Quality & Process Improvement Manager

UTEXBEL is a leading European textile manufacturer with a long-standing tradition and deep-rooted expertise in technical textiles. As a vertically integrated producer, the company manages the entire value chain – from fibre to finished fabric – serving customers in public procurement, protective workwear and technical textiles. During an important phase of growth, Utexbel is strengthening its quality organisation and is looking for a Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager to ensure stable and consistent product quality across its entire production chain. The role As Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager, you will take a central, cross-functional role in safeguarding product quality from raw materials to finished products, including activities performed by subcontractors. You will analyse quality performance across production sites and processes, identify root causes of non-conformities and translate your findings into concrete, sustainable improvement actions. Working closely with Production, Laboratory, R&D and IT, you will contribute to the stability and continuous improvement of processes across spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing. The role combines technical expertise, analysis and hands-on collaboration with the production environment. You will work transversally across the organisation, influencing and supporting teams without having direct line-management responsibility.

Key Responsibilities
• Ensure stable and consistent product quality across the entire production value chain, from raw materials to finished products.
• Analyse quality parameters and trends across sites and processes and identify structural areas for improvement.
• Lead and moderate root-cause analyses in case of non-conformities and ensure that corrective and preventive actions are effectively implemented and followed up.
• Work closely with Production, Laboratory, R&D and IT to improve and stabilise processes.
• Contribute to trials involving new materials, processes or machine settings and assess their potential impact on product quality.
• Coach and support shop-floor teams, helping to strengthen quality awareness and a constructive, learning-oriented quality culture.
• Structure and further develop quality processes and standards in line with Utexbel's growth and increasing use of subcontractors.
• Prepare and coordinate quality-related topics for customer and certification audits, and represent the quality function professionally during these audits.
• Monitor quality performance, trends and improvement actions, with a strong focus on understanding processes rather than purely reporting KPIs.
• Travel occasionally between Utexbel's nearby production sites and subcontractors.

Your Profile
• Degree in Textile Engineering or an equivalent qualification combined with solid experience in the textile industry.
• At least 3 years of experience in a quality-related role within the textile industry.
• Strong technical knowledge of at least two of the following processes:
• Spinning
• Weaving
• Dyeing
• Finishing / chemical finishing
• Strong understanding of textile processes and defect mechanisms.
• Analytical and process-oriented mindset, with the ability to translate data and observations into practical improvement actions.
• Pragmatic and solution-oriented approach, focused on sustainable improvements.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust across different organisational levels.
• Comfortable working in a cross-functional role without formal line-management authority.
• Hands-on, approachable and credible in a production environment.
• Fluent in French or Dutch; English is an asset. What Utexbel offers
• A strategically important role within a growing international textile organisation.
• A high degree of autonomy and responsibility in a trust-based environment.
• The opportunity to have a direct impact on product quality and process performance across the entire value chain.
• Close collaboration with Production, R&D, Laboratory, IT and Sustainability.
• A structured onboarding programme.
• A competitive remuneration package with additional benefits.
• The opportunity to grow alongside a company planning to significantly increase its production capacity in the coming years. For further information or to apply, please contact Charline Pedoux at charline.pedoux@itzu.eu or Silke Vanden Bossche at silke.vandenbossche@itzu.eu.