Manager, Quality Assurance & Manufacturing Excellence

WHO WE ARE

The FoundRae Collection is more than jewelry. The pieces are modern heirlooms, ones that allow the wearer to express something of themself to the world. The FoundRae collection is intended to become part of the wearer, a second skin, to be an expression of identity and personal values.

The collection is founded on a lexicon of archetypal, mythological and classical symbols with the intention of inspiring the wearer to take the wisdom passed down through generations and apply that to one’s own life. FoundRae is a reminder, one we wear against our hearts or on our hands, of our capacity for change and growth. When you wear one of these pieces, you are announcing to yourself and to the world that everything you want and everything you want to be is already inside you - all you have to do is claim it.

THE ROLE

The Manager, Quality Assurance, Quality Control & Manufacturing Excellence is responsible for ensuring that every FoundRae product consistently meets the brand's exceptional standards for craftsmanship, quality, durability, and finish.

The role is built around three distinct but closely connected functions:

• Quality Assurance (QA): Defines and maintains FoundRae's quality standards, systems, and processes.
• Quality Control (QC): Verifies that products consistently meet those standards through inspection, testing, reporting, and corrective action.
• Manufacturing Excellence (ME): Develops manufacturing capability, technical competency, and process improvements so that vendors can reliably produce to FoundRae standards.

Reporting directly to this role is the Quality Assurance Coordinator, with FoundRae's bench jewelers serving as dotted-line partners to support technical consistency, repairs, and craftsmanship.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Quality Assurance- Own the Standards

Quality Assurance is responsible for defining the standards for all FoundRae products.

• Lead the ongoing development, and continuous improvement of FoundRae's Quality Standards Manual.
• Establish and maintain product quality standards for all product categories across manufacturing partners and internal teams. .
• Develop quality requirements, workmanship standards, inspection criteria, and acceptance tolerances for all new product developed.
• Create scalable quality documentation, specifications, and operating procedures to support global manufacturing growth.
• Partner with Product Development, Design, Manufacturing, and Operations to ensure quality expectations are embedded throughout product development.
• Lead quality evaluations and testing for new product launches to ensure products meet aesthetic, functional, and durability requirements before production.
• Ensure quality standards remain aligned across internal teams, manufacturing partners, and third-party quality providers.
• Incorporate consultant feedback and technical learnings into quality documentation, standards, and operating procedures
• Manage and develop the Quality Assurance Coordinator, providing coaching, prioritization, and day-to-day leadership.
• Provide functional leadership to internal jewelers through a dotted-line reporting relationship, promoting consistency in repairs, finishing, and product evaluation.

Quality Control- Verify the Standards

Quality Control ensures the standards established by QA are consistently achieved.

• Oversee internal and third-party quality control inspection processes.
• Oversee third-party offshore quality control partners, ensuring alignment with FoundRae quality expectations and service levels.
• Partner directly with manufacturing partners to review inspection findings, communicate quality issues, and drive corrective actions.
• Monitor product quality performance through inspection data, defect analysis, and reporting.
• Analyze quality metrics, identify trends, and implement corrective and preventative actions that improve overall product performance
• Report quality performance, supplier performance, and recurring issues to leadership.
• Ensure consistent evaluation standards through calibration sessions with internal jewelers and QC partners.
• Support ongoing quality education and inspection training.
• Partner with Product Development to define product testing requirements, acceptance criteria, and performance standards for all new and existing products, ensuring alignment with FoundRae's quality expectations.
• Maintain current knowledge of applicable regulatory, material, safety, and compliance requirements, ensuring FoundRae's quality standards and testing protocols remain aligned with evolving industry regulations and best practices.

Manufacturing Excellence- Build Capability

Manufacturing Excellence ensures vendors possess the capability, processes, and technical expertise to consistently produce to FoundRae standards.

• Develop strong partnerships with domestic and international manufacturing partners.
• Drive manufacturing excellence initiatives that improve craftsmanship, consistency, efficiency, and product quality.
• Evaluate manufacturing capabilities and identify opportunities for technical improvement.
• Partner with vendors to strengthen production methods, finishing techniques, process controls, and workmanship.
• Lead root cause analysis of recurring manufacturing issues and drive sustainable process improvements.
• Ensure manufacturing partners have the skills, training, equipment, and technical understanding required to meet FoundRae quality expectations.
• Promote continuous improvement through vendor coaching, process reviews, and technical collaboration.
• Support manufacturing readiness for new product launches.
• Reduce defects through improved manufacturing processes rather than increased inspection.
• Foster a culture of craftsmanship, accountability, and continuous improvement across the manufacturing network.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Product Development, Design, and Operations to proactively identify opportunities for product and process improvements.

REQUIREMENTS

• 8–10 years of experience in Quality Assurance, Manufacturing Excellence, Product Quality, or Production within luxury jewelry or fine jewelry manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of jewelry manufacturing processes, materials, finishing techniques, and quality standards.
• Experience creating and implementing quality systems, standards, and documentation.
• Proven experience partnering directly with domestic and international manufacturing vendors.
• Experience overseeing third-party quality control operations or offshore quality partners.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify trends and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience leading or developing team members and influencing cross-functional partners.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across Design, Product Development, Manufacturing, Operations, and external partners.
• Bench jeweler experience is not required; however, a deep understanding of luxury jewelry craftsmanship and quality expectations is essential.
• Passion for craftsmanship, continuous improvement, and building scalable processes that support exceptional product quality.