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Across sectors and industries, quality control (QC) managers help companies maintain consistent product quality, reduce defects and potentially boost business profitability. Find out more about the day-to-day activities of these professionals, as well as the skills and education they need.

Quality control managers supervise procedures that ensure products or services meet established standards. They typically lead a team responsible for inspecting outputs and verifying compliance with company regulations while also recommending how to prevent such irregularities in the first place. Some industries call them quality control systems managers.

Day-to-day responsibilities of a quality control manager can include:

• Developing and directing programs and procedures to maintain high standards across production lines
• Supervising other team members, assigning tasks and providing training to ensure consistent execution of quality processes
• Conducting inspections, tests and audits of products, materials and various operations to detect flaws or inconsistencies with the ideal output
• Collaborating with other departments to define product expectations and improve quality management
• Creating reports of their findings, implemented actions and further recommendations to present to stakeholders

QC managers operate across a variety of industries. In fact, their role could be leveraged in almost any company providing a product or service.

Manufacturing counts the highest number of these professionals. However, companies and agencies in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, energy, wholesale trade and other technical services also employ them.

QC managers should be equipped with a mix of soft and technical skills. The term “soft skills” refers to interpersonal abilities needed across different fields. Below are a few that can be helpful in this career:

Attention to detail is arguably the most important trait for a quality control manager role. When the smallest inaccuracy can cause product recalls, safety concerns, regulatory violations or reputational harm, precision is imperative.

Effective communication, both written and oral, is also paramount. Whether they adapt their communication style to convey clear instructions or feedback to their team or prepare detailed reports of their findings, QC managers must be able to clearly express complex information.

Problem-solving, critical thinking and decision-making allow these workers to identify the best course of action to solve challenges. This could mean carrying out an investigation to trace the origin of a defect or determining whether a product should be rejected or reworked.

By leveraging strategic leadership and time management, QC managers instruct, guide and motivate their teams to reach their goals within an established time frame. They decide what to prioritize based on business needs while setting clear expectations with their team.

Persuasion and negotiation are two other skills QC supervisors may need. For instance, as the leader of a team, a supervisor might have to persuade co-workers or other departments to adopt new processes or find compromises with stakeholders that balance team resources.

Flexibility should also be included in the list of essential soft skills for QC managers, as the very nature of the job means that operations might have to change until the final product matches the desired standards.

Besides interpersonal skills, these leaders also count on a variety of hard skills, some of which can be specific to their industry and company. These may include:

• QC analysis: Examining the quality of the deliverable according to the company’s specific standards
• Systems analysis and evaluation: Assessing what the ideal production process should be, how variables can affect it and what measures are needed to improve it
• Operations monitoring: Keeping track of output quality using specific measuring tools

To accomplish their tasks, QC managers also need to have strong technology skills and proficiency with platforms that include software for analysis, compliance, project management, resource planning and risk management.

QC managers tend to have an educational background, professional training and years of experience in the field.

A bachelor’s degree is typically the minimum qualification to work in QC as a team leader. Higher education should provide the knowledge of business, operations management and STEM essential for this line of work.

Coursework in math, statistics, data analysis, administration, management and process improvement can help build the foundation for tackling the daily tasks of quality management and evaluation.

College education can also help develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Finally, industry certificates and professional training are elective tools that can further prepare individuals for QC management.

To be considered for this leadership position, candidates generally need significant experience in the field and in their industry. They may enter the profession through an apprenticeship or on-the-job training for entry-level roles.

Some of the functions that might help pave the way to the job are QC technician, QC analyst and QC supervisor.

Hands-on experience is foundational for an aspiring quality control manager. Some examples of ways to cultivate leadership and people management skills are:

• Volunteering to take on supervising responsibilities of a small project
• Training junior staff
• Collaborating with other teams and understanding how each affects the business
• Learning to report findings or presentations to supervisors
• Providing constructive feedback to colleagues
• Observing senior leaders or asking for mentorship
• Advocating for specific process improvements

Investing in professional development can be beneficial to QC specialists, as new technologies emerge, industry standards evolve and best practices change.

Some companies organize internal training to help upskill their staff. However, being proactive is also key. Professional organizations and government agencies host industry-specific workshops, seminars and webinars on quality management and regulatory updates.

Conferences and trade shows enable workers to learn about new technologies, equipment and software directly from the companies that produce them.

Joining professional groups such as the can potentially help build a solid network that can be a source of new ideas, practical suggestions and knowledge sharing to improve the quality of one’s work.

QC managers can further grow to oversee multiple teams and even departments. They might specialize in production efficiency, logistics and process optimization. QC managers can also decide to work independently as consultants for one or multiple companies.