POSITION SUMMARY
The Quality Manager is responsible for the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of all quality systems. They will build and sustain a strong quality team and work closely with site leadership. The Quality Manager ensures plant reliability through identification and elimination of system and process variations and other causes of waste.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Accomplishes quality goals by communicating job expectations, planning, monitoring, and appraising job results, coaching team members, and enforcing systems, policies, and procedures.
- Provide input and ownership for all plant quality systems including Non-Conformance, Corrective and Preventative Actions (CAPA), Audit response, and Root cause investigation.
- Provide quality leadership support for other Whitney Blake plants.
- Ensure all quality staff members are competent in quality systems, methods, and the appropriate sciences, and develop them to achieve key results.
- Lead efforts to improve customer satisfaction related to product quality and performance. This includes responsibility for the thorough and timely response to customer complaints, understanding customer quality system requirements and developing systems to satisfy those requirements.
- Interface with certification agencies to maintain ISO 9001 compliance and regulatory requirements. Direct all organizational activities to understand and comply with the requirements of these certification agencies. Lead troubleshooting and corrective actions associated with testing and certifications issues.
- Identify gaps in process execution; identify opportunities to make processes more effective and reduce variation.
- Establish and deploy visual standardized work with Critical to Quality (CTQ) features clearly identified; validate effectiveness, identify gaps/needs for additional processes and standardization, and audit standardized work to sustain improvement.
- Lead management team through Lean Six Sigma concepts in promoting the use of disciplined problem solving techniques and corrective action to drive continuous improvement in all areas of the plant.
- Advice and guide management on quality related issues including operating department quality systems audits, corrective action plan and preventative action development, operator testing, evaluation and retraining as needed for continuous improvement.
- Evaluating raw materials and supplier products for compliance to specifications and standards.
- Interact with suppliers specific to component quality by conducting audits and facilitating corrective/preventive action completion
- Perform other related duties as directed
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Understanding of company policies and business practices including industry standards, Good Manufacturing Practices, ISO requirements, health and safety.
- Strong knowledge of the Quality System Regulations and International Standards.
- Experience in record management and documentation control.
- Ability to understand interactions (cause and effects) between equipment/process/product and draw sound conclusions from the data.
- Team player capable of successfully interacting at all levels with customers, peers, seniors & subordinates in the successful resolution of day-to-day business issues.
- Strong communication, interpersonal and organizational skills. Possess the ability to teach others effectively.
- Ability to use management tools in normal job function to handle multiple tasks with proper prioritization, ability to be able to give direction and instruction to others.
- Capability to work independently, handle changing priorities and short time constraints.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor Science degree in engineering or equivalent technical discipline. Experience may be considered in lieu of a degree for a candidate who can demonstrate capable of successfully fulfilling all duties and responsibilities of the position.
- Five (5) years of Quality leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
- ASQ Certified Quality Engineer
- Full understand of Risk Mitigation in a manufacturing environment.
- Sound understanding of statistics, statistical process control (SPC), process capability, verification, validation, metrology, inspection techniques, sampling plans, FMEA and risk assessment.
- Proven proficiency in using root cause problem solving tools including Pareto Analysis, Five Why Analysis, and Five Step Analysis, DMAIC
- Ability to work hours, as required, that are appropriate to completing projects and tasks on schedule.
- 6-sigma Black/Green Belt a plus.
COMPUTER SKILLS
- Proficient computer skills: MS Windows, MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point).
- Solid working knowledge of QI Macros or equivalent statistical analysis program (e.g. Mini-Tab).
- Good working knowledge of ERP systems is a preferred.
SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS
- Direct supervisory requirements for the Quality department, to include training and project leadership.
- Responsible for workflow, training for new employees, and answering job-related questions.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Office: Typical office environment. 65%
- Manufacturing: Work involves use of manufacturing equipment or close proximity to equipment. May be exposure to some routine manufacturing related substances. 35%
- Recurring physical demands include sitting, standing, walking, crouching and use of tools (or computer).
- Location: Corporate Headquarters in Bellows Falls, Vermont. General Hours: 8 am – 5 pm
- Key Stakeholders: Customer, Executive Leadership Team, Sales, Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing
- TRAVEL; Limited travel < 25% (Requires support of Mexico and New Jersey plants)
This description is representative of the knowledge, skill and ability necessary to carry out the requirements of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties of the job.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.