Sr. Quality Manager

Position Overview

The Quality Manager (QM) ensures that all company products and services meet quality standards before they go to market and or to a customer. The primary responsibility of the QM includes understanding customer expectations and needs, outlining quality standards, and developing and implementing quality control processes.

The QM is responsible for monitoring and evaluating internal production processes, examining products to determine their quality, and engaging with customers, and gathering product feedback.

This position will be located at the manufacturing plant for Wanzl North America (WNA) in Newton, NC and will require occasional travel.

Company and Opportunity Overview

Wanzl North America’s (WNA) vision is to be a leading entrepreneurial player in terms of market share, agility, and game-changing solutions. WNA is a solution provider, creating value along the supply chain of our customers, from the online purchase to the delivery to their customers.

WNA, which includes the Technibilt and Cari-All brands, headquartered in Denver, North Carolina. With nearly 500 employees and 175 MUSD of sales, WNA focuses on the retail and distribution market segments with marquee customers such as Walmart, Amazon, and the majority of large grocers and retailers.

In addition to being the largest manufacturer of shopping carts in North America, WNA has three (3) additional main product segments as well as a Service business, providing turnkey solutions for customer guidance (Access Systems) and Shelving & Fixtures, as well as Material Handling/Rolling Stock products. Additionally, WNA is active in building a “digital” business line with products for shopping cart containment, smart exit gate technology, and solutions for autonomous and/or semi-autonomous retail stores.

WNA is part of the Wanzl group, headquartered in Germany, and has 12 plants in 8 countries, providing comprehensive, solutions-driven service and expert knowledge of local markets for customers across the globe through their 360° service.

Duties and Responsibilities:

· Promote quality achievement and continuous improvement throughout WNA.

· Develop, implement, communicate, and maintain a Quality Management System, covering production and field service activities.

· Formulate and manage the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and systems relating to QA and QC.

· Establish quality procedures and provide necessary training to clearly define quality methods for staff and production employees to apply.

· Ensure tests and procedures are understood, carried out, evaluated and that product modifications are investigated if necessary.

· Manage and maintain quality inspection and product release programs for incoming and in-process materials, processes, and finished goods.

· Generation of statistical reports on quality standards and analyzing them to produce corrective and preventive actions.

· Daily involvement with the production team to monitor daily production activities, practices and inspection data including any products and services.

· Develop/initiate standards and methods of inspection, testing, evaluation.

· Develop/implement sampling procedures in each area of manufacturing; to also include the development of formats/instructions for recording, evaluating, and reporting quality and reliability data.

· Liaison with customers to ensure the execution of corrective action and compliance with customers’ specifications.

· Supervising staff and monitoring production standards.

· Effectively interact with Production, Development, Engineering, Procurement, and Service teams to resolve quality problems, maintain product supply and help introduce new products.

· Assess the product specifications of the Company, its suppliers, and compare with the customer requirements.

· Work with Purchasing Department to develop and establish quality requirements for external suppliers/vendors. Ensure timely resolution of supplier/vendor failures with preventive/corrective measures.

· Ensure compliance with national and international standards.

· Establish and maintain controls and documentation procedures.

· Establishing Quality Assurance compliance objectives and ensuring targets are achieved.

Skills and Experience:

· BS in Engineering or equivalent technical degree

· 5 years’ experience in Quality Assurance for consumer product manufacturer, experience with fabricated steel products is preferred.

· Hands-on, must be engaged in plant and or field activities.

· Demonstrated experience working with contract manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors and customers.

· Exceptional leadership skills with excellent written and oral communication skills, including reporting out to senior leadership.

· Excellent attention to detail and organization

· Proficiency in all Microsoft Office products

· Proficiency in SmartSheet is preferred.

· Experience in quality management systems, quality systems audits.

· Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing projects and/or Lean/Six Sigma certification preferred.

· ISO 9001 experience a plus

Travel domestic and international up to 20%