What does a Quality Manager do? Responsibilities? Duties? Hands On?

[JodiB]

I need some help and you folks are the best ones to ask....you all should be experts on this subject!

What are the typical day-to-day duties of a quality manager? Let's assume a QMS is in place. What do ya'll do? To the minutest detail (not including drinking lots of coffee )

The reason I ask is because we don't have our QMS in place yet. So the majority of my job is to get one going. The prob is that I've done all I can do and without top mgt. signing off on the procedures, we don't have anything in place. And now, having done all I can do on my own, and no one else around here doing anything that they have to do for the QMS (and they refuse my help), I have nothing to do.

So in absence of writing procedures and developing forms (which I've done), or performing internal audits, or reviewing CARs (which I can't do because we aren't using those things yet), ...what else is there? Do you attend certain types of meetings? Do you have to sign off on certain types of documents? What do you do?

The department heads (all VP's) think that it's none of my business to poke around in their business. That I don't need to know about problems that we're having on a job or with a supplier. A manager went to visit a supplier who we are having continual problems with and he was surprised when I said that I would have liked to have gone with him. He didn't understand why that should involve me at all. Maybe it shouldn't. Should it?

I feel that I am being seriously wasted as a resource. Before I start looking for a position where they can keep me busy, I think it's only fair to communicate with the CEO how other companies use their quality managers. Then if nothing changes, at least I would have tried.

So spill the beans guys and gals. What should be my duties and responsibilities??? And authorities too , if any.

[gpainter]

I am not the Quality Manager in my company but the ISO Coordinator which helped to seperate ISO and traditional Quality. I do a lot of training on revisions/auditors. Work on C/I of the system, fill out customer surveys, go along on tours with customers of the company, look for sales leads,aid in all the elements of ISO, working on transitioning to the new standard, help teams on CA, etc.

[Sporty]

The Quality Manager would attend the Monthly POR meetings and/or Management Review, definately be part of Supplier issues, along with Customer issues (Reduce PPM....)
They would be on the Team when doing corrective action, root cause analysis, review all PPAP submissions prior to being sent out, part of the APQP team, sign off ECRs and ensure any necessary tasks are completed prior to closing ECR...Housekeeping audits, Performance reviews, audit processes, look for improvements in the processes, discipline, sign off all quality related procedures, instructions, etc. Review control plans, FMEAs...
These come to mind for now...I'm sure you will see lot's more!

[JodiB]

Thanks for the ideas. Keep them coming folks!

We don't do manufacturing. We design parts and then do some assembly of the components (which are made to our specs) and then deliver to customer. So there is nothing to review on a bulk basis. Everything is a one time custom design and build.

Our primary business is providing a specialized service.

Our headaches tend to be in the technical realm: keeping the ROVs (underwater robots) in working mechanical order (lots of parts ordering and shipping), and troubleshooting engineering problems with the ROVs and the tools we design.

We don't do FMEA, APQP, or any of the other acronym things. I suspect that "housekeeping" audits would fall under our HSE Manager's duties.

I guess they just don't need me....

[tarheel]

I feel that I am being seriously wasted as a resource. Before I start looking for a position where they can keep me busy, I think it's only fair to communicate with the CEO how other companies use their quality managers. Then if nothing changes, at least I would have tried.

So spill the beans guys and gals. What should be my duties and responsibilities??? And authorities too , if any. [/QUOTE]

I think you were on the right track. The quality manager I took over for never dealt with suppliers at all, and I have always made that a major portion of my job. I also do a lot of training, everything from problem-solving, FMEA, ISO, QS, safety, Gaging, Internal Auditing etc. Also, you need to spend quality time on the floor looking for ways to improve processes. Now I warn you the production people will be very wary of you, but at least you can collect data, and make recommendations to the boss (always put in dollars) of improvements. These tasks will broaden your horizon, and also look good on your resume!

[db]

Lucinda, I now know what it bothering you! I went through it many years ago as a young foreman. All of the other foremen had trouble getting their reports in by the 11:00 deadline. I was done by 8:30! They always seemed to be scrambling and I always seemed to be bored.

Here is YOUR problem! You are just tooooooo organized! I bet what it takes others hours to do, you do in minutes! Am I right, or am I right (I always hated that line).

Anyway even if they don't need you...we do!

Yep Dave you are right on that count. I'm not someone who sets things aside to do later. I do it now. And I do it quickly. And I do have the slogan : Of course I don't look busy.... posted in my cubicle!

I do walk around and visit with people and snoop around in the warehouse and shop trying to find something interesting. But nothing much comes of it. I did manage to get a shelf labeled for our Red-tagged items - but only because I made the sign and posted it myself.

I have tackled two big problems we were having around here : researched the issues, brainstormed solutions, talked it over with folks, developed forms and spreadsheets, wrote procedures, etc. and you know what has happened? Nil, nada, zilch. Left to waste away with the VP's who have to approve it all. Needless to say, I am less than enthusiastic about digging up another project but I'm getting to that desperate point where filling my time with a wasted effort is looking better than sitting here doing nothing.

Would I be out of line to announce to the department managers and VP's that I want (demand) to be included in their meetings? Or that any issues involving our suppliers should be brought to my attention? Should I say that I want to review the specs and the verification that our products meet those specs prior to shipping them to clients?

I feel that I could make myself more useful if they took my job seriously. If they saw my job as more than the QMS Girl who types out procedures and makes sure that everyone does their job right. Part of the problem is that I'm female- I'm sure of it. This is a macho industry (offshore) and they are a bit leery of the chick walking around in a skirt. The only other women in the office are secretarial staff. They aren't sure where I fit in.

But back to the point: what can I reasonably ask for me to do around here???

[James Gutherson]

Lucinda said:

Our headaches tend to be in the technical realm: keeping the ROVs (underwater robots) in working mechanical order (lots of parts ordering and shipping), and troubleshooting engineering problems with the ROVs and the tools we design.

We don't do FMEA, APQP, or any of the other acronym things.

There are always some problems somewhere. Why are these things failing? Do a study, get the engineers to fill in a ticklist of problems they are seeing, Pareto these results, find the root cause...

Same sort of thing with the supplier problems.

I think you need to get a few runs on the board with these type of problems, and pretty soon the engineers and management, will see how valuable you are and these techniques are - then they will rope you in to training...

Just remember once you have more on your plate than you can handle that we still need you in the cove.