Manager 3 of Quality & Mission Assurance

Company: Northrop Grumman
Location: Northridge
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time Description At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history. Northrop Grumman is currently seeking a Manager 3 of Quality & Mission Assurance (QMA) for the Advanced Weapons Business Unit (AWBU). This position will report directly to the Quality & Mission Assurance Director within the Weapon Systems Division with dotted line reporting to the Advanced Weapons BUVP. This leadership role will be responsible for defining and executing the Quality & Mission Assurance (QMA) strategy for the AWBU. This leader will champion safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance across all aerospace and defense products, systems, and services, ensuring mission success while driving affordability and continuous improvement. This position will be located in Northridge, CA. The position is responsible for the overall leadership of the AWBU Quality & Mission Assurance organization, including Mission Assurance, Program / Product Quality, Supplier Quality, Quality Management System Compliance, Software Quality, Non-Destructive Inspection, Risk Mitigation, Audits and Training. The QMA Leader will provide strategic leadership by: Setting the AWBU QMA vision and aligning it with corporate, program, and customer objectives. Advising AWBU executives on quality risk, mission assurance, product reliability, and operational excellence initiatives. Partnering with AWBU executives to champion a campaign to instill a culture of quality. Fostering a culture of integrity, compliance, and data driven improvement across engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain functions. Defining measurable goals, KPIs, and success criteria for all QMA suborganizations (Mission Assurance, Product Quality, Supplier Quality, Software Quality, NDI, Training). Building and mentoring a high performing QMA team; championing professional development, inclusion, and employee engagement. Interfacing with the BUVP, senior division directors, DCMA, OEM customers, and international defense partners; representing the BU in program reviews, technical interchange meetings, and customer quality councils. Influencing corporate-wide QMA initiatives and acting as a thought leader on quality strategy, emerging technologies, and innovative risk mitigation approaches. This role will also focus on execution and operations by: Owning the Quality Management System (QMS) – AS9100 and all customer?specific clauses. Ensuring audit readiness for DoD, DCMA, and third?party assessors; leading corrective?preventive?action (CAPA), RCCA, and quality?escape prevention programs. Deploying system?safety tools (FMEA/FMECA, FRACAS, risk?management frameworks) to guarantee flawless mission execution. Directing supplier quality strategy: DFARS/ITAR compliance, counterfeit part prevention, NADCAP controlled processes, risk assessments, audits, and source inspections. Leading APQP, Lean, Six Sigma, SPC, 5S, and digital quality system rollouts across product development and production. Creating dashboards, predictive analytics models, and cost of poor quality (COPQ) reports to drive defect reduction and reliability gains. Overseeing Continuous Improvement (CI) system: identifying risks, implementing root cause corrections, and tracking effectiveness. Supporting Return to Green, Failure Analysis, and corrective action activities; ensuring lessons learned are captured and disseminated. Managing the QMA budget, schedule, and performance standard compliance. Preparing and presenting QMA proposals, bill of estimate (BOE) inputs, and cost justifications for new programs and sustainment efforts. The ideal candidate will be an experienced leader, possessing demonstrated expertise in the core areas of strategy, process development, process analysis and performance management, operational excellence, risk management, and overall continuous improvement. Must have a proven track record of solving complex problems through systematic and objective evaluation of information resulting in effective communication, championing, and implementation of change with a diverse set of internal and external customers and suppliers. This role is required to be onsite at Northridge, CA. Ability to travel minimum 25%. Basic Qualifications: BA, BS or master’s degree in a STEM, Operations/Manufacturing, or Business field Bachelor’s Degree with 10 years management or leadership experience Master’s degree with 8 years management or leadership experience Recent experience with DoD contracts and requirements Hands-on expertise in Lean-Six Sigma, 5S, APQP and statistical process control Demonstrated ability to lead cross functional IPTs, supplier quality councils, and corrective action boards Demonstrated knowledge of the proposal process and BOE creation Demonstrated experience developing, growing teams and shaping a performance culture Risk Management and Analysis Direct experience with AS9100 (or Equivalent) Quality Management System implementation & certification Process Performance Measurement, Analysis, Continuous Improvement Demonstrated ability to lead change across complex, highly regulated organizations. Analytical, systems-thinking mindset with a focus on mission outcomes and reliability Strong executive communications skills with the ability to lead, influence, and collaborate with a diverse set of leadership stakeholders. Current active Secret security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance up to Top Secret Preferred Qualifications Certified Quality Manager (ASQ CQM) or Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CQM/OE) Prior experience as a Supplier?Quality/Quality?Council Lead or Cross?Site Corrective?Action Board Lead Experience with Corporate wide projects Program / Project Management Experience Lean/Six?Sigma Black Belt (or higher) Current active Top Secret security clearance Primary Level Salary Range: $175,400.00 - $263,200.00 The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business. The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates. Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

Keywords: Northrop Grumman, Rancho Cucamonga , Manager 3 of Quality & Mission Assurance, Engineering , Northridge, California