ST Engineering iDirect's MCC Electronics is a contract electronics manufacturer specialising in high-complexity PCB assembly and systems integration for defence, medical, and space markets. We are a technically excellent team going through a transformation of scaling up our the commercial and operational infrastructure to match the quality of our manufacturing capability.

About the Role

ST Engineering iDirect MCC - Manufacturing Competence Centre and Factory of the Future -  is looking for a driven and principled Quality Manager to lead our quality organisation and ensure our products meet the highest standards in the EMS industry. You will be the guardian of quality across the entire plant — from new product introduction through serial production — and will play a key role in shaping our quality culture.

This is a senior leadership role. You will manage a team that includes the QARA Manager, quality inspectors, and the NPI team, and you will work in close collaboration — and healthy tension — with the Operations Manager to find the right balance between quality and delivery commitments. The Plant Manager serves as the final authority when escalation is required.

This role requires backbone. Quality cannot be the first thing to yield under delivery pressure. We are looking for someone who can hold the line firmly and professionally, build trust with Operations, and know when to escalate — not someone who will quietly compromise standards to keep the peace.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Leadership

• Own and drive the quality strategy for the plant, aligned with business objectives and customer requirements.
• Lead, develop, and coach the quality team: QARA Manager, quality inspectors, and the NPI team.
• Set clear quality KPIs, monitor performance, and drive continuous improvement.
• Maintain and develop the integrated Management System across all applicable standards.
• Plan and manage internal and external audits; ensure timely and effective corrective actions.

Cross-functional Collaboration & Conflict Resolution

• Engage constructively and decisively with the Operations Manager on quality vs. delivery trade-offs — advocating for quality while understanding operational realities.
• Escalate unresolved conflicts to the Plant Manager in a structured, fact-based manner; and support the timely execution of agreed decisions and actions.Act as the primary quality interface with customers, handling complaints, audits, and corrective actions.

NPI & QARA

• Oversee quality activities during New Product Introduction, ensuring robust quality gates before serial production release.
• Steer QARA activities, including regulatory compliance, customer-specific quality requirements, and supplier quality management.

Change Management

• Own and maintain the plant Change Management process, ensuring all quality-related changes are properly assessed, documented, approved, implemented, and verified.
• Lead cross-functional impact assessments and risk evaluations for changes affecting products, processes, equipment, software, suppliers, or quality systems.
• Ensure effective implementation of changes, including validation where required, and monitor post-implementation effectiveness.
• Maintain change control records and ensure compliance with applicable customer, regulatory, and certification requirements.

Process Validation

• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve the process validation framework across manufacturing and supporting processes.
• Review and approve validation master plans, protocols, reports, and revalidation activities, ensuring compliance with customer, regulatory, and industry requirements.
• Ensure manufacturing processes are appropriately validated before release to serial production and remain in a validated state throughout their lifecycle.
• Monitor process performance and drive corrective actions, requalification, or revalidation activities when process changes or performance trends warrant further evaluation.

Inspection & Non-conformance

• Govern the inspection process across incoming, in-process, and final product stages.
• Drive root cause analysis and effective closure of non-conformances (8D, Ishikawa, or equivalent methodology).
• Monitor and reduce scrap, rework, and customer returns.

Standards & Certifications in Scope

Together with the QARA manager, you are the owner and responsible manager for ST Engineering iDirect MCC's compliance across the following standards: ISO 9001, ISO 13485 (Medical Devices), AS9100 (Aerospace), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), and ISO 27001 (Information Security).

Experience across all five is ideal; deep expertise in at least three is required. You are comfortable managing multi-standard audit cycles and always keeping an integrated system coherent and audit-ready.

Your Profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Quality, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in quality within an EMS, electronics, or high-mix manufacturing environment; at least 3 years in a people management role.
• Deep knowledge of ISO 9001; working knowledge of ISO 13485, AS9100, ISO 14001, and ISO 27001 are pluses.
• Auditor certification in one or more of the above standards is a strong asset.
• Experience with quality tools: 8D, FMEA, SPC, 6-sigma, 5S, or equivalent.
• IPC standards knowledge (IPC-A-610, IPC-7711, etc.) is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to challenge peers and management assertively while maintaining strong working relationships.
• Clear, structured communicator — capable of presenting complex quality data to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Hands-on mentality: you lead from the shop floor, not from behind a desk.
• Fluent in Dutch and English

This Role Is Probably Not for You If…

• You find it easier to approve a shipment than to have a difficult conversation with the Operations Manager.
• You see quality standards primarily as paperwork to maintain rather than a framework to drive real outcomes.
• You struggle to say "no" — or need to say it loudly and often just to feel heard.
• You treat audits as events to survive rather than opportunities to improve.
• You prefer managing from reports and dashboards over walking the production floor daily.
• You expect consensus before making quality calls — in this role, you will sometimes need to act on conviction.
• You see escalation as a last resort to be avoided rather than a normal and effective tool for resolving issues and maintaining momentum......OR
• You are uncomfortable operating in an environment where clear accountability and decision-making responsibilities are defined and respected.

What We Offer

• A key leadership role with real authority and impact.
• A direct line to Plant Management and a voice in strategic decisions.
• A motivated team to develop and grow with.
• A multi-standard environment that keeps the work genuinely varied and challenging.
• Competitive compensation package in line with experience.