How to hire a quality systems manager

How to hire a quality systems manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step quality systems manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a quality systems manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new quality systems manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a quality systems manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The quality systems manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A quality systems manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, quality systems managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of quality systems manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Quality Systems Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Quality Systems Manager	Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan, and direct the activities used to create a wide range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment, or paper products.	$34-69
   Vice-President Of Quality	A vice president of quality is responsible for monitoring the quality performance and delivery of the company outputs and deliverables to serve customers and clients. Vice presidents of quality analyze the production and operational processes to ensure that everything adheres to the internal guidelines and regulations... Show more	$43-86
   Director Of Quality	In the manufacturing industry, a director of quality is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing the daily operations in a quality assurance department. They work to ensure that products adhere to the company's quality standards and industry regulations by conducting research and assessments, developing quality test systems, and reviewing reports... Show more	$47-87

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Continuous Improvement
   • Quality Management System
   • FDA
   • CAPA
   • Medical Devices
   • Corrective Action
   • GMP
   • Project Management
   • Quality Standards
   • Sigma
   • Product Quality
   • Process Improvement
   • Management Review
   • Food Safety

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead Kaizen event to improve receiving inspection area for better product flow.
   • Develop stability protocols and manage stability studies for drug and device products using FDA guidelines.
   • Perform supplier audits, GMP company audits, project management, and annual drug reviews.
   • Coordinate the relaunch of the HACCP program.
   • Provide guidance and oversight on quality assurance and quality control issues.
   • Implement hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) program for risk management.

   More quality systems manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your quality systems manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A quality systems manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a quality systems manager in Tennessee may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level quality systems manager usually earns less than a senior-level quality systems manager. Additionally, a quality systems manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average quality systems manager salary

   $102,625yearly

   $49.34 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level quality systems manager salary

   $72,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average quality systems manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$173,714	$84
   2	Arizona	$123,614	$59
   3	Massachusetts	$123,063	$59
   4	Ohio	$117,291	$56
   5	New Jersey	$112,963	$54
   6	Texas	$112,266	$54
   7	Pennsylvania	$108,204	$52
   8	Michigan	$101,987	$49
   9	Minnesota	$91,214	$44
   10	Illinois	$87,088	$42
   11	Indiana	$85,954	$41
   12	Colorado	$80,991	$39
   13	Georgia	$80,351	$39

   Average quality systems manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$170,132	$81.79	227
   2	Supermicro	$132,473	$63.69	24
   3	Cordis	$131,930	$63.43	7
   4	AbbVie	$131,767	$63.35	46
   5	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$131,066	$63.01	136
   6	Eli Lilly and Company	$130,025	$62.51	63
   7	Pacira BioSciences	$129,407	$62.21
   8	Zoetis	$126,457	$60.80	21
   9	Bechtel Corporation	$126,128	$60.64	22
   10	Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.	$123,210	$59.24	23
   11	Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.	$122,926	$59.10
   12	BD	$122,747	$59.01	16
   13	Experis US Inc	$120,429	$57.90
   14	Nephron Pharmaceuticals	$119,971	$57.68	4
   15	Daiichi Sankyo	$119,939	$57.66
   16	Abbott	$118,432	$56.94	91
   17	Battelle	$118,423	$56.93	21
   18	Magic Leap	$117,985	$56.72	1
   19	Philips	$115,794	$55.67	10
   20	Stryker	$115,726	$55.64	36

4. Writing a quality systems manager job description

   A quality systems manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a quality systems manager job description:

   Quality systems manager job description example

   Terumo Medical Corporation (TMC) develops, manufactures, and markets a complete, solutions-based portfolio of high-quality medical devices used in a broad range of applications for numerous areas of the healthcare industry. TMC places a premium on providing customers with world-class products, training and education programs that drive clear economic value, better clinical outcomes and improved quality of life for patients. TMC is part of Tokyo-based Terumo Corporation; one of the world's leading medical device manufacturers with $5+ billion in sales, 20,000+ employees worldwide and operations in more than 160 nations. Terumo Medical Corporation is comprised of two strategic business divisions: Terumo Interventional Systems and Terumo Medical Products.
   
   The Manager, Quality Systems & Compliance responsible for ensuring the Elkton manufacturing site quality system is running efficiently and effectively. The position will work with Corporate Quality and other key internal business/technical stakeholders to improve the TMC's electronic quality management system. This position will have responsibility for a team of associates as direct reports.
   
   The Manager, Quality Systems & Compliance responsible for ensuring the Elkton manufacturing site quality system is running efficiently and effectively. The position will work with Corporate Quality and other key internal business/technical stakeholders to improve the TMC's electronic quality management system. This position will have responsibility for a team of associates as direct reports.
   Job Details:
   
   1. Manage and develop a team of Quality Systems professionals. Establish a high-performing team to drive the organizational goals & objectives and instill quality culture.
   Develop, support, maintain, and continuously improve the TMC Elkton Quality system in accordance with applicable regulations for a global medical device corporation. Manage the efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance of the quality system to support the Elkton Manufacturing and Quality operations. Align the quality system to corporate quality system. Support corporate quality system improvement projects. Utilize process improvement and problem-solving methodologies to continuously improve the quality system.
   3. Drive the operation of core quality system processes including CAPA, nonconformance, deviations, change management, and training with process ownership as laid out procedurally Ensure processes are compliant and records are high quality. Track & trend processes to monitor quality system performance. Establish and maintain governance boards to approve records and monitor system performance.
   4. Conduct internal audits to assess compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
   5. Lead third party/regulatory audits (Customer, Notified Body, FDA). Generate responses to observations in a clear and wholistic manner. Share recent audit observations from other entities for lessons learned.
   6. Conduct management review with site leadership on a defined frequency. Ensure management is aware of current quality system performance, trends in products/processes, and changes that could impact our quality system.
   7. Support the development of a proactive and preventive quality systems culture throughout the business.
   8. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
   Knowledge, Skills, AbilitiesQuality and business process knowledge:Experience with FDA, ISO 13485, EU MDR, and multi-country Quality Systems requirements.Ability to navigate implementing products and processes in an efficient and compliant manner. Ability to use process development tools (ex. Lean Six Sigma) Ability to apply a practical level of statistics. Ability to develop and maintain spreadsheets, pivot tables, metrics, statistical applications, charts/graphs, and user-friendly reports Leadership skills:Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact with all levels of the organization including management Strong interpersonal skills to provide coaching, training, and direction Ability to provide clear direction and mentor personnel. Individual skills required:Strong proofreading and writing skills, as well as exemplary attention to detail Strong organizational and prioritization skills Strong decision-making including the ability to rapidly understand complex changes and pace work completion to the needs of the company.Demonstrated initiative and ability to work independently while handling multiple tasks Strong computer knowledge (MS Office) Demonstrated ability to work effectively with cross- functional teams for problem-solving, product and process improvement is required.
   Background, ExperienceB.S. degree or equivalent in Scientific or Engineering discipline required.Minimum 8 years' overall experience with at least 5 years of related experience in medical devices/diagnostics, pharmaceutical or other regulated industry required with a focus on quality system responsibilities. Previous managerial experience preferred.
   It is Terumo's policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As a Company, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right quality systems manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with quality systems managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit quality systems managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your quality systems manager job on Zippia to find and recruit quality systems manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting quality systems managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new quality systems manager

   Once you've found the quality systems manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new quality systems manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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