| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Quality |
| Level | Manager |
| Reports to | General Manager Quality or Head of Quality |
| Direct reports | QC Inspector, QC Chemist, Lab Analyst |
| Experience | 8 to 12 years in quality control, with team handling |
QC Manager job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: QC Manager
Department: Quality
Reports to: General Manager Quality or Head of Quality
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A QC Manager leads the quality control function: the testing and inspection that decides whether material and product meet standard. They run incoming, in-process and final inspection and the testing labs, own product release and hold decisions, and manage inspectors and analysts. The role keeps inspection standards, sampling plans and test methods sound, and equipment calibrated. In an Indian plant the QC manager is the gatekeeper who releases or holds product, reports defects to production and QA, and answers for the accuracy and speed of quality control across shifts.
Key responsibilities
- Run incoming, in-process and final inspection so only conforming material and product move ahead.
- Manage the testing labs, test methods and sampling plans, and keep them valid and current.
- Take product release and hold decisions based on inspection and test results.
- Keep measuring and testing equipment calibrated and inspection standards documented.
- Analyse defect and rejection data and feed it back to production and QA for action.
- Manage inspectors and analysts across shifts and plan inspection coverage.
- Handle non-conforming material through segregation, disposition and record keeping.
- Support customer and certification audits on the quality control side.
- Control the QC budget for consumables, reagents, gauges and calibration.
- Reduce inspection escapes so defects do not reach the customer.
Requirements
- B.E. or B.Tech, or a science degree such as B.Sc or M.Sc for lab-heavy plants
- Knowledge of inspection, testing and sampling standards
- A quality or auditor certification is an advantage
- 8 to 12 years in quality control, with team handling
KRAs and KPIs for a QC Manager
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Inspection accuracy | Inspection escapes to customer kept below the agreed limit |
| Release timeliness | Product release and test results delivered within the agreed time |
| Calibration | All measuring and testing equipment calibrated on schedule |
| Non-conformance control | Non-conforming material segregated and dispositioned within the agreed time |
| Defect feedback | Defect data shared with production and QA within the agreed time |
| Audit readiness | QC records and methods clear audits with no major finding |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Measuring and testing instruments, Laboratory instruments, Quality management system (QMS), Calibration records, MS Excel.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: General Manager Quality, Head of Quality, QA Manager
Interview questions for a QC Manager
- How do you decide a sampling plan for incoming material?
- A test result is borderline against spec. How do you decide release or hold?
- How do you cut inspection escapes that reach the customer?
- How do you keep the lab and gauges calibrated without holding up release?
- How do you handle production pressure to release material you have held?
- How do you cover inspection across three shifts with limited inspectors?
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What does a QC manager do?
A QC manager leads quality control: the testing and inspection that decides whether material and product meet standard. They run incoming, in-process and final inspection and the labs, take product release and hold decisions, keep methods and calibration sound, and manage inspectors and analysts. They feed defect data to production and QA and answer for inspection accuracy and speed.
What is the difference between a QC manager and a QA manager?
A QC manager focuses on quality control: inspecting and testing product to catch defects and decide release. A QA manager focuses on quality assurance: building systems, processes, documentation and controls that prevent defects in the first place. QC checks the output, QA builds the process, and both usually report to the head of quality.
What qualifications does a QC manager need?
A B.E. or B.Tech, or a science degree such as B.Sc or M.Sc in lab-heavy plants, is the usual base, with knowledge of inspection, testing and sampling standards. A quality or auditor certification is an advantage. Employers expect several years in quality control with experience running labs, inspection and a team.