Jobs › Milwaukee Tool

Quality Manager

Milwaukee Tool · West Bend, WI · Full time

Posted Oct 1, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Milwaukee Tool

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a quality management system you built or significantly improved at a plant.

What they are checking: Whether they have led plant quality systems from planning through results, which this role owns at West Bend.

How do you train operators, engineers and managers on quality principles so it sticks?

What they are checking: Whether they can teach quality in a practical way, since educating others is a named duty of this role.

How do you lead and develop quality engineers and lab technicians?

What they are checking: Whether they coach and grow their team, since this role guides engineers, technicians and other managers.

How do you build a strong working relationship with the Director of Operations and production leaders?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead quality as a partner to operations rather than acting only as a gatekeeper.

What would you do

A customer complaint shows a defect escaped your plant. What do you do in the first day and the first month?

What they are checking: Whether they understand containment first, then root cause and lasting corrective action, in the right order.

Production wants to ship parts that are borderline on a spec to make a customer date. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they hold the line on quality with clear reasoning while still helping operations find a workable path.

About the work

How do you work with a supplier whose quality keeps slipping?

What they are checking: Whether they combine data, clear expectations and corrective action to improve supplier performance rather than only rejecting parts.

How do you set quality goals for a plant, and how do you track them?

What they are checking: Whether they choose metrics that drive real improvement instead of numbers that just look good on a report.

Which quality tools do you rely on most, and when have they made the difference?

What they are checking: Whether they use tools like SPC, root cause analysis and FMEA in real situations, not just know their names.

How do you prepare a plant for a quality system audit?

What they are checking: Whether they keep the plant audit-ready year round rather than scrambling in the weeks before an auditor arrives.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Milwaukee Tool from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Milwaukee Tool.

Job Description: INNOVATE without boundaries! At Milwaukee Tool we firmly believe that our People and our Culture are the secrets to our success -- so we give you unlimited access to everything you need to provide…. Behind our doors you'll be empowered every day to own it, drive it, and do what it takes to support the biggest breakthroughs in the industry. Meanwhile, you'll have the support and resources of the fastest-growing brand in the construction industry to make it happen. Your Role on Our Team: Reporting to the Director of Operations, works with occasional supervision, and from broad guidelines and objectives, the primary duty of this position is to provide a wide variety of management leadership in quality and quality processing improvement activities to internal and external customers. This position serves as a leadership quality resource for the company. You’ll be DISRUPTIVE through these duties and responsibilities: • Organization : Conceive, plan, organize, schedule, coordinate, and supervise areas of quality management systems as well as specific quality functions within the plant. • Leadership : Requires demonstrated technical leadership ability in working with cross-functional teams and suppliers. • Training : Educate and train others on quality principles. Provide guidance and assistance to other engineers, laboratory technicians, and managers. • Administration : Perform administrative activities necessary for the effective management of direct reports, including pay administration, setting goals and objectives, and planning, organizing, integrating, and measuring the work performed. Provide performance feedback to cross-functional team members for performance reviews. • Quality Management System : Maintain, improve and expand the Milwaukee Tool quality management systems in the manufacturing facilities. Plan, conduct and coordinate quality management system internal audits and process audits to ensure compliance to established procedures, instructions, and industry practice and to measure the effectiveness of improvement efforts. • Planning : Plan departmental objectives and activities toward achieving the results documented in the Company’s vision, mission goals, and objectives. • Continuous Improvement : Consult with plant managers and department heads on how and where to focus improvement efforts and aid in obtaining the resources and/or training required. This includes preparing and conducting or the supervision of the preparing and conducting of training in the use of quality tools, total quality, continuous improvement, statistical process control, process capability, design of experiments, quality function deployment or other techniques associated with the quality management systems. • Quality Management Review Meetings : Conduct Quality Review Meetings on a monthly basis to the Plant Manager and Plant Leadership personnel for status and quality program review. Establish and coordinate activities to improve quality at the Plant level through the leadership personnel. • Documentation : Assist with the development and revision of Quality Policies, Quality Procedures, Quality System Instructions, Engineering Standards and Work Instructions that govern the operations of the Quality Engineering Department and the Quality related activities of the manufacturing facilities. • Corrective Actions : Assist in maintaining the established corrective action system to measure and improve quality in areas where deficiencies have been identified. Includes internal and external corrective actions for manufacturing and the Supplier base. • Budgets : Prepare expense budgets for the department and control departmental expenditures to meet budget goals. • Capital Expenditures : Analyze the capital equipment needs of the manufacturing facilities and appropriate funds. This includes inspection, measuring and test equipment required for new products and processes as well as the upgrading of Milwaukee Electric Tool’s measurement capability. Perform detailed cost analysis and manage projects aimed at reducing costs of failure and increasing margins and productivity. • Nonconforming Product : Control and coordinate the application of product quality holds to adequately protect the customer from receiving sub-standard products while ensuring customers receive products in a timely manner. • Supplier Development and Performance : Establish and maintain systems to analyze and report on the capabilities and performance of Milwaukee suppliers. • Lab/test Functions and Responsibility : Plan, coordinate, and manage the product audit, performance, materials and metrology lab -functions to ensure process and product quality. Plan, coordinate, and manage the testing and audit of products when transferred between internal manufacturing or outsourced process locations. • Participate in the planning and assessment of corporate-wide quality functions at the manufacturing locations. • Manage all Quality Personnel along with conducting appraisals and performance of each direct report. Coordinate activities and report on personnel in the Department with Director of Operations and Talent Management, when needed. The TOOLS you’ll bring with you: • Requires a BS Degree in Engineering. Specialized training in Quality Assurance and 5-7 years experience directly related to quality in a manufacturing environment strongly preferred. • Must be knowledgeable of developments in the field of quality with application of modern quality techniques (i.e. real-time data analytics, quality process digitalization, predictive analytics) with sound practical knowledge of manufacturing equipment, processes and practices. • Familiarity with ISO methodologies and other industry best practices such as Lean, Cost of Quality, Voice of Customer, etc. strongly recommended. • Must have strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop team members. • Must be able to work from broad general guidelines and objectives with minimal supervision and direction. • Outstanding creativeness, initiative and judgment plus an excellent understanding of a wide range of quality principles. • Experience with quality management of metal fabrication/forging processes, machining processes, heat treat, and injection molding processes strongly preferred. Skills and Knowledge: • Computer proficiency is required. • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. • Strong communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams. • Familiarity with regulatory requirements and industry standards for Hand Tool Products. • Familiarity or background in Statistical Process Control, Root Cause Analysis and applied statistical software programs such as MiniTab will be beneficial. We provide these great perks and benefits: • Robust health, dental and vision insurance plans • Generous 401 (K) savings plan • Education assistance Milwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer.

Apply at Milwaukee Tool

More quality manager roles