Quality Manager - AS9100

About the role

Tekever, a European leader in unmanned technology operating in defence, security, space and digital, is seeking a hands-on Quality Manager for its Swindon manufacturing operation. The role leads day-to-day quality management and assurance, helping establish robust, controlled manufacturing processes that meet AS9100 requirements and support safe, repeatable delivery of conforming product. It works closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, Design Engineering and the wider UK QSHE team.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the implementation, maintenance and continual improvement of the Quality Management System, aligned with AS9100 and ISO 9001.
• Define, map and improve manufacturing and quality processes, including ownership, inputs, outputs, controls, measures, risks, records and interfaces.
• Plan, coordinate, review and approve First Article Inspection activity and FAIRs under AS9102 and customer requirements.
• Embed quality planning into new product introduction, production readiness, transfer of work and product or process changes.
• Set up inspection, verification, acceptance and release controls with complete, accurate and traceable evidence.
• Control nonconforming outputs, including containment, review, disposition, escalation and prevention of unintended use or delivery.
• Drive corrective action using 5 Whys, Ishikawa and 8D, and lead Kaizen and continual-improvement activity.
• Plan and run process, product and QMS audits, and support customer, regulatory and certification-body audits.
• Support control of monitoring and measuring resources, product identification and traceability, preservation, configuration and change control.
• Work with Supplier Quality and Supply Chain to resolve supplier nonconformities and protect production continuity.

Required profile

• Strong quality-management experience in aerospace, defence or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Practical AS9100 and ISO 9001 knowledge applied in production, and experience with FAIRs and AS9102.
• Proven ability to lead nonconformance, root-cause and corrective-action activity through to closure.
• Experience leading Kaizen, Lean or other structured improvement activity.
• Good understanding of inspection planning, traceability, configuration control, calibration, preservation and release.
• Confident communicator able to balance shop-floor priorities with system development and certification-readiness.

Nice to have

• UAS, aircraft, composite or additive manufacturing experience.
• IRCA or CQI auditor qualification or Chartered Quality Professional status.
• APQP, PFMEA, MSA, SPC or production-part approval experience.
• Defence customer assurance or MoD contracting knowledge.
• Lean Six Sigma or Kaizen qualification, or experience establishing a new manufacturing facility.

What we offer

• Competitive salary with a discretionary annual bonus.
• Pension contribution match of up to 10%.
• 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays.