ISO 9001 Quality Management Representative Qualifications

[Jim Wynne]

Re: Quality Management Representative Qualifications

Top Management means the highest ranking individual in the organization plus his/her Staff. So, an individual belonging to this group can be a Management Representative (MR). So, if a Department Manager belongs to that group, yes, this person can be an MR!

Stijloor.

The standard says that "Top management shall appoint a member of management..." It doesn't say anything about "staff" positions, for which there is no normative definition anyway. We all know that the original intent of the standard was that an incumbent manager would be appointed as MR, but the way things have evolved, the prerequisite is self-defining. In other words, by merit of having been appointed MR, the person is a "member of management." In most manufacturing companies, the MR is the quality manager, whether that's considered a "staff" position or not.

 

[Wes Bucey]

Re: Quality Management Representative Qualifications

The standard says that "Top management shall appoint a member of management..." It doesn't say anything about "staff" positions, for which there is no normative definition anyway. We all know that the original intent of the standard was that an incumbent manager would be appointed as MR, but the way things have evolved, the prerequisite is self-defining. In other words, by merit of having been appointed MR, the person is a "member of management." In most manufacturing companies, the MR is the quality manager, whether that's considered a "staff" position or not.

I agree the fact the person is "appointed" to the position of MR "makes" him/her a member of management.

Let me ask how folks (especially some of you 3rd party auditors out there) would view the idea of a person employed only part-time being appointed MR.

Almost, but not quite,
In the USA, income tax and employment laws dictate requirements to be considered either an exempt employee (same salary regardless of hours worked) or a non-exempt employee (hourly wage - MUST get overtime if worked more than 40 hours in a calendar week.)
The question: Since management employees are typically exempt (but they don't have to be!), should the MR be required to be considered exempt or non-exempt like the majority of management-level employees?

Associated question: (This is rhetorical - I don't expect a public answer)
If you are a Management Representative (for ISO purposes), are you an exempt, salaried employee or non-exempt, entitled to overtime? If you are "exempt," do the terms and conditions of your employment jibe with the US government definitions? (more and more organizations are losing federal lawsuits initiated by employees seeking overtime pay because the organization erroneously classified them as exempt.)

 

[Big Jim]

Re: Quality Management Representative Qualifications

I agree the fact the person is "appointed" to the position of MR "makes" him/her a member of management.

Let me ask how folks (especially some of you 3rd party auditors out there) would view the idea of a person employed only part-time being appointed MR.

Almost, but not quite,
In the USA, income tax and employment laws dictate requirements to be considered either an exempt employee (same salary regardless of hours worked) or a non-exempt employee (hourly wage - MUST get overtime if worked more than 40 hours in a calendar week.)
The question: Since management employees are typically exempt (but they don't have to be!), should the MR be required to be considered exempt or non-exempt like the majority of management-level employees?

Associated question: (This is rhetorical - I don't expect a public answer)
If you are a Management Representative (for ISO purposes), are you an exempt, salaried employee or non-exempt, entitled to overtime? If you are "exempt," do the terms and conditions of your employment jibe with the US government definitions? (more and more organizations are losing federal lawsuits initiated by employees seeking overtime pay because the organization erroneously classified them as exempt.)

Tax laws have no bearing on how you define the Management Representative.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Re: Quality Management Representative Qualifications

This "official" interpretation clarifies that the MR does not need to be a full time employee of the organization. The basic concern over the MR function, imho is: Does s/he have the organizational authority to effect changes, when changes are necessary?

 

[JaneB]

Re: Quality Management Representative Qualifications

The basic concern over the MR function, imho is: Does s/he have the organizational authority to effect changes, when changes are necessary?

Mine too. As usual, Sidney, you get to the heart of the matter.

 

[Polly Pure Bread]

Re: Quality Management Representative Qualifications

IMHO Junior Manager still gets approval from the management while IMR has the responsibility and authority to make full decisions

 

[Debra7]

Re: Quality Management Representative Qualifications

If a person within an organization, who does not have the title "manager" but has total control and implimation of the QMS including auditing and MRM be viewed as the "Management Representative"?

 

[JaneB]

Re: Quality Management Representative Qualifications

If a person within an organization, who does not have the title "manager" but has total control and implimation of the QMS including auditing and MRM be viewed as the "Management Representative"?

Yes. It's the authority and responsibility that matters, not the title. Totally immaterial whether the word manager appears in their title or not. They could be called the Grand Poobah or the Lesser Wallop (for example ) and still be the MR.

 

[Brijeta]

Thank you all for this discussion!

JaneB, you interpretation was very helpful and answered 1 of the 2 questions I have about MR requirements. My second concern is related to the following question: "Is the MR under the direct authority of the CEO?" I am appointed as a MR in our company which is ISO 9001 certified and based on the organizational structure I (ISO technical assistant) stand below the Quality Manager. Can this be found as a nonconformity during external audits? Thank you in advance!

 

[lafbox]

You can find good information on ASQ and IRCA sites.