Supplier Enablement and Quality Manager

At QIMA, we’re on a mission to help our clients make products consumers can trust.

Working with over 30,000 global brands, retailers, manufacturers and food growers, we are on the ground wherever products are made. We help businesses secure every step of their supply chain with quality inspections, supplier audits, certifications, and lab testing, all powered by our intelligent digital platform.

Our team of 5,000 QIMers (and counting) across 40 offices and laboratories, are united in our shared passion for innovation and integrity, and guided by our QIMA values in the decisions we make every day. We believe in the work we do, and in making a positive difference in the world. Does this sound like something you’d like to be a part of?

Our Consumer Goods Division is dedicated to helping brands, retailers and manufacturers worldwide deliver safe, quality and ethically made products to their consumers. Every day at work, our inspectors, auditors, and lab techs use their expertise to help safeguard the products you use every day in your home: from clothes and footwear to toys and baby products, to electronics, appliances, and furniture.

The Supplier Enablement and Quality Manager is at the forefront of our commitment to our garments quality and continuous improvement approach. This position is instrumental in cultivating a 'Right First Time' approach with our Softline suppliers, fostering a proactive culture that elevates our manufacturing standards. The SEQ Manager will drive a comprehensive continuous improvement program, transforming supplier practices from reactive to proactive.

The position involves delivering expert training and calibration to ensure high-level compliance with our company quality guidelines. Leveraging in-depth knowledge of quality management systems, product safety, and SOPs, the successful candidate will elevate our supply chain performance.

The role includes spearheading the development and implementation of corrective actions, ensuring sustained quality improvements. Must be able to directly influence factory QMS through a close working relationship with key vendor and factory quality personnel. Another key aspect is pioneering the creation of our company best practice database, focusing on manufacturing processes and capacity/capability assessments.  Be accountable for delivering consistently high-quality product as measured through all QM KPIs/Metrics.

Key Area of Responsibility:

• On Site Evaluation: Evaluate and analyze the quality KPIs for new supplier/factories against our standards.
• Supplier Onboarding: Lead/oversee the onboarding process for new suppliers-factories ensuring compliance with our standards.
• SOP and standard methodology: Collaborate our QA/FQA/Sourcing teams and supplier to establish and implement the standard tools/methodology for capacity/capability assessment. Offer support and supervision to factory quality team on quality improvement with best practice, related SOP and case study etc.
• Best Practice Database: Identify and share best practices among our suppliers for a continuous improvement journey in terms of Quality and Productivity.
• Training/On Boarding in Region: Utilize our training protocol to assist suppliers in recognizing VQA candidates and training and onboarding them.
• Governance and Oversight: Investigate issues or callouts to identify root cause and corrective/preventative action plans.
• Capacity and Capability Assessment: Based on regional Capacity Assurance team’s request to conduct capacity and capability assessment in region.
• Training and Coaching: Conduct calibration training to 3rd party service and supplier in terms of RL quality management system/ Corrective action plans.
• Ongoing Evaluations – Follow up on CAPs, carryout risk analysis of supply vendors and follow through on corrective action plans where required.
• Continues improvement: Provide guidelines and conduct audit for the factories on process improvement such as Mold Prevention audit, factory process audit etc.
• Offer support and supervision to factory quality team on quality improvement with best practice, related SOP and case study etc.
• Problem solving & Technical support: any problem found or receipt of any technical enquiry, prompt response with professional assistance offered to get it solved.
• Provide constructive feedback, suggestion and sharing ideas, to drive continuous improvement.
• Attend preventive process related meeting such as pre-production meeting/ tear down meeting and risk base program etc to mitigate potential product risk.

1. Core Experience Requirements:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in Softlines, specifically garments.
• Minimum 5 years of supervisory experience.

2. Technical Skills:

• Good understanding of Quality Management System.
• Familiar with 5S / ISO 9001 / 8D problem-solving.
• Sewing, Construction and Factory Operations Knowledge.

3. Soft Skills and Language Proficiency:

• Good command of English (spoken and written).
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel & PowerPoint.