COMPANY DESCRIPTION

At AirLife, we are dedicated to improving the quality of every breath. Excellence with Every Breath is not just a tag line, but the way we work and take care of our customers. With a mindset to evolve, innovate, and grow, we are a premier manufacturer of the highest-quality and market-leading breathing consumables. This growth philosophy has positioned us to increase our global footprint and business reach, impacting even more people around the world. Our expanding family of the most trusted brands offers a product portfolio that spans the continuum of care from first responder to home care, with safety, patient comfort, and clinical performance in mind. Collective expertise allows us to provide quality products and experiences to our patients, customers, and our people. Our values of Customer first, Differentiate with our People, Bias for Action, Continuous Improvement and Accountability define who we are and how we work. Join us!

POSITION SUMMARY

Supplier Quality Manager drives quality assurance and vendor compliance for finished goods, components, and services purchased by AirLife. In this role, the manager will partner with cross functional departments to support the needs of our customers and to drive the advancement of supplier performance for the company. This position is a leader who is responsible for overseeing and elevating the AirLife controls and quality performance for supply chain partners. This position will lead a team to ensure adherence to regulatory standards while driving continuous improvement initiatives and supporting new product opportunities for quality excellence in AirLife supply chain. 

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

The specific minimum competencies needed to perform the essential duties of the job include knowledge, skills, abilities, level of education, and experience necessary for successful performance. These competencies are generally demonstrated through specific service, education, or training.

Knowledge: 

• Supplier Controls
• Risk Management
• Root Cause Analysis
• Statistical Techniques
• Product Acceptance

 Skills & Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal skills, including effective verbal and written communication.
• Ability to interact effectively with functions of a global organization to achieve goals.
• Proven leadership skills with demonstrated success directing and completing projects with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to build strong and technically competent teams.
• Ability to make informed decisions under pressure.
• Thorough understanding of quality control standards and methodologies.
• Analytical problem-solving skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Level of Experience:

• A minimum of 7-10 years in Supplier Quality roles with Leadership experience. Experience is preferred to be in an FDA regulated and/or ISO certified organization (preferably Medical Device, ISO 13485). 

Level of Education: 

• Bachelor or Masters Degree in Engineering

Travel: 

• 15-20% Travel Expected; ~3-4 trips per year (1/quarter)

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The core tasks, duties, and responsibilities that must be performed on the job.

• Leadership: Develop and grow talent for the supplier quality team in alignment with the company's culture.
• Team Management: Lead, mentor, and empower a team of quality engineers and technical specialists, promoting a collaborative and high-performance culture that focuses on quality, innovation, and professional development.
• Supplier Development: Work to achieve high-quality performance with AirLife supply partners. Identify areas of risk and work to develop suppliers or qualify new sources to ensure quality and supply continuity. Support supplier audits and diligence, and identify KPIs by which to measure and promote supplier performance. 
• New Product: Assist in the qualification of parts and products to specifications. Identify controls for quality assurance through design validation & verification and design transfer. Support R&D and sourcing by providing insights on supplier performance and manufacturing competencies. 
• Process Enhancement: Oversee the advancement of robust quality systems for supplier controls, including risk management, CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Actions), and validation processes.
• Product Enhancement: Drive continuous improvement initiatives with suppliers to optimize manufacturing processes and product acceptance.
• Continuous Improvement: Work with suppliers to identify improvements to products and / or processess such that operational practices are optimized, and reliability of product acceptance is elevated. 
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with R&D, Marketings manufacturing, supply chain, and quality assurance teams to ensure supplier development and performance is actioned upon and risk to supply availability is mitigated. 
• Quality Metrics and Reporting: Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, and reporting mechanisms to evaluate supplier performance and support data-driven decision-making.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Focus on achieving our Company mission.
• Demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness in daily work; look for ways to improve and promote quality & safety. 
• Inspire the trust of others; treat people with respect and dignity and embrace the value of diversity.
• Use time efficiently; perform job accurately, thoroughly, and conserve Company resources to improve profits.
• Contribute to building and maintaining a positive team environment.
• Assure all policies and guidelines are implemented and followed.

QUALITY POLICY 

At AirLife, Quality is our promise. It is our commitment to customer satisfaction and our dedication to product excellence in an evolving global healthcare market. This promise is kept through a continuously improving and effective Quality Management System and compliance to Regulatory Requirements.

DEIA STATEMENT

At AirLife, we are committed to building a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace that reflects the communities and customers we serve. We believe our philosophy on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Advancement (DEIA) encourages excellence and equips us to serve an evolving global marketplace.