to $170,000 base salary + bonus
Medical, Dental & Vision
Matching 401(k) and retirement savings
Paid vacation and holidays
Relocation support within the United States
Cleveland, Ohio — fully on-site, 5 days per week
Interested?
If you are an experienced Quality Assurance/Quality Manager within automotive paints & coatings, with strong IATF 16949 Lead Auditor expertise, people leadership and customer-facing experience, I'd be interested in hearing from you.
Apply here or message Pab Staffing Solutions directly on LinkedIn.