Sherman + Reilly designs and manufactures stringing and pulling equipment and related solutions for the utility industry. The Quality Manager is responsible for improving product and process quality across our heavy equipment manufacturing operations by working with suppliers, operations, service, and engineering. The Quality Manager is responsible for improving product and process quality by collaborating with suppliers, operations, service, and engineering.

The right person is:

• Hands-on and enjoys understanding how equipment works.
• Pragmatic – can distinguish between “nice to have” and “must have” and scale the response to the problem.
• Clear communicator – able to explain issues and tradeoffs to everyone from welders to senior leadership.
• Bias for action – prioritizes practical changes over paperwork.

Reporting Relationships

This position will report to the Director of Supply Chain and Quality. This position must work closely with Supply Chain, Production, Engineering, Service, Sales and customers, and act as a liaison between functional areas.

Primary Responsibilities

Nonconformance Management

• Own the nonconforming material (NCM) process from identification through disposition (rework, repair, scrap, use-as-is).
• Facilitate root cause analysis and corrective action using tools like 5-Why, 8D, and fishbone diagrams, scaled to the size of the issue.
• Track and reduce repeat defects, chronic rework, and escapes through practical, process-focused fixes.
• Lead supplier corrective actions and follow-up on chronic issues that impact build quality, schedule, or safety.

Supplier Quality & Sourcing

• Lead quality support for 250+ suppliers with 5,700+ SKUs.
• Partner with Supply Chain to evaluate and develop suppliers for any component (fabrication, hydraulic, electrical, mechanical, etc.) with the goal of increasing flexibility and reducing lead time.
• Define inspection requirements (test reports, certifications, FAIR, PPAP as appropriate) for critical purchased parts and assist in incoming inspections.
• Alongside Sourcing, define the supplier quality lifecycle including supplier qualification, ongoing performance measurements (defects, OTD, responsiveness), and exit plans. Contribute to supplier scorecards and prioritize supplier improvement efforts.
• Conduct audits to support supplier qualification (process capability, special processes such as welding/machining/hydraulics/electrical assembly) and routine audits to monitor performance.

New Product Development (NPD) & Design Quality

• Work with Engineering and Manufacturing to review new and existing designs for manufacturability, serviceability, and realistic tolerances.
• Encourage the use of common parts, practical tolerances, and features that fit our processes and supplier capabilities. Provide feedback on critical characteristics, stack-ups, and features that drive complexity, rework, or field failures.
• Support new product and variant launches by ensuring inspection plans, checklists, and basic controls are in place before release to production.

Shop-Floor Quality & Process Control

• Lead daily quality support for two Chattanooga sites
• Develop and maintain right-sized inspection plans that operators can use.
• Support Operations by observing and troubleshooting processes in welding, machining, fabrication, paint, and final assembly to identify sources of variation, scrap, and rework.
• Oversee and perform materials/mechanical testing, perform pull/push tests using an Olsen tensile/compression machine and hardness testing (e.g., Rockwell/Brinell) per drawing/spec., determine when additional testing is required.
• Support customer complaint intake from Service. Drive field failure analysis and warranty trend reviews for purchased components and maintain feedback loops with Engineering and suppliers.
• Issue Certificates of Conformance (CoC) for finished goods when requested by end users.

Quality Data, Metrics & Systems

• Develop and refine quality procedures and standards to support business growth.
• Utilize 3D optical metrology (Keyence) for first-article, in-process, and final inspection. Manage storage and traceability of scan-to-CAD comparison data and dimensional reports.
• Ensure calibration and traceability for all key inspection, gauging, and process instruments.
• Use existing systems (SAP ByDesign and other tools) to record NCM, scrap, rework, and customer issues in a consistent way.
• Develop and maintain simple dashboards for internal quality performance (scrap, rework, rework hours) and supplier performance (delivery, quality, responsiveness)
• Communicate trends and priorities to Operations, Engineering, and leadership in clear, actionable terms.

Leadership & Culture

• Lead and develop a small team (quality engineer/inspector); set goals, coach problem solving, and build an ownership mindset.
• Champion a culture of fact-based problem solving, curiosity, and accountability rather than blame.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, and Service and to align on practical quality standards and priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Technology, or related field; or equivalent combination of technical education and hands-on experience.
• 5–10 years of experience in quality and/or manufacturing engineering in one or more of the following: Heavy equipment, utility equipment, off-highway, construction, or agriculture; Trailers, truck bodies, cranes, aerial lifts, or similar equipment; Welded fabrication and machined components for industrial applications
• Demonstrated success improving quality in small or mid-sized manufacturers where systems were still being built and refined.
• Experience with welded structures, machined parts, mechanical assemblies, and basic hydraulics/electrical components.
• Proficient with common inspection tools (calipers, micrometers, height gages, thread gages, etc.) and able to define effective checks.
• Practical experience with root cause analysis, corrective actions, and basic problem-solving tools (5-Why, 8D, fishbone, control plans, capability concepts).
• Strong ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, including weld symbols and GD&T.
• Hands-on experience with 3D scanning/optical metrology (Keyence or equivalent) and tensile/compression/hardness testing equipment (e.g., Olsen/Rockwell/Brinell).
• Comfortable using ERP and other business systems to manage NCM, rework, and supplier data.

Work Environment & Travel

• Onsite role across two Chattanooga manufacturing facilities; up to ~15% travel to suppliers, customers, and service/rental locations.
• Regular presence in manufacturing areas, including welding, machining, paint, and assembly.
• Ability to navigate manufacturing areas and inspect equipment as needed.