Who does a QC (Quality Control) Auditor report to?

Q

QC Dave

This may sound like a dumb question, but I need a clear cut answer, preferable with a link to where it states this online please.

We are are 3rd party logistics provider. We have QC auditors who audit different departments. Who do the auditors usually report to? What is the industry standard or norm?

Thank you in advance.
 
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Coury Ferguson

Moderator here to help
Trusted Information Resource
Re: Who does a QC auditor report to?

As far as I know there wouldn't be any links to send you to, however, the Auditor should report to the person identified on the Company's Organizational Chart.

My situation, is that the Auditor(s) reports to me as the Director of Quality.
 

Ajit Basrur

Leader
Admin
This may sound like a dumb question, but I need a clear cut answer, preferable with a link to where it states this online please.

We are are 3rd party logistics provider. We have QC auditors who audit different departments. Who do the auditors usually report to? What is the industry standard or norm?

Thank you in advance.

When you say "QC Auditor", is it a role or a function (position)?

If it is a position, they would typically report to the Quality Manager or the Management Representative; however if the "Auditor" is a role, they can continue to report to which ever function (position) they belong and must fulfil the auditor requirement per ISO 9001 / 13485.

Hope this helps!
 

Randy

Super Moderator
There isn't a standard on this and the answer is simple...To whomever he/she is required to report to.

Doesn't really matter and it's nobody's business but the organizations
 
Q

QC Dave

When you say "QC Auditor", is it a role or a function (position)?

If it is a position, they would typically report to the Quality Manager or the Management Representative; however if the "Auditor" is a role, they can continue to report to which ever function (position) they belong and must fulfil the auditor requirement per ISO 9001 / 13485.

Hope this helps!
It is a position and yes it helps.

Perhaps some background would have helped, but I was trying to keep this post very unbiased. But at this point here is the point of all of this.

I am the recently promoted (4 months ago) Quality Control Manager of a reverse logistics company. I had been the only auditor reporting to the Quality Control Manager. After I was promoted, my old job was split into four different auditors reporting to me. Now I have Department Managers wanting the auditors to report to the manager of the departments that they are auditing.

I have told them that this is a conflict of interest, but my boss wants some evidence that this is not normal. We are an ISO 9001 certified company. We have had one auditor reporting to the department manager of the department that she audits, but I had assumed that this was grandfathered in as we only became ISO certified 3 yrs ago. One of the things my predecessor had told me was that I would need/want to get that changed so that all of the auditors report to me. Since he is gone, that doesn't carry any weight with my boss at this point.

I just wanted to get some feedback and/or evidence, that either is or is not, the norm. My predecessor had 44 yrs of experience in the QC field so I highly respect his opinion.

Thanks in advance for your help!
 

Randy

Super Moderator
In referencing what you're talking about just quote the standard...."Ensure objectivity and impartiality of the audit process"

Then find out why those people want the auditors under their thumbs and watch their eyes when they tell you
 

Ajit Basrur

Leader
Admin
Randy is spot on. The only criterion for an auditor is to ensure objectivity and impartiality in the audit process, by not auditing their own work.

The auditors need not have any reporting in the organization structure but have to fulfil the above.
 
T

Tyler C

I think it also depends on whether or not internal auditing is a full time role, or just part time. For example, in my organization all internal auditors have full time jobs outside of auditing, and report to their respective departments. However, when it comes to audits, I facilitate the process and my word carries more weight than the department supervisors, in regard to the auditing process.

So, if one of the salesman is scheduled to do an audit, they will not be auditing the sales department because they cannot audit their own work, per clause 8.2.2 of the ISO 9001:2008 standard, "...Auditors shall not audit their own work."

My opinion, if they are full time auditors, their department should be QA/QC and report to you. If they are not full time auditors, they should report to their respective departments, but cannot audit their departments, or at least the function of their department that they work in.
 

Eredhel

Quality Manager
It really is up to the organization. One compromise might be letting the auditors report to department managers they don't audit.

Edit: By compromise I meant for the organization decided, not the standard or any auditor.
 
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