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What is a senior quality assurance manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

Senior quality assurance managers ensure that both external and internal specifications are fulfilled before the product reaches consumers. They may be responsible for inspecting processes and outputs and finding defects or non-compliance problems. An outstanding senior quality assurance manager has a hawk-like vision and a solid background in quality management.

Daily, senior quality managers establish protocols for inspecting and monitoring quality problems. They are responsible for ensuring the efficiency and quality of production by monitoring processes and final performance. They also facilitate constructive responses by obtaining and reviewing quality data.

The perfect candidate is a reputable and knowledgeable professional whose acceptance is important for the continuity of the company life cycle. Most employers look for applicants with a bachelor's degree in business administration or a relevant field and proven experience as a quality assurance manager or relevant role. Applicants in this role need to have excellent numerical skills and experience in statistical data methods.

ScoreSenior Quality Assurance ManagerUS Average
Salary
8.4

Avg. Salary $131,065

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.1

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 11.99%

Black or African American 6.24%

Hispanic or Latino 8.82%

Unknown 4.70%

White 67.73%

Gender

female 34.27%

male 65.73%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
5.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Senior quality assurance manager career paths

Key steps to become a senior quality assurance manager

  1. Explore senior quality assurance manager education requirements

    Most common senior quality assurance manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.0 %

    Master's

    17.8 %

    Associate

    10.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior quality assurance manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Continuous Improvement6.44%
    GMP6.14%
    Quality System5.96%
    FDA5.16%
    Management System4.34%
  3. Complete relevant senior quality assurance manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior quality assurance managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior quality assurance manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior quality assurance manager resumes.
  4. Research senior quality assurance manager duties and responsibilities

    • Manage a team of SQA specialists (employees and contractors) in the performance of SQA relate activities.
    • Manage the compliance and standardization of GMP programs and procedures across multiple sites, improving harmonization, compliance and efficiency.
    • Manage integration of newly acquisition medical device and API recently acquire.
    • Develop and manage metrics and reporting for QA activity to better align to executive communication needs.
  5. Get senior quality assurance manager experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior quality assurance manager. The most common roles before becoming a senior quality assurance manager include quality assurance manager, quality assurance lead team lead and quality assurance engineer.
  6. Prepare your senior quality assurance manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior quality assurance manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior quality assurance manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior quality assurance manager resume templates

    Build a professional senior quality assurance manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior quality assurance manager resume.
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
    Senior Quality Assurance Manager Resume
  7. Apply for senior quality assurance manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior quality assurance manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first senior quality assurance manager job

Zippi

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Average senior quality assurance manager salary

The average senior quality assurance manager salary in the United States is $131,065 per year or $63 per hour. Senior quality assurance manager salaries range between $95,000 and $179,000 per year.

Average senior quality assurance manager salary
$131,065 Yearly
$63.01 hourly

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How do senior quality assurance managers rate their job?

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Senior quality assurance manager reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Planning and ensuring project success by implementing QA standards

Cons

administrative tasks - lack of basic QA tools such as MS Project for scheduling


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Pros

New field to work with compassion.

Cons

Low pay structure as compared to the efforts put in.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Quality compliance, Concurrent documentation, Good Laboratory practice

Cons

Misconduct, Manipulation


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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