Director, Quality Assurance & Plant Excellence 

Responsibilities

I. Quality Strategy and Management Systems

• Strategic Planning & Leadership: Define and execute the site's short-term and long-term strategy for Quality, Hygiene, and Compliance Systems, aligning them with global business objectives.

• Integrated Management System: Lead the implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the integrated ISO Management System (e.g., ISO 9001 and other relevant industry standards).

• System Design: Design, develop, and continuously improve facility standards, Quality methods, practices, tools, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure operational rigor and consistency.

• Risk Management: Implement and oversee robust quality risk management and mitigation strategies (e.g., FMEA, HACCP principles) to ensure product reliability and safety.

II. Plant Excellence & Continuous Improvement (CI)

• CI Leadership: Champion a culture of continuous improvement, leading CI initiatives to enhance process capability, reduce defects, and minimize the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ).

• Defect Reduction: Utilize process mapping, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) to systematically resolve recurring quality and hygiene issues.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Operations, Engineering, R&D, and Supply Chain to seamlessly integrate quality requirements into new product initiatives (APQP), process modifications, and material sourcing.

• Technical Support: Provide expert technical assistance to support departments, ensuring quality and hygiene principles are embedded from raw material receipt through finished product shipment.

III. Audits, Compliance, and Hygiene

• Audit Command: Serve as the primary site authority and contact for all external quality and compliance audits (customer, 3rd party, regulatory agencies).

• Audit Readiness: Develop, train, and maintain internal capability to successfully host external audits, ensuring a seamless process with zero business disruption.

• Internal Auditing: Develop and lead a site internal audit program that actively monitors system effectiveness and drives proactive improvement actions.

• Hygiene & Sanitation: Ensure Hygiene/Sanitation capability is rigorously developed, implemented, and maintained throughout the plant, working closely with the plant hygienist/sanitation team to mitigate cross-contamination risks and ensure environmental monitoring program effectiveness.

IV. Team Leadership & Culture

• Talent Development: Lead, mentor, and develop the site Quality and Hygiene teams, fostering a high-performance culture focused on preventative quality and compliance ownership.

• Zero Defect Culture: Drive the adoption of Zero Defect thinking and principles across all levels of the site organization.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in a related field (e.g., Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Industrial Management).

• Experience: 10+ years of progressive professional experience is required, including at least 5 years in a managerial or site leadership role over Quality and/or Hygiene/Sanitation in a high-volume manufacturing environment.

• Technical Expertise: Deep, working knowledge of Quality fundamentals, principles, core tools, and experience with contemporary Quality Management Systems (QMS).

• Process Improvement Acumen: Demonstrated mastery in driving continuous improvement using methodologies such as Process Mapping, Six Sigma, or Lean Manufacturing principles.

• Audit & Compliance Experience: Extensive experience successfully leading and managing major customer and regulatory audits (e.g., FDA, GMP, ISO, or similar industry-specific standards).

• Soft Skills: Exceptional leadership presence, interpersonal skills, and professional communication skills (written, verbal, and presentation) necessary to influence across all organizational levels.

• Preferred: Relevant Quality certifications (e.g., ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, Six Sigma Black Belt, PCQI).

• Travel: Willingness to travel occasionally.