Quality Engineering Manager

The Manager, Global Product Quality Assurance is responsible for leading a global team that manages customer-facing product quality issues, Product Evaluation Request (PER) processes, Change Control Document (CCD) processes, and Material Test Report (MTR) processes. This role serves as the primary quality interface with customers, sales, and engineering to ensure product issues are resolved effectively and systematically. The position provides critical support for new product development through beta testing and design reviews.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage and develop a global team of quality professionals, including conducting regular 1:1s, performance reviews, career development planning, and succession planning activities.
• Manage the Product Evaluation Request (PER) process end-to-end, including intake, triage, investigation, disposition, and closure of customer-reported product issues.
• Globally manage the Change Control Document (CCD) process to include coordination with internal and external stakeholders, and initiate product/process reviews related to change control activities.
• Manage the Material Test Report (MTR) process to ensure compliance with material certification requirements and customer specifications.
• Serve as the primary quality interface with customers, sales teams, and Application Engineering regarding product quality concerns and resolutions.
• Lead beta testing activities for new product introductions, serving as a required participant in NPD core teams and ensuring quality requirements are validated prior to product launch.
• Develop and implement triage processes to assess business impact of product issues, including traceability analysis to determine scope of affected installations and inventory.
• Coordinate containment actions, field alerts, and product holds as necessary based on risk assessment of quality issues.
• Collaborate with the PER Lab Supervisor to prioritize laboratory testing and analysis activities in support of product evaluations.
• Coordinate inspection activities and partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Application Engineering, and Supplier Quality teams to implement corrective and preventive actions that address root causes.
• Develop and maintain metrics and dashboards to track PER volumes, aging, resolution rates, corrective action effectiveness, and trending quality issues for executive reporting.
• Actively participate in product design reviews focused on Advanced Quality Planning, Design FMEA (DFMEA), Process FMEA, mistake proofing, and other quality improvement methods.
• Support PER analyses and reduction initiatives in partnership with manufacturing and supply chain teams.
• Support root cause analysis investigations for field failures, utilizing appropriate problem-solving methodologies (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, etc.) to identify and address systemic issues.
• Perform special projects as assigned by the Director, Product Quality Assurance.
• Specific policies and procedures have been established by the Engineering Department to provide for the security and accessibility of electronic data and confidential information. It is the responsibility of the employee, in the daily course of doing business, to follow said policies as they relate to document management (see EOG-26). The extent to which departmental research and development information is stored electronically has vastly increased, and will continue to do so. The new Federal rules pertaining to electronic discovery stipulate that substantive email communications constituted “records” under the Federal Records Act. It is therefore the responsibility of each departmental employee to understand their role in communicating via e-mails and that all e-mails must be written/responded to in a professional manner, as outlined in EOG-26.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering required (Mechanical, Materials, or Industrial preferred). Advanced degree desirable.
• 10 years of progressive experience in Quality Assurance, Quality Engineering, or related field within a manufacturing environment.
• 5 years of experience managing and developing teams, including demonstrated success in coaching, performance management, and talent development.
• Experience leading or supporting root cause analysis and corrective action processes (8D, DMAIC, 5-Why, etc.).
• Strong customer-facing communication skills with demonstrated experience interfacing with customers on quality matters.
• Demonstrated ability to present to executive and senior leadership audiences with clarity and confidence.
• Familiarity with statistical concepts and their application (control charts, process capability, Pareto analysis). Knowledge of advanced statistical methods a plus.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities with a track record of data-driven decision making.
• Proficient in the use of electronic systems and software (MS Word, Excel, Power BI, Minitab). Experience with QMS systems preferred.
• Knowledge of Victaulic product line desired.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to make independent decisions, prioritize competing demands, and operate with minimal supervision.
• Able to travel domestically and internationally as required (estimated 10-20%).
• Current or prior ASQ CQE, CQM, or Six Sigma Black Belt certification desired.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently, influence cross-functional stakeholders, and drive organizational outcomes with broad scope and minimal direction.