Asst. Manager QA

Position: Assistant Manager QA

Location: Autoneum India (AIND) Pune

Function: Quality Assurance

Reports To: Head QA (AIND Pune)

Job Purpose:

The Assistant Manager QA is responsible for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving the Quality Management System in compliance with IATF 16949 and customer-specific requirements. The role acts as a management representative to ensure product quality, process robustness, customer satisfaction, audit readiness, and launch excellence for ongoing and new automotive programs, aligned with organizational quality objectives and global standards.

Key Responsibilities (Main Activities):

Act as management representative for development, implementation, maintenance, and continual improvement of the Quality Management System in line with IATF 16949 requirements. Ensure effective documentation, deployment, and adherence to quality systems to meet customer, regulatory, and group policies. Plan, organize, and lead internal audits, management reviews, customer audits, VDA 6.3 audits, and other regulatory or customer visits, including follow-up and closure of corrective and preventive actions. Define, monitor, and achieve quality objectives in alignment with company quality policy, customer requirements, and group targets. Lead customer communication on quality matters, manage customer complaints and claims using structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D, and ensure timely and effective closure. Drive new project quality management including APQP planning, progress tracking, quality gate reviews, launch quality assurance, PPAP submission, ISIR, customer approvals, and new project process audits. Oversee process quality control covering in-process inspections, product inspection standards, engineering and process change management, PFMEA implementation, SPC monitoring, quality cost control, and regular quality reporting. Ensure effective management of testing laboratories, quality equipment, gauges, MSA activities, and calibration systems. Promote a strong quality culture through cross-functional collaboration, preventive thinking, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Core Experience Requirements:

Mandatory: Minimum 8 years of experience in quality operations within an automotive manufacturing plant, with at least 5 years in a quality leadership or supervisory role in a Tier-1 automotive environment. Strong hands-on experience with IATF 16949 Quality Management Systems, including certification maintenance and internal auditing. Proven expertise in APQP, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, SPC, PPAP, 8D, VDA 6.3, ISIR, and customer-specific requirements. Demonstrated ability to handle customer quality issues, claims, and audits independently and represent the organization professionally to OEM customers.

Optional but Valuable: Exposure to global automotive customers or multinational manufacturing environments, experience with launch management for new programs, and familiarity with VSA or advanced quality tools.

Functional & Technical Competencies:

Mandatory: Strong knowledge of automotive quality systems, problem-solving methodologies, risk analysis tools, and process audits. Certified IATF 16949 Internal Auditor with solid audit execution capability. Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and process flows. Strong cross-functional coordination skills with engineering, production, supply chain, and sales teams. Proficiency in quality reporting, KPI tracking, and data analysis.

Optional but Valuable: Exposure to digital quality systems, audit management tools, or customer portals.

Education & Qualification:

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Production, Automobile Engineering, or equivalent. Professional quality certifications or auditor qualifications are preferred.

Behavioral Competencies:

High level of accountability and ownership for quality performance and customer satisfaction. Strong leadership and structured problem-solving capability. Ability to collaborate effectively across functions and influence stakeholders. Courage to challenge non-conformities, enforce standards, and take decisive corrective actions. Clear and effective communication skills in English, both verbal and written. Ability to work in a disciplined, fast-paced, and customer-driven manufacturing environment.