Job Title:  Quality Manager, NA

Job Title: Quality Manager – North America

Reports To: Executive VP Operations & Supply Chain

Travel: 50% (North America)

 Role Summary

This role is responsible for implementing and sustaining a standardized Quality Management System across North American manufacturing sites, with a primary focus on ISO 9001 certification and performance improvement. The position is highly field-oriented, working directly with site managers and cross-functional teams to drive consistent quality execution, strengthen problem-solving capability, and reduce customer complaints and cost of poor quality.

This is an execution role. Success depends on building capability at the site level, holding teams accountable, and delivering measurable improvements in quality performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Quality Management System (QMS) & ISO 9001
• Lead rollout and certification of ISO 9001 across North American sites
• Standardize quality processes, documentation, and controls across facilities
• Ensure consistent application of QMS requirements at the site level
• Establish systems to sustain compliance post-certification

Root Cause Analysis & Problem Solving

• Serve as the regional expert in structured problem solving
• Lead major investigations related to quality failures and customer complaints
• Coach site teams to improve depth and effectiveness of root cause analysis
• Ensure corrective actions are implemented, verified, and sustained

Customer Quality & Complaint Management

• Standardize complaint intake, investigation, and response processes
• Partner with sales, technical, and product management teams to resolve issues
• Drive reduction in complaint frequency, severity, and response time
• Ensure clear communication and accountability back to stake holders

Audit & Compliance

• Conduct internal audits across North American sites
• Prepare sites for ISO certification and customer audits
• Identify systemic risks and ensure corrective actions are executed
• Build audit capability within site-level teams

Training & Capability Building

• Train site leadership and teams on quality systems and investigation processes
• Develop practical, repeatable training for use across all sites
• Strengthen ownership of quality at the operator, supervisor, and manager level

Continuous Improvement & Operational Integration

• Partner with operations and supply chain to reduce scrap, rework, and variability
• Drive improvements in cost per pound through quality-focused initiatives
• Lead cross-site quality improvement projects
• Integrate quality metrics into daily management systems

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Technical/R&D, Product Management, and Sales
• Act as the link between regional leadership and site execution
• Drive alignment without direct authority across multiple sites

Key Metrics / Success Measures

• Reduction in customer complaints
• Successful ISO 9001 certifications across sites
• Improvement in audit scores
• Reduction in cost of poor quality (COPQ)
• Improved right-first-time performance
• Reduction in scrap and rework
• CAPA effectiveness and closure rates

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Manufacturing, or related field
• 8–12 years of experience in quality, manufacturing, or technical roles
• Hands-on experience implementing ISO 9001 systems
• Strong expertise in root cause analysis and corrective action systems
• Experience working across multiple manufacturing sites
• Willingness to travel ~50%

Preferred

• Experience in chemical manufacturing, coatings, or inks
• Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt)
• ISO 9001 Lead Auditor certification
• Demonstrated track record improving quality performance metrics

Leadership Profile

• Hands-on operator who drives execution at the site level
• Comfortable challenging site leadership and driving accountability
• Practical problem solver who simplifies issues and focuses on results
• Strong communicator who connects quality to operational and financial outcomes
• Bias toward action and follow-through

 Why join us?

This role offers the opportunity to directly shape and elevate quality performance across multiple manufacturing sites in North America. You will work alongside senior leadership and have clear visibility to the Executive VP of Operations & Supply Chain, with the ability to influence real operational outcomes. This is a hands-on role where you will see the impact of your work in reduced customer complaints, improved process consistency, and stronger site capability. If you are motivated by solving complex problems, building systems that last, and driving measurable results in a manufacturing environment, this position provides a platform to do that at scale.