Director, Quality & Compliance

Petmate is a global leader in pet supply products. Some of our most beloved brands include Petmate®, Chuckit!®, Quirky Kitty®, Vittles Vault®, Wild Eats® and Arm & Hammer®.

Over 60 years ago, Petmate began with a single focus on providing safe pet transportation, which resulted in the creation of the first dog kennel. Flash forward to today, and the same love and bond that existed to provide safe travels for our pets now permeates through every step of pet and pet owners’ shared adventure.

Knowing that pets are every bit as much a part of the family, Petmate takes pride in developing new, superior products that improve the quality of life and enrich the bond created between people & their pets. From environmentally responsible manufacturing to rigorous product testing, we place safety at the core of what we make and how we make it.

Our trusted brands continually drive innovation across pet categories, spanning dog and cat toys, feeding and watering, food storage, carriers, shelters, treats & chews, bedding and more.

OUR WHY: To enrich the lives of families by cultivating the bond between people & their pets

OUR VISION: Families everywhere trust us more than any other company to enhance the well-being of their pets at every step of their adventure

Petmate Core Values

OWN IT! We take full responsibility for our actions, decisions, and their outcomes

STEADFAST DETERMINATION: Steady pursuit of what's next with unwavering commitment and enthusiasm

DO THE RIGHT THING: Consistent alignment of actions and values in every situation, ensuring you're always true to what's right

SAFETY WITHOUT COMPROMISE: We prioritize the safety of employees, consumers, and pets without compromise

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Chief Operations Office, the Director of Quality and Compliance will lead and support Petmate’s strategic, tactical, and operational efforts in product quality, regulatory and social compliance commitments.

This position will be onsite at the Corporate Headquarters in Arlington, TX

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This position will work cross functionally with the product management team, brand marketing team, Petmate sales teams, US manufacturing and Asia operations.

• Understands the requirements to effectively support all activities related to the three aspects of this job: Reliability Engineering (from concept to final design), Manufacturing Quality (for “make” and “buy” items), and Compliance.


• Manages communication between US operations, Asia Team, customers, and vendors to drive global process improvement & efficiency within the team.


• Manages following a strategy of Continual Improvement, with strong management skills to influence the organization to execute tasks on time and on budget.


• Manages all Corrective Actions with all stakeholders and meet all committed deadlines.


• Possess knowledge and strong skills to interpret industry & retailer test methodology/requirements, social compliance standards, auditing procedures and inspection practices.


• Serves as the leader of Petmate social compliance audit, quality management systems audit, regulatory compliance and production testing.


• Responsible for evaluation & reporting of all audit data in all customers’ portals or written reports. Manages corrective action plans for audits and factory inspection activity.


• Assists cross-functional teams and suppliers with interpretation of inspection, test & audit data.


• Advanced/Expert level proficiency and interpretation to regulatory requirements of California Proposition 65, CPSIA, FDA, AAFCO, REACh, ISTA, ASTM F963/EU EN-71, TSCA/EPA/CARB, Conflict Minerals & Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).


• Support to sales team for reporting & communication of sustainability (measurements, reporting, benchmarking, best practice implementation), conflict minerals compliance and federal & state law/regulations.


• Establishes and manages annual volume of third-party testing, inspection and audits. Develops and manages annual QA budget.


• Maintains internal quality and compliance manuals & SOPs. Reviews and updates these manuals on a yearly basis or as necessary.


• Works with designated third-party service providers in the maintenance and development of testing protocols.


• Develops and oversees quality reporting that supports corporate quality improvement strategies for factories and product.


• Understands, plans and adapts retailer requirements into existing Petmate program. Communicates directly to retail partners for various programs (quality testing, factory social compliance, quality concerns, sustainability surveys, quality systems & security audits)


• Manages the team of QC inspectors to support all manufacturing activities at Petmate’s factories.

ADDITONAL SKILLES AND KNOWLEDGE PREFERRED

• Solution oriented with demonstrated problem solving skills in a structured manner.


• Ability to perform in a rapidly changing multi-task environment.


• Facilitates a risk-aware culture with proactive communications.


• Strong ability to set priorities based on risk and mitigating risk.


• Goal oriented with demonstrated ability to meet internal and customer deadlines.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT

• Minimum 8 years related experience in quality and compliance aspects (product testing, inspection & regulatory compliance)


• Expert level knowledge of best-in-class tools to drive quality and compliance risk assessment to drive a proactive approach to quality and compliance (CTQ, FMEA, QC Protocols, SPC, …)


• Expert level knowledge in quality testing, social/ethical compliance and inspection practices.


• Advanced Microsoft Office skills (MS Word, Excel, Visio)


• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills.


• Good organization skills, multi-tasking, and ability to handle concerns and questions.


• Ability to read and comprehend work instructions, correspondence and memos.


• Effective presentation skills.


• A team player who collaborates and cooperates with colleagues in a positive manner to achieve Company goals.

Petmate is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.