Quality Assurance Leader - Root Cause, CI, and Audits (Manufacturing & Distribution)

Lead Quality Where Manufacturing Meets Movement

Help us protect the Ashley brand, reduce damage, and delight customers by running a best-in-class quality operation across receiving, manufacturing, and delivery.

Why This Role Matters

• Elevates product quality end-to-end—from inbound materials to final delivery.
• Builds a high-performing audit team and culture of continuous improvement.
• Turns data into decisive action that improves throughput and customer satisfaction.

What You’ll Do

• Investigate & Resolve: Troubleshoot product/material issues, run audits, perform root cause analysis, and recommend corrective actions.
• Communicate Fast: Escalate quality issues to production, warehouse, and engineering leaders; align on fixes.
• Monitor & Report: Build daily/weekly quality reports, track process variation, and spot product opportunities.
• Analyze Data: Capture repair data in shop and prep lanes; study defect patterns and returns to prevent recurrence.
• Collaborate: Partner with manufacturing/warehouse leadership to remove process friction and quality risks.
• Launch Excellence: Review new floor introductions to identify assembly, handling/storage, repair material, delivery, and product opportunities; design training when needed.
• Lead Audits: Train, schedule, and coach auditors; validate SOP adherence; refine audit protocols.
• Drive CI: Lead improvement projects; analyze service claims and replacement part requests for trends and root causes.
• Protect Delivery Experience: Flag repeat delivery failures and recommend removing affected products from the sales floor.
• Ensure Compliance & Safety: Enforce process compliance, escalate non-conformance, maintain equipment, and uphold PPE and safety standards.
• Grow People: Make or recommend hiring, development plans, promotions, corrective actions, terminations, and pay changes. Coach, mentor, conduct reviews, manage timekeeping/attendance, and run team communications.
• Optimize Resources: Balance equipment, facilities, staffing, methods, and materials; secure the right tools and supplies.

Must-Haves

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 3–5 years in QA/QC or a related function in manufacturing, distribution, or logistics.
• 2+ years leading teams or supervising.
• Proven root cause analysis and problem-solving capability.

Nice-to-Haves

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s in Quality Management, Business, Supply Chain, or related field.
• Experience in furniture, manufacturing, or warehouse environments.

Tools & Techniques

• Quality management systems and databases.
• Data analysis/reporting (Excel, Power BI, etc.).
• Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen methodologies.
• Quality control standards and inspection processes.
• Reading product specifications and applying quality standards.

How You Work

• Coach and mentor with clarity and empathy; present confidently to leadership.
• Collaborate across functions; resolve conflicts constructively.
• Think critically, decide with data, and sweat the details.
• Champion OSHA compliance, PPE, and warehouse safety protocols.

About Ashley

We’re the world’s largest home furnishings manufacturer, built on family values and a Growth Mindset. We tackle tough challenges, innovate relentlessly, and refuse to settle—so our customers always get an exceptional experience. That’s why Ashley Furniture is #1 in our industry.

Our Core Values

• Honesty & Integrity: Be candid, face facts, keep your word.
• Passion, Drive, Discipline: Bring energy, consistency, and focus to achieve goals.
• Continuous Improvement / Operational Excellence: Remove waste, understand the why, measure what matters, and exceed targets.
• Dirty Fingernail: Go to the gemba, stay curious, and use the 5 Whys.
• Growth Focused: Start with the customer, outpace competitors, and improve quality, cost, volume, profitability, and growth.

Learn more about our community work and environmental stewardship: Corporate Social Responsibility

Ready to lead quality end-to-end? Apply today and make your mark at Ashley.