Manager, Quality Assurance

Job Purpose 

Under the direct supervision of the Director, Planning & Research, the Manager, Quality Assurance is responsible to: 

• Deliver an effective, efficient, and proactive Quality Management System to enable business success. 
• Align QMS and operating elements to achieve the Agency’s strategy in practice. 
• Coordinate and manage ongoing system maintenance, implementation, and effectiveness of the operation of the Quality Management System within the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA). 
• Sustain and maintain Quality Management System in line with the required ISO 9001:2015, accreditation requirements and business requirements across the Agency through existing and new procedures.  
• Regulate, control, and improve the quality of all processes throughout the Agency. 
• Manage the audit program to ensure that all nonconformities raised against certification bodies during audits are effectively corrected and independently verified. 
• Embed a culture of continuous improvement throughout the JCA. 
• Lead the team to achieve quality management system targets for customers and business goals. 
• Raise overall organisational awareness of customer and regulatory requirements and their impact throughout the Agency. 

Key Responsibilities 

Technical/Professional Responsibilities 

• Contribute to creating and implementing best practice capacity planning vision, strategy, policies, processes, and procedures to aid and improve operational performance. 
• Contribute to new business initiatives and projects and review and communicate the impact on the Quality Management Systems (QMS). 
• Ensure that the Agencies Quality Management System conforms to the customer, internal, ISO 9001:2015, and regulatory/legal requirements. 
• Develop the Management Systems strategy and the management arrangements for key milestones, demonstrating solid progress against the plan. 
• Manage the activities and functions, analyses workload, determines priorities and monitors adherence to standards, regulations, and guidelines. 
• Maintain a comprehensive Quality Management Programme including policies, procedures, standards, and compliance inspections and serves as the primary quality control resource for problem identification, resolution, loss reporting and continuous improvement. 
• Interpret policy directives and reviews requests for ISO QMS implementation for adherence to government's policies and guidelines. 
• Oversee a specialised team engaged in ISO QMS training, document development, monitoring and quality assurance. 
• Provide technical direction, overall technical support, management, and oversight of ISO QMS implementation, including training, guidance, and methodologies. 
• Supervise data collection, completion and dissemination, analyses data to identify areas for improvement and recommends and monitors corrective and preventative initiatives. 
• Interact with internal and external stakeholders concerning problems or complaints to ensure effective corrective actions and feedback and identify quality improvement opportunities. 
• Lead research and planning activities on ISO QMS implementation trends, management and assessment issues and oversees the outcome of risk analysis and mitigation strategies, related reports, and technical documents. 
• Document key impacts and lessons emerging from research done. 
• Analyse current ISO QMS practices, programmes, and procedures to identify the need for modification in keeping with international practices and procedures. 
• Manage all external registration requirements to ensure they are met by liaising with external bodies on all matters relating to registration and maintaining and improving in line with business needs.  
• Implement all relevant procedures described in the Quality Management System (QMS). 
• Ensure that all in-house systems and procedures are updated, revised, and modified to meet the needs of external certification bodies. 
• Continue improves documentation design, review, and storage guidelines. 
• Update quality documentation and communicate lessons learned from quality concerns. 
• Ensure that all necessary systems and procedures are in place to satisfy all customer requirements and audits. 
• Oversee inspection (examination) of incoming materials, ensuring they meet requirements.  
• Manage the audit nonconformity database and provide detailed analysis of non-conformities. 
• Ensure corrective actions are undertaken to address non-conformities found. 
• Verify closure of non-conformities with Certification Bodies. 
• Ensure ongoing compliance with the QMS ISO 9001:2015. 
• Introduce new systems and procedures where appropriate. 
• Undertake, participate, and lead regular internal and process audits of QMS and support external audits. 
• Manage the monitoring, measurement, and review of internal processes, especially those that affect the quality of the organisation’s operations.  
• Convene workshops on ISO QMS issues and makes presentations and reports as required. 
• Coordinate the delivery of ISO QMS training sessions for the Agency. 
• Train the QMS team in all aspects of the quality system and application of procedures. 
• Hold quarterly audit performance meetings within the Agency and with Certification Bodies. 
• Develop, prepare, revise, and implement a plan for ISO Quality Management Systems certification or recertification of the Agency. 
• Undertake continuous training and development and keep up to date with industry knowledge, standards, regulations, laws, and issues to improve work quality and the Agency's service quality. 
• Ensure that best practices and established international standards and practices are currently utilised.  
• Produce written reports and make presentations. 
• Conduct risk assessments of processes and tasks in the section. 

Management Responsibilities 

• Manage contractors on-site to ensure they meet legal and Agency requirements. 
• Prepare and achieve budget and forecast for QMS.  
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure optimal performance. 
• Work collaboratively, negotiate and engage with key stakeholders to facilitate delivery and compliance with the quality strategy. 
• Investigate complaints and delays, identify conflicts in the implementation schedules or activities and recommend corrective action. 
• Liaise and communicate with other Divisions, Government Departments, entities and service providers. 
• Work as part of the Management team to share ideas and improve operations, recommending, supporting, and implementing continuous improvement activities and process and procedure improvements to optimise results and improve quality of delivery, in line with quality standards requirements delivery and line with Agency and customer requirements. 
• Communicate with personnel at all levels, internally and externally, to the Agency concerning Quality matters. 
• Monitor the implementation of QMS policies. 
• Work with other divisions and Branches within the organisation to identify process improvements and improve standards, efficiency, and profitability. 
• Report to top management on the performance of the QMS, including achievement of targets, operational progress, risks, issues, major setbacks, resource constraints and significant deviations from agreed objectives/targets/actions and identify any actions required. 
• Ensure that the section operates under any health, safety and environmental policies and procedures to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and visitors.  
• Determine appropriate follow-up action necessary to achieve compliance and ensure documentation preparation. 
• Plan and implement the activities of the QMS to agreed timescales. 
• Attend various meetings and action/communicate instructions. 
• Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports. 

Human Resources Responsibilities? 

• Provide day-to-day guidance and manage the section activities and operations.? 
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of direct reports, prepare performance appraisals, and recommend and indicate corrective actions where necessary to improve performance and attain established personal and organisational goals.? 
• Undertake human resource management-related functions, including staff selection, training, and discipline by the Agency’s policies and procedures,?? 
• Participate in the recruitment of staff for the section and recommends transfer, promotions, terminations, and leave according to established human resource policies and procedures.? 
• Provide leadership and guidance to direct reports through effective planning, delegation, communication, training, monitoring, and coaching.? 
• Ensure the welfare and development needs of skills in the unit are identified and addressed.? 
• Recommend disciplinary action where necessary in respect of direct reports.? 
• Convene regular staff meetings to discuss issues and matters/challenges that impact the Section’s performance to determine appropriate solutions, discuss the work of the unit and try to solve any problem that may surface and reviews the progress towards achieving the objectives. 
• Guide the staff of the Unit, in the interpretation of the policies and procedures to determine proper courses of action.? 
• Ensure that the staff is provided with the necessary tools and equipment to carry out their functions effectively and efficiently.? 
• Build and maintain strong relationships with all internal divisions.  
• Communicate KPIs from the strategic annual plan so that each employee is aware.  

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Administrative Responsibilities? ? 

• Ensure that all required processes, systems, and controls are in place within the Section to enable the achievement of its objectives effectively and efficiently and ensure the effective and efficient use of resources.? 
• Ensure that appropriate communication and knowledge management systems are in place within the Section and with other internal or external Units and Divisions/Branches to facilitate the sharing of relevant information in an accurate and timely manner.? 
• Ensure that the work of the Section is adequately documented to facilitate the development of operational manuals, outlining applicable policies and procedures for the operational activities, with the view to amalgamating them into a single Operations Handbook for Jamaica Customs.? 
• Establish and maintain a culture that fosters teamwork, employee empowerment and commitment to the Sections and organisations’ goals.? 
• Prepare reports and project documents as?required.???? 
• Develop, monitor, and coordinate budget preparation and monitoring and signs off on related requisitions for the Section/Branch.? 

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Customer Service Responsibilities? 

• Maintain customer service principles, standards, and measurements.? 
• Identify and incorporate the interests and needs of customers in business process design.??? 
• Ensure critical success factors are identified and meet expectations.?? 

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Other Responsibilities? 

• Perform all other duties and functions as may be required from time to time.?? 
• May be required to provide witness statements, attend court proceedings, and give evidence.? 
• Enforce Health & Safety Policies & Procedures and mitigate and minimizes workplace hazards.?? 

Required Competencies 

Core 

• Excellent leadership and people management skills. 
• Ability to lead direct and indirect teams, influence others, and work independently. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and customer service skills. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills. 
• Excellent time management, organisational and follow-up skills. 
• Strong detail orientation. 
• High level of integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and ethics 
• Strong judgment, problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills 
• Ability to manage multiple, high-priority assignments and meet firm deadlines. 
• Good team-building skills and the ability to interact effectively and professionally at all levels of the organisation (e.g. executives, managers, subject matter experts, peers, and support staff) 
• Good networking skills. 

  Technical 

• Solid understanding of the product development and management lifecycle. 
• Thorough Quality Management System Auditing experience and managing audit programmes. 
• Detailed understanding of ISO 9001:2015. 
• Sound knowledge of Customs Act and Regulations, Executive Agency Act and related legislation. 
• Sound knowledge of practices, procedures, and techniques involved in organisational assessment, planning, research, and decision-making. 
• Proficiency in computer applications (word processing, PowerPoint, Visio spreadsheet, intranet, and Internet). 

Minimum Required Education and Experience 

• Bachelor's degree in quality management, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related technical field. 
• Five (5) years of working experience in Quality Assurance/Quality Control with at least two (2) years in a supervisory/managerial role.  
• Supervisory Management Training/Experience 
• Auditing certification or demonstrated experience. 
• Project Management certification or demonstrated experience. 
• Quality Assurance & Control related Certification (CQA) or demonstrated experience. 
• Specialized training in ISO QMS, strategic planning and/or management. 

Special Conditions Associated with The Job 

• Work will be conducted in various offices equipped with standard office equipment and specialized software.  
• Involves working in a fast-paced environment with ongoing interactions with critical stakeholders. 
• Fair degree of travelling is required (>30%) periodically to represent JCA on matters locally and internationally. 
• Maybe required to visit vendor sites for audits, inspections etc.  
• Extended periods of sitting around a computer