Quality Pre - Production Manager

Job Overview

The Enterprise Quality – Pre-Production Manager leads enterprise APQP strategy and supports disciplined execution across product development and launch activities. This role ensures customer requirements are translated into robust product designs, scalable manufacturing processes, and effective production controls. The Manager partners closely with project leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to drive alignment and execution.

 

Reporting to the Senior Quality QMS Manager.

Highlights of your role

APQP Strategy & Governance

• Establish and maintain enterprise APQP standards, processes, and best practices including defining clear expectations, deliverables, and success metrics
• Govern APQP execution across new product development and major process changes, ensuring risk visibility and launch readiness in partnership with project and functional leaders

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Quality Engineers
• Build organizational capability in APQP, QFD, FMEA, and structured problem-solving
• Drive a culture of proactive quality and prevention vs. detection

Cross-Functional Integration

• Partner with Product Management, R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, and Quality leadership to embed APQP into the product development process
• Ensure alignment between product design, process design, and production readiness
• Facilitate cross-functional decision-making to manage risk and ensure launch readiness
• Support stakeholder alignment, role clarity, and gate review cadence for disciplined APQP execution

Voice of Customer & Requirements Flow-Down

• Ensure translation of customer requirements into engineering, process, and control specifications
• Ensure end-to-end traceability through QFD from customer needs to shop-floor production controls

Oversight of APQP Deliverables

• Ensure high-quality execution of core APQP deliverables

• DFMEA / PFMEA / DFM
• Process Flow Diagrams
• DVP&R
• Control Plans

• Establish disciplined review to identify, assess, and mitigate risks early

Launch Readiness & Risk Management

• Ensure product and process readiness through defined APQP gates, with clear visibility to risks and mitigation plans
• Drive cross-functional alignment to assess and achieve launch readiness across process capability, controls, and training

Supplier APQP & External Quality

• Define and deploy supplier APQP requirements and expectations
• Partner with Supplier Quality to ensure supplier readiness, validation, and alignment to critical-to-quality requirements
• Lead critical supplier quality escalations related to new product introduction

Continuous Improvement & Performance

• Track and improve key performance metrics (launch quality, first-pass yield, COPQ)
• Drive continuous improvement in APQP execution and product development outcomes
• Establish post-launch monitoring, issue triage, and feedback loops to strengthen future APQP deployment

You're a good fit if you have (or if you can)

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality Management, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in quality, operations, or continuous improvement
• Experience leading cross-functional, enterprise-scale initiatives
• Strong understanding of quality systems and manufacturing processes
• Proven experience with APQP, product launches, and process development
• Experience supporting governance and gate-based execution
• Willingness to travel to manufacturing sites and key project locations as needed to support launch readiness, validation, and cross-functional alignment. Travel will vary based on business needs and project phase.

Also want to make sure you have

• Advanced knowledge of
• APQP framework and gate processes
• QFD (Voice of Customer translation)
• DFMEA / PFMEA / DFM methodologies
• Control plan development and process validation
• Strong understanding of manufacturing systems, variation and process capability
• Ability to lead without direct authority
• Strong strategic thinking and communication skills
• Data-driven problem-solving capability

Marvin is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Marvin is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process may contact us at [email protected].