Quality officer

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The quality representative - often also quality management representative (QMB for short) - is seen in organizations as an internal service provider and consultant for quality management . The position of a quality representative is not a managerial position in the strict sense, but a position assigned to management.

terminology

In the terminology of the international quality management standards according to DIN EN ISO 9000 ff., The term “representative of the top management” is used synonymously for the quality representative. The top management corresponds to the superiors, usually this is the management. There are no subordinate positions in the actual sense, unless there is a quality management department with an internal, hierarchical structure.

ISO 9001

Since the current revision of ISO 9001: 2015 came into force, the role of the quality officer is no longer explicitly required by the standard. This is to prevent the corresponding responsibility from being shifted from top management to a single person. However, the tasks of the QMB must continue to be fulfilled.

tasks

The tasks of a quality representative are mostly organization-related, less are employee-related tasks. The most important are:

Supervision of the quality management system

  • Introduction and further development of the quality management system in the organization
  • Planning, monitoring and correcting the quality management system

documentation

  • Coordination of the creation, monitoring and control of the quality management manual as well as the documents and records
  • collecting and evaluating information and data as part of quality controlling

Corporate management

  • Planning, initiation, coordination and evaluation of internal quality management projects including institution-related and / or cross-departmental working groups or quality circles
  • Advising the company management on the development of quality goals and policies
  • Regular reports to management on the status of development and the effectiveness of the quality management system including the transmission of quality-relevant data

Audit

  • Planning and implementation of internal audits
  • the preparation, follow-up and support for external audits

Employees & customers

  • Planning and implementation of training measures relating to quality management
  • Motivation and advice for employees in questions of quality management
  • the processing of customer complaints (if necessary in cooperation with other process owners, e.g. production management, laboratory management, etc.)

Competencies

The named QMB must have an active and passive right to information. In addition, all information necessary for the performance of his tasks must be made available to him. The quality manager should continue to have skills in the following areas:

Technical

  • Legal knowledge also to avoid liability
  • Quality cost
  • Conformity assessment in the legally regulated / non-regulated area
  • Quality orientation
  • Implementation of QM projects in the PDCA cycle

Social

  • Leadership skills
  • Mediator, moderator, motivator
  • Interface between management and employees
  • Central contact for quality management

further education

The training to become a quality officer is regulated by the internal regulations of the training providers. Depending on the provider, the duration of the training, which is part-time, block or distance learning, varies. As the umbrella organization of national quality societies, the European Organization for Quality (EOQ) has developed harmonized training and certification concepts for quality and management specialists in Europe. However, there is no obligation to adhere to the education and certification concepts.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ ISO 9000: 2015. In: iso.org. International Organization for Standardization, accessed April 17, 2020 .
  2. ↑ ISO 9001: 2015. In: iso.org. International Organization for Standardization, accessed April 17, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Tasks of a QMB according to ISO 9001: 2015. VOREST AG, accessed on April 17, 2020 .
  4. ↑ Tasks and definition of quality management officer. In: Qualitätmanagement.me. Retrieved April 17, 2020 (German).