Quality Control Manager: Responsibilities, Skills & Career Outlook

Quality control managers ensure that the products and services of an organization meet quality standards, are consistent and fit for sale. They also ensure that the products comply with internal and external factors like legal compliance, customer expectations, etc. Their role is mainly involved in examining the execution of the quality management system, producing data and reporting. 

Responsibilities

Quality control managers are part of many sectors. Typically, they work as either a generalist or specialist. Their responsibilities vary based on the sector they are working in. However, most quality control manager jobs expect the following:

• Create and organize a company’s quality procedures, models as well as specifications
• Analyze customer demands and ensure they are met
• Work with purchasing staff and verify quality requirements from external suppliers
• Fix standards for quality as well as health and safety
• Ensure that the manufacturing processes adhere to the international as well as national standards
• Find ways to decrease waste and increase efficiency
• Establish quality procedures in association with the operating staff
• Maintain controls as well as documentation systems
• Direct performance by assembling appropriate data and provide analytical reports
• Examine existing policies as well as give proposals for changes
• Suggest improvements and how to execute them
• Test performance and distinguish any areas of weakness
• Estimate the effectiveness of changes made
• Use relevant quality tools and ensure managers and other staff learn how to grow the business
• Make sure the company is operating as effectively as possible
• Keep up with competitors
• Guide and manage a team of quality control technicians
  

Qualifications and Skills

Most quality control manager jobs are open to all graduates. But preferably, a degree in a relevant area, such as business management, is recommended. Moreover, a degree in engineering and manufacturing, or textile technology is also useful. 

Apart from these basic qualification requirements, a quality control manager needs to have the following skills:

• Great communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Good problem-solving ability
• Planning and project management skills
• The ability to influence other people
• Persistent
• Leadership skills
• The ability to motivate others
• Strategic thinker
• A unique approach to work
• The ability to promote change
• Strong numerical and statistical analysis skills
• Great attention to detail

Career Outlook

Career outlook in quality control is good. Quality control managers can advance while continuing within the quality function, which is becoming centralized in most industries. Moreover, working in quality assurance can lead to other jobs in distinct areas of the business, such as:

• Customer Relations
• Health and Safety
• Human Resources
• Production
• Technical Sales.

The immediate possibilities depend largely on the size and type of organization you are working in. In large organizations, there are usually more opportunities to specialize in a particular process area as well as to advance through the corporate structure. However, in small organizations, there might be different kinds of opportunities. Like, the opportunity to perfect quality assurance in various functions across the business or the ability to see the direct economic influence of your participation.

Conclusively, with significant years of work experience, it is also suitable to work as a self-employed consultant and work on several quality projects for diverse organizations.