JOB DESCRIPTION
MANAGER – QUALITY ASSURANCE Leather and Non-Leather Goods Department: Quality Assurance

Experience:
6–8 years in the leather goods industry, preferably with experience supervising quality teams and handling international buyers. Role Purpose Lead the quality assurance function across product development, sampling, production and final dispatch, ensuring that leather and non-leather products meet buyer specifications, approved quality standards and testing requirements. Manage the QC team, coordinate with merchandising and production, and communicate directly with buyers on quality-related matters.

Key Responsibilities
1. Quality Planning and Management
- Establish and implement quality assurance procedures across manufacturing units and subcontractors.
- Translate buyer requirements, technical specifications and quality manuals into clear inspection guidelines for production and QC teams.
- Review open orders and factory-wise work-in-progress to plan inspections, testing and team deployment.
- Conduct product risk assessments before production and define preventive actions for potential quality issues.
- Monitor quality performance, identify recurring defects and drive continuous improvement. 2. Product Development and Sampling
- Review current collections with merchandisers to understand buyer expectations, construction requirements and material suitability.
- Evaluate first prototypes with merchandisers and pattern masters, focusing on construction, functionality, workmanship and leather selection.
- Review Salesman Samples (SMS), identify improvements and ensure corrective actions are incorporated into subsequent samples.
- Assess pre-production samples for materials, leather selection, backing, reinforcement, fittings, dimensions and overall construction.
- Ensure samples submitted for buyer approval meet the required specifications and quality standards. 3. Pre-Production Readiness
- Review approved pre-production samples and final buyer comments, ensuring all required changes are correctly implemented.
- Coordinate with merchandising, pattern masters and production teams to resolve technical issues before bulk production.
- Lead pre-production meetings with production personnel and inline QC teams.
- Ensure buyer-specific MRS documentation, MSS cards, approved reference samples and quality instructions are prepared, tagged and handed over to production.
- Verify material approvals in coordination with merchandising and relevant departments.
- Communicate packing,



labelling and carton requirements to production and warehouse teams. 4. Production Quality Control
- Supervise inline QC personnel and conduct regular factory visits to verify compliance with approved samples and specifications.
- Review initial production output, inline inspections and corrective actions.
- Ensure defective or non-conforming materials and products are identified, segregated and corrected before further processing.
- Investigate quality failures, establish root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions.
- Escalate significant quality risks promptly and recommend holding production or dispatch where requirements are not met. 5. Buyer Communication and Complaint Resolution
- Act as the principal contact for buyer communication on quality-related issues, in coordination with merchandising.
- Clarify buyer quality standards, inspection criteria, testing protocols and sample comments.
- Communicate quality concerns promptly, supported by inspection findings, photographs and proposed corrective actions.
- Coordinate buyer inspections, quality reviews and follow-up actions.
- Investigate buyer complaints, rejections and claims; submit root-cause analyses and corrective action reports within agreed timelines.
- Obtain and document buyer approval for any proposed deviation before implementation or dispatch. 6. Testing and Compliance
- Maintain current buyer testing manuals and ensure applicable testing requirements are followed.
- Coordinate timely external testing of bulk leather and other materials with procurement and approved laboratories.
- Oversee in-house testing of leather, lining, fittings and finished products.
- Ensure jerk tests and other strength, durability and performance tests are conducted as required.
- Review test reports, maintain records and ensure failures are resolved before production or dispatch. 7. Final Inspection and Packing
- Oversee final inspections against buyer requirements and applicable acceptance criteria.
- Conduct periodic warehouse checks and verify packing, labelling, quantities and carton markings.




- Open and inspect packed cartons according to buyer requirements and the inspection plan.
- Confirm closure of inspection findings before recommending shipment release. 8. Quality Data Analysis and Decision-Making
- Collect, consolidate and analyse quality data from incoming materials, sampling, inline inspections, final inspections, testing and buyer complaints.
- Track key indicators, including defect rates, rework, rejection levels, inspection pass rates and quality performance by factory, product and supplier.
- Identify recurring defects, trends and root causes, and prioritise corrective and preventive actions based on their frequency, severity and business impact.
- Use quality data to make informed decisions on inspection frequency, material acceptance, process improvements, QC deployment and production or dispatch holds.
- Review the effectiveness of corrective actions through measurable results and revise controls where improvements are insufficient.
- Present quality dashboards and recommendations to management, merchandising and production teams to support timely decisions and continuous improvement. 9. Team Leadership and Reporting
- Train, guide and evaluate QC personnel across manufacturing units.
- Allocate responsibilities and ensure consistent inspection practices.
- Maintain quality reports, testing records and corrective action trackers.
- Report quality performance, rejection trends and unresolved risks to management. Qualifications and Core Competencies
- Relevant qualification in leather technology, quality management, manufacturing or a related discipline preferred.
- Strong technical knowledge of leather and non-leather bags, materials, construction and manufacturing processes.
- Experience in buyer communication, quality inspections, testing and complaint resolution.
- Strong leadership, analytical, problem-solving and presentation skills.
- Ability to coordinate across departments, manage priorities and make timely quality decisions. Key Performance Indicators
- Buyer inspection pass rate.
- Reduction in defects, rework and quality-related rejections.
- Timely completion of inspections and testing.
- Timely resolution of buyer complaints and corrective actions.
- Consistent compliance with approved samples and buyer requirements. Pay: ₹30,000.00
- ₹50,000.00 per month

Benefits:
- Provident Fund Application Question(s):
- How many years of experience do you have as QA manager in the leather industry?
- What is your current location? Work

Location:
In person

📌 Quality Assurance Manager (Kolkata)
🏢 Kaliper Technologies
📍 Kolkata