Director, Manufacturing Quality Engineering

Key Responsibilities

• Quality Strategy & Leadership

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive manufacturing quality strategy aligned with corporate goals.
  • Establish and maintain a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement across all sites.
  • Serve as the executive point of contact for quality-related matters, including escalations and risk management.
• Manufacturing Quality Engineering
  • Drive standardization and optimization of quality engineering processes across manufacturing sites.
  • Implement robust process controls, validation protocols, and inspection systems.
  • Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions (CAPA) to address quality issues.
  • Mitigate supply chain risks related to quality and reliability.
  • Collaborate with procurement and supply chain to ensure supplier compliance and continuous improvement.
• Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence
  • Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and other quality improvement methodologies.
  • Drive defect reduction, cost of poor quality (COPQ) improvements, and enhanced product reliability.
  • Establish and monitor KPIs, dashboards, and reporting systems to track quality performance.
  • Deep experience in IQC/OQC – ensuring the components entering manufacturing are to specification.
• Customer Quality & Field Performance
  • Ensure effective management of customer complaints, returns, and warranty issues.
  • Analyze field performance data to identify trends and drive product and process improvements.
  • Represent the organization in customer quality reviews and audits.
• Team Leadership & Development
  • Build, lead, and develop high-performing quality engineering and quality assurance teams.
  • Mentor leaders and create succession plans to ensure organizational continuity.
  • Promote a collaborative, results-driven culture focused on excellence and accountability.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with Manufacturing, engineering, and design to ensure design for quality and manufacturability.
  • Support new product introductions (NPI) with strong quality planning and risk assessment (e.g., FMEA, control plans).
  • Advise executive leadership on quality risks, opportunities, and strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Quality, or a related technical field; master’s degree or MBA preferred.
  • 12–15+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing quality, with at least 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
  • Experience leading quality functions across multiple sites or global operations.
• Technical Expertise
  • Strong knowledge of quality tools and methodologies (Six Sigma, Lean, SPC, FMEA, MSA, DOE).
  • Experience with supplier quality, auditing, and process validation.
  • Certifications such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), or Six Sigma Black Belt/Master Black Belt.
• Leadership & Business Acumen
  • Proven ability to lead large, cross-functional teams and influence at the executive level.
  • Strong strategic thinking, decision-making, and execution skills.
  • Financial acumen with experience managing budgets and driving cost improvements.
  • Demonstrated success in leading digital quality initiatives and data-driven decision-making.
• Skills & Competencies
  • Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.
  • High attention to detail with a commitment to excellence.
  • Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, complex, and regulated environment.

Work Environment & Travel

• Combination of office and manufacturing plant environments.
• Travel required (~25%) depending on product lifecycle and manufacturing location.