Manufacturing Quality Auditor

Who We Are:
Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:

The primary responsibility of a Quality Auditor is to plan, conduct, and report on product, process, and second-party audits.

What You'll Do:

• Perform document review in preparation for and during audits.

• Support corporate internal audit leadership in definition of audit criteria and scope of audits.

• Prepare and communicate audit agenda.

• Lead and execute internal audits, collecting and verifying objective evidence.

• Determine and record audit findings, including conformities and non-conformities (i.e. separate findings or combined findings into one finding)

• Conduct audit closing meeting to report and communicate audit findings and non-conformities to plant management.

• Prepare and distribute final audit reports to auditees and upper management.

• Mentor and coach personnel in quality system requirements as required.

• Support manufacturing locations throughout external audits as needed (includes planning through problem solving phases).

• Monitor and report plant level audits including but not limited to layered process audits and product audits.

• Provide administrative support for manufacturing locations in submission of external audit finding responses.

• Other duties as assigned.

When and Where:

This will be a 1st shift M-F position located at our Plant 7 office in Kansas City, MO.

Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need to Have:

• Education & Experience:

• High school diploma or GED required; bachelor’s degree preferred.

• Minimum of three years quality experience involved with the maintenance of quality management systems and internal or external auditing.

• Previous experience in the automotive industry preferred.

• IATF 16949 Lead Auditor Certificate preferred

• Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• Core tools knowledge preferred

• Understanding of risk-based thinking

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, MS Project).

• Experience with MRP/ERP systems (Plex is a strong plus).

• Soft Skills & Work Ethic;

• Ability to effectively manage time and work with a sense of urgency.

• Strong problem solving, conflict resolution, and collaboration skills.

• High standards of performance, accountability, honesty, and integrity.

• Adaptability to change and a team-oriented mindset.

• Willingness to travel at least 25%.

What We Offer:
We’re excited to offer a range of awesome benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions, Flexible Spending Accounts, company-paid Short-Term Disability and Basic Life Insurance, Voluntary Life and Long-Term Disability options, an Employer 401k Match, ESOP shares, tuition reimbursement, a Referral Bonus Program, Challenge Incentive Program, and paid time off.

Please note, while these benefits are part of what we offer, they may not all apply to this specific role. The details shared in this job description are intended to give you a general idea, but duties and responsibilities may evolve over time, with or without notice. And of course, we’re happy to provide reasonable accommodations to help individuals with disabilities succeed in their role.