These are the key qualities to look for in a Supplier Quality Manager:

1. Passion.When a person has passion, they have an internal drive to excel. They have a clear understanding of what the job demands and they are excited about their tasks. They require less management and they are easier to motivate in difficult situations. To ascertain whether or not an applicant truly possesses a passion for Supplier Quality Management, a few simple questions can be asked, such as: “Why do you want this job?”, “What challenges are you expecting to encounter if you were to be given the job?”, or “Describe the work life of a Supplier Quality Manager.”

2. Desire to Learn. The eternal student will be able to learn from any mistakes that have been made. This kind of person will continuously strive to improve and grow in their chosen career path. To evaluate this quality, have the applicant cite a specific memory wherein he/she made a work-related mistake but was able to grow from the experience. The questions related to this subject can be the most difficult to answer.  Acing questions like “What do you consider to be your greatest weakness?” requires a balance of being honest and demonstrating the ability to improve and work around obstacles.

3. Sincere interest. The applicants may all be passionate about their chosen career paths, but how do you determine which one is looking forward to pursuing that passion at your company? Ask the applicants what they know about your company and why they chose to apply there. If they are serious about seeing themselves growing their career at your company, then they will have done their research and they should be able to provide valid reasons for their choice.

4. Relevant Knowledge. To assess the applicants’ knowledge, ask them how they would measure supplier quality and how it should be properly managed. The applicants should be familiar with the basics, including different metrics, such as the cost of quality and overall equipment effectiveness. How would the applicants evaluate risk? Are they aware of the latest industry-set policies that are required to be implemented?

These are the top qualities that you should be looking for in your Supplier Quality Manager. Find out whether there are any other characteristics that you should be looking into, and double-check to make sure that you haven’t missed anything. Look over your company’s values; there’s a reason your company chose to develop those values as a top priority. If you feel that your work environment is motivating, maintain that atmosphere by hiring people who will add value to it. Find out what kind of environment the applicant experienced in their previous workplace, and determine whether or not it was similar to that of your company.

Having the best supplier quality manager is not just about finding the right person and hiring him/her; it is also about keeping the person at your company. To accomplish this, consult your Human Resources (HR) Department and find out the most common reasons that people have given for leaving the company. Be cautious with applicants who could potentially disrupt team dynamics and create hostility. Some may interpret professionalism as refusing to allow personal relationships to interfere with work, but there have been many studies indicating that relationships among coworkers strongly influence a person’s length of stay at a company. The more positive the relationships are, the longer the employee tends to stay. In addition, the quality of the relationships affects the quality of the work. Negative interactions negatively affect output; one individual’s poor performance can impact the performance of others and, ultimately, the performance of the firm.