Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and Roles

[jeanmarc - 2011]

Hi to aAll,

Can someone clarify and/or provide with more information/details on the roles & responsibilities of a Quality Systems Coordinator and a Management Representative?

In what areas are their nature of jobs different?



JM

 

[qusys]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and R

The first you said is an operative figure ( probably involved in planning and performing internal audits, corrective actions follow up and so on), while the second is more related to a management role ( see par.5.5.2.), who refers to top management the status of health of QMS.
He should be appointed by the management , irrespective of his/her other functions.
hope this helps

 

[tkevmoore]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator v/s Management Representative

I have a similar situation. Although I was hired to be my company's Management Representative for our transition to AS 9100 from ISO 9001, my title was Quality Systems Analyst. Since our certification I was promoted to Quality Systems Manager, which added Document and Records control to my responsibility as head of the Internal Audit program.

In addition my company has a very strong, formalized Continuous Improvement Program which reports to Engineering. We hav an annual meeting,co-ordinated by this group, for the setting of Company Quality goals as well as the metrics to achieve them. Also there is a structured monthly reporting process that involves Senior Management.

It's a great process but it seems to supplant most of the Management Representative responsibilities with the exception of registrar interface. Since Program Management is our prime interface with the customer, what's a little ole Management Rep to do? Don't get me wrong I've got my hands full with all the other responsibilities, but I want to make sure I don't short change this one.

 

[Cornwap]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and R

Hi jeanmarc,

There is no requirement within ISO9001 for a specific role of Management Representative to be created, however the responsibility and authority for the specificed activities (Section 5.5.2 a to c) does need to be assigned to a member of the organisation's management.

I would normally identify the designated management representative within the quality manual or the organisation structure. In many organisations the Quality Manager is designated as the management representative.

In practice these activities could be delegated to a Quality Systems Co-ordinator but the ultimate responsibility and authority for ensuring that they are satisfactorily performed would remain with the designated management representative.

Best regards
Phil

 

[Jim Wynne]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and R

Hi jeanmarc,

There is no requirement within ISO9001 for a specific role of Management Representative to be created, however the responsibility and authority for the specificed activities (Section 5.5.2 a to c) does need to be assigned to a member of the organisation's management.

I would normally identify the designated management representative within the quality manual or the organisation structure. In many organisations the Quality Manager is designated as the management representative.

In practice these activities could be delegated to a Quality Systems Co-ordinator but the ultimate responsibility and authority for ensuring that they are satisfactorily performed would remain with the designated management representative.

Best regards
Phil

No one knows for sure what "member of the organization's management" means. Delegation of MR responsibility and authority can create a member of management, no?

 

[Cornwap]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and R

Hi Jim,

I agree with you up to a point as the term "organisation's management" is not specifically defined in the ISO9000:2005 vocabluary.

However in reality I believe that it still needs to be assigned to somebody relatively senior in the organisation. My experience is that although you can assign it to a more junior staff, however in practice they are not in a position to act with that authority, particularly when it comes to obstructive directors and managers. The desire to avoid limiting their career prospects could therefore be a major conflict of interest.

IMHO the 2008 version of ISO9001 should have adopted the OHSAS18001 wording of "The organisation shall appoint a member(s) of top management..." beacuse top management is a term that ISO have clearly defined in ISO9000:2005.

Best regards
Phil

 

[Jim Wynne]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and R

Hi Jim,

I agree with you up to a point as the term "organisation's management" is not specifically defined in the ISO9000:2005 vocabluary.

However in reality I believe that it still needs to be assigned to somebody relatively senior in the organisation. My experience is that although you can assign it to a more junior staff, however in practice they are not in a position to act with that authority, particularly when it comes to obstructive directors and managers. The desire to avoid limiting their career prospects could therefore be a major conflict of interest.

This is a problem with the delegation of responsibility and authority, not with the idea that a "more junior" person is inherently incapable of functioning as MR. If the R&A are actually delegated, the MR becomes a member of management, irrespective of other duties.

 

[John Broomfield]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and R

Hi to aAll,

Can someone clarify and/or provide with more information/details on the roles & responsibilities of a Quality Systems Coordinator and a Management Representative?

In what areas are their nature of jobs different?



JM

Authority is most important. What can you do as QSC vs MR?

Responsibility is what you must do but authority comes first.

I would expect the top manager to have delegated some of his or her authority to you. For example, to:

1. Analyze the system running the organization (for each significant change)
2. Determine the key processes in the system
3. Obtain time with process owners to analyze each of the key processes
4. Facilitate product and process FMEA sessions
5. Facilitate root cause removal training and sessions
6. Facilitate mistake proofing of processes
7. Ensure the process owners gather and use feedback from the process team and their customers
8. Ensure the customer requirements are reflected by the system documents
9. Ensure operators, supervisors and managers are monitoring their processes
10. Ensure purchasing is continually improving suppplier performance
11. Obtain authorization for the internal audit program and oversee its execution
12. Measure and require action to improve the health of the system (documented and undocumented)
13. Facilitate leadership of the system's use and improvement
14. ...and, as necessary, liaise with the external auditors

​

Which of these authorities do you have? You can then determine your role and responsibilities in keeping with your authority.

John

 

[DrM2u]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and R

This is a problem with the delegation of responsibility and authority, not with the idea that a "more junior" person is inherently incapable of functioning as MR. If the R&A are actually delegated, the MR becomes a member of management, irrespective of other duties.

I am leaning toward Jim's position on this one from the perspective of ISO 9001 standard. As an ISO 9001 auditor I am not too concerned with MR's position or title within the organization as long as the top management confirms that this person was appointed as MR (5.5.2). I am not aware of any requirement or definition that states that all members of the management team have to be managers or in an executive/top role, but I could be wrong. What I am interested in is that the MR knows the related duties and that the requirements of 5.5.2 are satisfied. I didn't think about it before, but I guess that the assignment of the MR duties also implies membership in the management team.

 

[DrM2u]

Re: Quality Systems Coordinator vs. Management Representatve - Responsibilities and R

Hi to aAll,

Can someone clarify and/or provide with more information/details on the roles & responsibilities of a Quality Systems Coordinator and a Management Representative?

In what areas are their nature of jobs different?



JM

To me, the QS Coordinator is a position established within the organization with a certain scope and purpose, therefore the duties, responsibilities & authorities are (should be) defined by the organization. The Management Representative is not necesarily a separate job title but a set of duties/responsibilities/authorities required by the ISO 9001 standard (and other standards) and to be assigned by the top management to a member of management (not necesarily a manager). The top management can assign the MR duties to the QS Coordinator within an organization, but that does not imply that in other organizations the QS Coordinator is automatically the MR.

In support to John B's post, there has to be a balance between responsibilities and authorities in order for someone to perform the assigned duties to the desired expectations.