Quality Auditor (CQA) Introduction
The Certified Quality Auditor is a professional who understands the standards and principles of auditing and the auditing techniques of examining, questioning, evaluating, and reporting to determine a quality system’s adequacy and deficiencies. The Certified Quality Auditor analyzes all elements of a quality system and judges its degree of adherence to the criteria of industrial management and quality evaluation and control systems.
Minimum Expectations for a Certified Quality Auditor:
• Must possess the knowledge and ability to effectively conduct different types of audits in a professional, ethical, and objective manner using and interpreting applicable standards/requirements, with an awareness of potential legal and financial ramifications.
• Must be able to effectively plan, develop, communicate, and execute an audit within a defined scope, including resource scheduling, conducting necessary meetings in performance of the audit, using appropriate auditing techniques.
• Must be able to verify, document, and communicate audit results, develop an audit report, and evaluate the effectiveness of corrective action/follow-up.
• Must possess interpersonal skills to resolve conflict, conduct interviews, and make presentations effectively.
• Must be able to participate in, lead, and facilitate teams. Must understand how quality principles relate to business processes and be able to explain the importance of aligning the audit function to the organization.
• Must be able to select and use a wide variety of quality and auditing tools and techniques in practical applications.
Examination
Each certification candidate is required to pass a written examination that consists of multiple-choice questions that measure comprehension of the BOK. The Quality Auditor examination is a five-hour, 150 multiple-choice question examination. It is offered in the English language only.
