Product Quality Manager

Job title: Product Quality Manager

Reports to: New Product Development Manager

Location: Head Office, 363 Leach Place, Walton Summit, Bamber Bridge, PR5 8AS

Salary: Dependent on experience 

What we’re looking for

Working alongside the NPD Manager, Head of Product and the Product Team, the Product Quality Manager will be key to quality control and assurance activity across the business. The post-holder will set product quality standards, oversee quality control and investigate product issues to enable continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will be pivotal in ensuring that all Ribble products exceed both internal and external industry standards, as well as the exceptionally high expectations of our customers.

A positive person with an eye for detail, you will be capable of communicating technical information to different people within our business as well as with to our global supply chain. 

It is essential that you not only identify with, but demonstrate our core values in every element of your work: ‘we care, we innovate, we achieve, as one’.

Key areas of responsibility

• Technically very capable, with an eye for detail and demonstrating high levels of accuracy in your work, you will be focused on making sure that our product execution is always aligned with the product specification.  
• Your responsibility will span across all our products; this will include our high performance, market leading Ribble branded bikes through to third-party component brands such as Shimano, Mavic, Zipp and Continental as well as our own-label components.
• Close supplier and manufacturing partner relationships will be vital in the execution of our Quality Assurance processes, which will call upon your communication, and negotiation skills. This will include ownership and management of our 3rd party supplier inspection process for own brand product shipments.
• You will collaborate with the rest of the Product team in defining the required standards for new products, as part of the product development process. This may include creating supplier product quality specifications and communicating these with our supply chain, as well as monitoring these throughout the development process ahead of launch.
• You will continue to develop and implement the processes and standards already initiated within the business, as well as communicating and remedying issues and ensuring “best practice” for these processes and standards.
• You will support colleagues across the business, including Product, Goods In and Operations, to inspect and approve batches of products received into the business; you will also support during the approval of borderline cases against our aesthetic standards.
• You will be responsible for reporting product quality feedback to suppliers within agreed timescales following Goods receipt and inspection and supporting the NPD Manager in the negotiation of credits or replacements when product does not meet our standards. 
• For After Sales product returns, you will support the Returns team to establish suitability for warranty claims. Reporting such claims to the supplier is your responsibility, whilst supporting the NPD Manager in the negotiation of credits or replacements.
• Alongside the NPD Manager, Head of Product and Product Team Mechanic, you will be responsible for investigating product quality issues reported by Operations, Customer Service and Retail to identify root cause and implement corrective action plans (CAPs). You will chair the Weekly Product QC meeting to feedback on issues under investigation and share progress and updates on existing issues. 
• You will actively contribute to the Monthly Product QC Board with the key stakeholders across Ribble including the Executive Team. The QC Board review all live Product QC CAPs to ensure progress is on-track and discuss any ‘near miss’ situations.
• Your responsibilities will also include cascading information about updates to implemented standards and product ‘issues’ throughout the business so that all teams are briefed for any action required.

Essential skills and experience 

• Strong technical knowledge of bicycles, bicycle components and related products.
• Aptitude for technical specifications, attention to detail and high level of accuracy.
• Management of standards and process within a business environment.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and standards.
• Ability to work efficiently independently and as part of a team.
• Proven ability to influence and communicate effectively at all levels within an organisation.
• Strong decision-making abilities; able to make an appropriate decision when required.
• Tenacious and passionate about delivering world-class products to our customers.

Desirable skills and experience 

• Far East supplier experience.
• In-depth technical knowledge of specific branded products, such as Shimano, SRAM and Mavic.
• Bicycle assembly experience, ideally within a fast-paced commercial environment.
• Customer service experience would be desirable, but not necessary.
• Technical qualifications in Engineering, Product Design or comparable real-world experience.
• Experience of defining and administering Quality Control checks and processes within a similar assembly/manufacturing-led environment.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays 
• 40% colleague discount
• 10% Friends & Family discount
• Cycle to work scheme
• Pension scheme 
• Company sick pay
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Free on-site parking
• Free hot drinks, snacks and fresh fruit
• YOLO Wellbeing (physical and mental wellness programme) 
• Access to ‘Unmind’ mental health and wellbeing platform for you and your chosen plus one

About us

Buying a bike is something very special, whatever your budget. It is as much of a head purchase as it is a matter for the heart. Every detail from the frame design to gear ratios to wheel choice to colour will be researched.

The Ribble brand is underpinned by our true passion for cycling, our dedication to product innovation and a progressive, digitally-focused multi-channel customer experience. Through our UK-based R&D, design and manufacturing facility, we give our customers a world-class product range specific to their cycling needs. Our custom-built bikes are all hand-assembled by specialist mechanics at our HQ in Preston and are sold all over the world.

Award-winning products have always been at the heart of our brand, so we continue to invest heavily in new product development. We are also continuing to invest in our customer journey, both from a digital and physical perspective, with our team constantly evolving and strengthening the proposition. 

We’re extremely excited about the increased enthusiasm for cycling and look forward to taking the Ribble brand into the future with our exciting long-term growth strategy. 

We have created a world-class team of authentic, innovative, passionate and tenacious professionals who put our customers at the heart of everything they do. Now is the perfect time to get on board and play a crucial role in the delivery of what is set to be a truly exciting future for us.

Interested? Please send your CV and any relevant supporting information to jobs@ribblecycles.co.uk 

Please note, the closing date for this role is 24th November 2023.

All personal details submitted to us will be treated with the strictest of confidence.

Equal Opportunities

We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we’ll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and their passion for creating better outcomes, and we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues. During the application process, you’ll be asked to share your personal characteristics and data with us. This helps us understand our audience so we can make sure we are doing everything we can to attract a diverse range of people and ensure our recruitment processes are fair and inclusive.