Quality Manager

Position Description

Position Summary

The Quality Manager is responsible for developing, managing and standardizing quality across all business lines, including substation, overhead and underground transmission and distribution, industrial, and telecommunications. Reporting to the SVP, Safety & Quality, the Manager owns the company-wide quality management system (QMS), drives a culture of "do it right the first time” and ensures that work meets contract specifications, industry standards, and regulatory requirements across NRE’s national footprint.

Key Responsibilities:

Quality Management System

• Develop, implement, and maintain the enterprise QMS, including quality manuals, inspection and test plans (ITPs), procedures, checklists, and forms.
• Align the QMS with recognized standards (e.g., ISO 9001 principles) and customer/owner quality requirements on utility and industrial contracts.
• Establish and track quality metrics and KPIs (nonconformance rates, rework cost, first-time-yield, inspection pass rates) and report results to executive leadership.

Field Quality Execution

• Standardize QA/QC processes across all projects, offices, and business lines, ensuring consistent application in the field.
• Oversee inspection and testing activities for substation, transmission, distribution, and industrial work, including material receiving, in-process, and final inspections.
• Manage the nonconformance report (NCR) and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) process, driving root-cause analysis and closure.
• Support commissioning, punch-list, and turnover/closeout documentation to owner requirements.

Compliance and Standards

• Ensure work conforms to applicable codes and standards, including the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), NEC, IEEE, ANSI, and customer specifications.
• Coordinate with the safety organization on overlapping quality/safety requirements without diluting either function.
• Support compliance obligations tied to government contracts and related quality/traceability requirements.

Leadership and Continuous Improvement

• Build, lead, and develop the QA/QC organization; establish staffing plans as the company expands nationally.
• Deliver quality training and mentorship to field supervision, project managers, and craft workers.
• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives and lessons-learned programs to reduce rework and warranty exposure.
• Interface with customers, owners, engineers, and quality inspectors to resolve quality issues and support audits.

Vendor and Material Quality

• Establish supplier/subcontractor quality qualification and evaluation processes.
• Oversee material traceability, mill/test certifications, and calibration of inspection and test equipment.

Position Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, or a related field (equivalent experience considered).
• 10+ years of QA/QC experience in electrical, utility, power, or heavy industrial construction, with 5+ years in a leadership role.
• Deep knowledge of high-voltage construction methods and applicable codes/standards (NESC, NEC, IEEE, ANSI, OSHA interfaces).
• Demonstrated experience building and running a multi-project or enterprise QMS.
• Strong knowledge of inspection and test planning, NCR/CAPA processes, and closeout documentation.
• Ability to travel to project sites and regional offices as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certifications such as CWI, ASQ CQM/OE, CQE, CQA, or Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt).
• Experience with utility owner quality programs and government-contract quality requirements.
• Familiarity with substation, transmission, distribution, and industrial construction quality expectations.
• Experience standardizing quality across a geographically distributed, growing organization.

Competencies

• Systems thinking and process discipline
• Data-driven decision making
• Cross-functional leadership and influence
• Ownership mindset consistent with NRE's employee-owned (ESOP) culture
• Practical problem-solving style suited to a fast-paced, project-driven construction environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills
• Ability to build trust across all levels of the organization.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is required to sit at a desk and work on a computer for prolonged period of time.

Equal Opportunity Employer

It has been and will continue to be a fundamental policy of the Company not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or status as a veteran, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law, with respect to recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, and other terms and condition of employment.