Quality Head

Role Purpose

To lead the entire Quality function of the Home Furniture Division and establish robust quality systems across incoming material, in-process production, final inspection and dispatch, while ensuring compliance with ISO standards and continuous improvement requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the overall Quality function for the plant and ensure effective implementation of quality systems and processes.
• Drive ISO implementation, certification, surveillance audits and compliance across the plant.
• Develop, implement and maintain Quality Management Systems (QMS), SOPs, work instructions and quality standards.
• Manage Incoming Quality, In-Process Quality, Final Quality and Pre-Dispatch Inspection.
• Establish and monitor quality parameters for wood, MDF/particle board, veneer, laminates, hardware, fittings, finishes and other furniture components.
• Drive reduction of rejection, rework, defects, customer complaints and quality-related wastage.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA), CAPA and corrective/preventive actions for quality issues.
• Establish quality checkpoints at critical stages of the manufacturing process.
• Monitor and improve First Pass Yield, rejection, rework and customer complaint KPIs.
• Lead internal, external, customer and certification audits and ensure timely closure of observations/non-conformities.
• Coordinate with Production, Design, R&D, Purchase, Stores and Maintenance to resolve quality issues.
• Establish vendor quality standards and supplier quality improvement programs.
• Develop and maintain inspection standards, quality checklists and testing protocols.
• Lead continuous improvement, Kaizen, 5S and quality improvement initiatives.
• Ensure calibration and control of inspection and measuring equipment.
• Build, train and develop the Quality team, including QA/QC engineers, inspectors and supervisors.
• Prepare and present quality MIS, KPI dashboards and improvement reports to senior management.

Candidate Profile

• Engineering Graduate/Diploma with 1822 years of experience, preferably from the woodworking, furniture or modular furniture industry.
• Minimum 10+ years of relevant experience in furniture/wood-based manufacturing quality preferred.
• Strong hands-on experience in plant quality management and QMS.
• Proven experience in ISO implementation and audit management.
• Strong knowledge of RCA, CAPA, 7 QC Tools, FMEA, 5 Why, Pareto and process improvement methodologies.
• Should have experience managing a complete Quality team and plant-wide quality function.
• Strong understanding of furniture manufacturing processes, materials, finishes and quality parameters.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and team-management skills.
• Should be capable of independently driving the complete Quality agenda of the plant.

Key Performance Areas

ISO & QMS Compliance | Incoming Quality | Process Quality | Final Quality | Customer Complaints | Rejection & Rework Reduction | Supplier Quality | CAPA | Quality Improvement | Audit Compliance | Team Development

Ideal profile: A senior Quality professional from a furniture/woodworking manufacturing plant, rather than a candidate whose experience is primarily in automotive or general engineering quality.