Sr. Manager, Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement

Full-time 8 months ago

Employment Information

Industry Supply Chain Manager

Salary $110,000 - $135,000 /

Experience 5 Year

Job type Full-time

Location Hartford, WI 53027, Hartford, United States of America

About us

At HED, Inc. we are customer focused, respectful, passionate, collaborative, and agile – guided by our mission to create innovative quality products that make a difference when it matters, enabling a better, safer, connected world. Our people understand the velocity at which our hi-tech markets change, ever driving the need for curious, future oriented teammates to help us continuously improve our processes, products, and service. Accountable to ourselves, each other, and our customers, because we understand our success depends on world class products and service delivered on time by an empowered and engaged team. We share success with continued learning, rewards, recognition, flexibility, and celebrations. Proud of what we do and how we do it.

We are one team, one voice, one outcome and we are looking for a Sr. Manager of Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement to join us and help make a difference when it matters!

As a Sr. Manager of Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement, you are responsible for providing leadership to ensure HED’s compliance with the standards by which we operate our business and working cross-functionally to ensure that our products meet or exceed the established quality standards of our customers. Additional responsibilities include the creation and management of our business systems that comply with and support standards such as ISO 9001-2015 and training of these systems throughout the organization. Providing management level leadership in the New Product Development (NPD) methodology and in manufacturing process development. You will support, design, and lead the implementation of effective quality plans, process control plans, and process improvements striving for improvement in both product quality and operational efficiency.

If you enjoy the challenge of a growing organization, and want to make a difference when it matters, we would love to hear from you. Salary commensurate with experience.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

Drive Continuous Improvement of Quality, Delivery, and Cost Metrics

· Coordinate with Operations Management to review and improve quality procedures and processes, driving improved quality and On Time Delivery (OTD) performance.

· Oversee Return Material Authorization (RMA) and report on quality discrepancies and data related to production; focus on trends and actions required to minimize risk to HED, delight our customers, and improve product performance.

· Actively manage the implementation, maintenance, and improvement of quality systems throughout HED.

· Provide hands-on leadership and oversight of the quality systems including, development of specifications, control plans, and corrective actions.

· Lead efforts to continuously review and reduce the cost of quality for HED.

· Review root cause analysis and compile and analyze quality data to identify trends leading to containment, interim corrective actions, and permanent corrective actions. Prepare and publish CAR’s to customers as required.

· Deploy effective problem-solving and continuous improvement strategies such as pFMEA, Control Plans, Audits, 8D, and Lean Six Sigma.

· Provide measurement tools and KPI’s that enable tracking progress towards goals.

Develop and Execute Internal Quality System and Audit Program

· Develop a Quality Management System (QMS) internal audit (IA) process to drive internal procedure and standard conformance.

· Develop internal audit plans and develop and train the audit team.

· Conduct audits in compliance with applicable ISO standards.

· Work with all HED teams to develop corrective action plans for IA findings and verify corrective action plans for effectiveness.

· Maintain audit documentation.

· Point of contact and facilitate all audits (customer and certification).

· Lead annual and other periodic management reviews for QMS.

Promote Quality Awareness and Employee Engagement in the QMS

· Develop, train, coach, and motivate HED teams in the areas of Quality Improvement, Quality Policy, Measurement and Analysis, Quality Metrics, Customer Performance Ratings/Satisfaction, Continuous Improvement Program, and Quality Systems/ISO requirements.

· Develop Quality department performance goals and objectives.

· Develop communication and training plans for Quality Awareness and Engagement for entire HED team.

Manage HED QMS Processes

· Oversee the QMS processes and programs and maintain proper documentation.

· Provide training for HED QMS processes, including Corrective and Preventative Actions (CAPA), Document Change Control, Compliance Management, ITAR, and Supplier Quality.

· Manages, directs, and deploys the Quality software tools and systems (Unipoint).

Effectively Manage Customer Communications

· Communicate quality information to customers; point of contact and facilitate customer audits.

· Learn/manage/able to navigate customer specific quality portals on behalf of HED for monthly reporting, performance tracking and PPAPs.

· Point of contact for customers regarding WEEE/ROHS/REACH/Conflict Minerals response requests for HED.

Oversee Supplier Quality

· Lead the activities to align suppliers with the HED QMS and HED Supplier Quality policies and requirements. Ensuring quality best practices, processes, procedures within the supply chain and across suppliers.

· Conduct supplier evaluation and risk assessments including on-site quality audits as required to ensure conformance to HED Supplier Quality System requirements.

· Analyze audit results to develop, prioritize, and execute corrective actions and supplier development action plans to continually improve supplier performance.

· Provide technical direction for quality process improvement at/with all suppliers.

· Work closely with suppliers and internal supply chain resources to provide periodic performance reports to key suppliers; establish annual supplier performance goals; approved supplier listing and assess supplier risk.

· Lead supplier quality activities that will improve quality of the product and process as measured by internal quality metrics and external quality indicators.

· Provide supplier quality support on NPD and incoming purchased finished goods initiatives.

· Oversee inspection of incoming components, finished goods and products from suppliers and manufacturers.

· Work to identify and resolve potential problems and continually improve processes for qualification and evaluation of new and existing suppliers, specifications, components, and materials.

· Collaborate with purchasing, manufacturing, and engineering to improve overall product quality by emphasizing defect prevention throughout the supplier management process.

· Ensure closure of CAPA’s and NC’s including corresponding disposition.

Voice of Quality for NPD

· Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to develop and deliver NPD per the HED New Product Development methodology that meet/exceed customer requirements and expectations.

· Work with manufacturing and engineering teams to develop and document robust process controls for both new and existing manufacturing processes. Validate through demonstrated process capability.

· Assist Engineering and Operations with the interpretation of Quality requirements, including verification/validation planning and execution, scale-up activities, first or pilot production run requirements and problem resolution.

· Manage the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) for all customers.

· Manage the efforts of the Quality team to provide support services for NPD including product specification development, prevention planning, e.g., PFMEA and DFMEA, measurement and test methods, and participation in design reviews to represent the quality department.

Provide Management and Leadership to HED Quality Team

· Manage the Quality team (MRB, Specialist, Technicians: RMA, Incoming Inspection) by coaching, counseling, mentoring, appraising performance, selecting, orienting, and training team members. This includes effective quality-related training courses and job expectations to support our quality systems.

· Develop their individual functional capabilities to provide excellent service to our internal and external customers.

· Manage and provide expert leadership regarding ISO compliance and certification. This includes leadership over maintaining current certification status as our Quality Systems Management Representative.

· Manage department expenses and capital budget to plan.

Executive Leadership Team Collaboration

· Collaborates with senior leadership for planning, execution, and management of critical business performance, process improvements, and other strategic initiatives.

· Leads integrated senior management teams to determine strategy and tactical deployment, improve performance, lower costs, and generate innovative solutions with a continuous improvement mindset.

· Hands-on leader willing to take responsibility for resolving challenges, ensuring successful tactical execution, as well as creating and implementing the QMS strategic vision.

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

The above list reflects the general details necessary to describe the principle and essential functions of the position and shall not be construed as the only duties that may be assigned for the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

· Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in a Scientific or Engineering concentration.

Experience and Knowledge:

· 10 years of broad technical experience in an ISO 9001 manufacturing environment is required with a minimum of 5 years of this experience in Quality, Quality Assurance, and/or Supplier Quality.

· Direct practical experience with ISO certification, CAR, and PPAP processes.

· Working knowledge of printed circuit board manufacturing processes and standards.

· 5 years of managerial experience in a manufacturing quality department.

· Experience with formal problem-solving methodologies, i.e., 8D, Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis and Kaizen principles. Ability to identify problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

· Auditing experience; internal and certification/customer audit facilitation.

· Experience in writing policies, procedures, and work instructions.

· Requires knowledge of and the ability to use a variety of standard office equipment including a telephone and copy/fax/scanner machines.

· Requires the knowledge and the ability to use a personal computer including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint software.

Skills and Abilities:

· Able to communicate clearly both orally and in writing, and present technical information clearly and succinctly across a variety of settings.

· Dynamic, results-oriented, accountable leadership style balanced with emotional intelligence.

· Capable of influencing a wide range of audiences; demonstrated leadership skill to win support without direct reporting structure.

· Highly effective in a collaborative, team-based culture.

· Ability to be self-directed and effectively manage your own time to deliver assignments.

· Organized and able to multi-task with a clear bias for action and sense of urgency.

· Stress management skills: able to handle fluid situations with composure. Must be resilient and persevere in the face of constraints.

· Analytical mindset with a focus on problem-solving and continuous improvement.

· Ability to positively interact with customers, suppliers, and third-party auditors.

· Travel – as needed for customer support. Estimated at less than 10%.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

· Advanced degree is a plus.

· Quality Management Certifications a plus

· Experience in deploying Six Sigma methodologies, Green Belt or Black Belt Certifications a plus.

· Experience with deploying Lean philosophies and tools is a plus.

· International experience (specifically Latin/South America and Asia) is a plus.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS:

The position is in a fast-paced environment with deadlines, critical data, and details that are part of the daily/weekly/monthly data presentations to keep the team informed on the product portfolio. Comprehension, reasoning, decision making, and math skills are required for this position.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and/or hear, and/or use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand, and/or walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds while moving files or small packages. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

Protective Clothing Required: None

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in an office environment or at customer sites when travelling. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an individual encounters while performing the essential functions of this position.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00 per year

Benefits: