Sr Quality Manager

Position Summary

As an innovation leader, we look for ambitious, forward-thinking, open-minded, and well-rounded individuals to join our global team.

This position is responsible for assuring quality in all phases of the manufacturing value stream from project quality planning to customers' utilization. Where nonconformance is identified, this position will lead the site to employ effective problem-solving methodologies to identify root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions. As this role has both customer and supplier facing responsibilities, the incumbent must be skillful in communication, reporting, follow-up, and project management with a sense of urgency to resolve quality issues.

The ability to read technical drawings and specifications is required of the incumbent to understand and lead their team in deployment of quality controls related to special characteristics. This position will work cross-functionally with peers, Gates management, and their quality department in developing and executing Advanced Product Quality Plans (APQP) for new & existing products. This will include involvement in Failure Modes & Effects Analysis, and Quality Control Plan development and implementation to reduce and eliminate nonconformance risk. As a subject matter expert in quality, the incumbent will train and lead the site in establishing inspection sample plans, including the establishment of statistical process controls (SPC) as necessary due to the criticality of product / process characteristics. Knowledge of and capability to utilize inspection equipment and determine acceptability of the measurement method through Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA) is necessary to be an effective quality leader.

The incumbent is responsible for maintaining an effective site Quality Management System (E.g., ISO9001, IATF16949) that meets and exceeds customer specified requirements and industry standards. As well as advancing the QMS as part of Continuous Improvement efforts.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage the execution of quality initiatives and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) across all manufacturing value streams to achieve strategic quality improvement objectives. (E.g., Customer Incident Rate, PPM, Cost of Poor Quality, Inter-Company Incident Rate, Supplier PPM, QMS Management Review KPI's, etc.).
• Ensure the Read Across activities are implemented opportunely within the site and share best practices through the official channels for other sites can assess and adopt them.
• Manage the effectiveness and timely completion of root cause investigation and resolution of customer, warranty, and supplier quality incidents in compliance with industry best practice 'closed loop' methodologies (E.g., 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone Diagrams, A3, PDCA) and Gates Quality Management System requirements.
• Assign and guide quality resources to work with new product development teams and site peers in utilizing APQP based management systems to achieve Gates objectives in sales growth and product vitality, while eliminating or reducing risk of defect escape.
• Maintain an effective PPAP submission process that ensures timely and accurate part qualification for customers, or as part of incoming part qualification.
• Ownership of the internal quality management system audit process & Layered Process Audit (LPA) program.
• Support the development of Gates supplier quality through assigning resources to complete supplier assessments, nonconformance corrections, incoming inspection development, and/or supplier development project execution.
• Identify gaps in process control plans and coordinate improvement actions to meet Cost of Poor-Quality objectives.
• Approval authority within the Change Management Process including assurance of the effectiveness of implementation and validation actions.
• Evaluating the performance and development needs of the quality organization in meeting quality improvement objectives. Complete development actions with direct reports in advancement of succession plans.

Keys to Success

• Keeps self-control in hard situations.
• Strong Communication skills
• Problem Solving and decision making.
• Costumer focus (internal and external)
• Negotiation skills
• Creativity, proactivity, and teamwork.
• Problem Solving process.
• Exceptional attention to   internal and external customer requests
• Negotiation skills

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Leadership experience, developing and driving initiatives.
• Experience preparing and delivering Manufacturing training.
• Leader of at least three people reporting directly to this position.
• Good personnel management

Requirements and Preferred Skills

• Bachelor of Science (BS) undergraduate college degree or equivalent in a technical discipline (E.g., Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, etc.).
• Desirable 15 years' experience in quality assurance roles but a minimum of 10 years' experience in a Management or Supervisory position.
• Proved experience in AITF16949 and VDA quality systems with Lead auditor training.
• Working knowledge of automotive industry core tools (AIAG - APQP, PPAP, SPC, MSA, etc.) and quality assurance problem solving tools (E.g., 5-Why, Cause & Effect Diagrams, DOE, 8D, etc.) is required.
• Experience utilizing quality assurance PC Applications is a plus: Minitab, SPC Applications, etc.
• Certification as a Quality Engineer (CQE), Quality Manager (CQM), Quality Auditor (CQA) or Six Sigma Black Belt through ASQ or an equivalent certification is preferred, but not required
• Strong working knowledge of customer-specific requirements, including Ford Q1, with hands-on experience using OEM customer portals such as Ford, GM and Stellantis.

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