Quality improvement specialist Jobs in Madison, WI

Ready to lead where quality meets action? ETC is looking for a hands-on Quality Improvement Manager to drive data-backed improvements, tackle product and process challenges, and lead an inspector-heavy team to success. In this role, you’ll guide cross-functional teams, dig into quality trends, and turn insights into measurable results—while keeping our ISO systems strong and our operations running smoothly.

Just as important, you’ll be a people-first leader—coaching, developing, and empowering a team of inspectors and quality professionals. You’ll set clear expectations, build accountability, support career growth, and foster a collaborative, high-performance culture where your team can thrive.

You’ll partner across departments and with suppliers to solve problems at the root, reduce defects, and elevate performance across the board—all while building a strong, engaged team that takes pride in delivering quality at every step. If you’re equal parts strategist, problem-solver, and team builder, this is your chance to make a visible impact.

Representative Responsibilities:
• Lead cross-functional, data-driven quality improvement teams to solve systemic product and process issues using structured problem-solving methods, with clear targets, owners, and sustainability plans.
• Ensure that each team reviews the data and identifies trends and issues to be fixed
• Ensure that action items are assigned and followed up is completed
• Ensure that meeting minutes are taken and properly distributed
• Monthly review of quality reports with team
• Manage quality measures
• SAP service notifications and quality notifications
• Top 5 quality issues per product line
• Manufacturing scrap
• NCMRs
• On-time shipments
• Reports on global product performance in the field and production
• Provide on time delivery and PPM reporting for vendors
• Provides analysis and insight to highlight areas of concern
• Other data as appropriate
• Manage corrective actions with suppliers
• Coordinate product holds
• Manage first piece inspection and in-process audit involvement by QA personnel
• Manage pilot run reviews
• Leads cross-functional, data-driven continuous improvement teams using structured problem-solving methods (e.g., PDCA, root cause analysis) with clear targets, owners, and sustainment plans.
• Assist Purchasing in the selection of new vendors and the regular review of current vendors performance
• Work with vendors to achieve and maintain ‘direct to stock’ status
• Works closely with R&D, Manufacturing Engineering, Tech Services, Purchasing, and Manufacturing to embed continuous improvement and prevention principles early in design, sourcing, and production processes
• Other duties as assigned.
• Special projects and requests are completed in a timely and positive fashion.

ISO Responsibilities:
• Ensures all necessary functions have defined policies and procedures
• Oversees the ISO 9001 quality system
• SAP Quality Notifications
• Corrective Action System
• Calibration system
• Assists in solving quality alerts and corrective actions in a timely manner
• Oversee our internal audits
• Manages the inspection teams according to QSP 10.1 Receiving/ In-Process/Final Inspection and Testing
• Identifies required inspections
• Assigns responsibility for inspection
• Manage ESD maintenance activities according to QSWI 15.1.4 ESD Maintenance Work Instruction
• Manages ETC’s nonconforming material system according to QSP 13.1 Nonconforming Product Review and Disposition
• Coordinate MRBs
• Manages final inspection according to QSP 10.1 Receiving/In-Process/Final Inspection and Testing
• Develops and improves final inspection processes
• Identifies required final inspection
• Assigns responsibility for product audits

Supervisory Responsibilities:
• Manage the Quality department employees
• Directly supervises the QA team leader, QA inspectors, the Quality System Coordinator, and Quality Specialist
• Coordinates and collaborates with other departments of the company in establishing and carrying out responsibilities
• Develop and maintain positive communication between department and other departments
• Performs the hiring, orientation, training, performance management, career development, and overall employee development of department personnel
• Formulates, implements and reviews ISO procedures related to the department
• Instructs employees about procedures and work instructions
• Informs employees as to company/departmental plans and progress
• Maintains reporting on all department activities
• Continue to monitor efficiency in the department and make improvements where appropriate

Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or Technical Area, or 8 years of comparable experience
• 3-5 years previous supervisory experience
• 5-10 years of continuous improvement, QA and QC experience
• Familiarity with employment law
• Excellent communication and organization skills
• Computer skills
• Continuous improvement, Quality assurance and control knowledge
• Gauging and measurement-Metrology