Quality manager
Quality managers are employed by an organisation to ensure that the product or service they provide meets all internal and external requirements.
About the job
What it's like
If you’re committed to improving business performance and meticulous about meeting standards and requirements, a career as a quality manager could be for you.
Whenever you buy something, whether it be food, a product or a service, you want to know it’s safe and fit for purpose. Quality managers are employed by an organisation to ensure that the product or service they provide meets all internal and external requirements.
What you’ll do
Make sure the product or service is fit for purpose
Develop quality procedures and standards
Make sure customer needs are met
Make sure any processes meet required standards
Find ways to reduce waste and increase efficiency
Gather data on performance and produce statistical reports
Measure performance and identify and put into practice any improvements needed
Train and manage staff
Hours
Working hours can vary depending on the sector. Normal full-time hours will be Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm but some sectors may require shift work.
Environment
You could be office based but may also work elsewhere like a factory or laboratory, depending on your employer and the sector.
Travel
Some travel may be involved to visit customers, carry out audits or investigate issues.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Life sciences Food and drink Financial and professional services Engineering and manufacturing
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- quality management
- quality management systems
- iso 9000 series
- quality strategy
- continuous quality improvement (cqi)
- project assurance
- risk audit
- iso/iec standards
- supply chain network
- mass balance
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- mentoring
- time management
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- researching
- problem solving
- written communication
- verbal communication
- building relationships
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Business
Business in Practice
Business Management
Engineering Science
Maths (Mathematics)
Physics
Foundation Apprenticeship: Engineering
Foundation Apprenticeship: Food and Drink Technologies
Applications of Mathematics
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you’ll need.
There are various paths you can take to get into this job. Use our qualification route map to see what options you have.
Many quality managers have work experience in areas such as project management, engineering or health and safety, demonstrating their understanding of how organisations operate.
If you don't have this experience it may be worth taking a relevant qualification to show that you have an understanding of the area.
Although there is generally no specific degree required, a degree in a relevant area, such as business management, would be useful, especially if it included quality management modules.
As quality managers work in various industries, certain sectors may require industry-specific qualifications so HND’s/degrees in the following subjects could be useful, depending on your chosen industry:
engineering and manufacturing
food science and technology
science technology
textile technology
production
materials science
printing and clothing technology
In addition, it may be worth considering a Master’s course – these are available generally in quality management, as well as in specific areas such as food quality management.
A Master's qualification is aimed at those wanting to further their knowledge in a specific area and are seeking to improve their career prospects. They shouldn't be confused with the Scottish Master of Arts (MA), which is an undergraduate degree awarded by certain universities.
While not all employers list specific qualification requirements they do ask for relevant experience, usually work based, that demonstrates a range of transferable skills.
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