Director of Quality

Maryland Heights, MO

Spartech offers a competitive salary, incentives, and benefit programs!

Spartech, LLC, headquartered in Maryland Heights, Missouri, has over a dozen locations throughout the United States. We have a broad customer base with extensive product offerings and technologies. Many of our materials are used in products you might see every day - for example if you start your morning with a single serve yogurt, the container you ate from may be made from one of Spartech’s products or the refrigerator where the yogurt was stored could have Spartech products in its interior features. More unique uses of our products can be seen in military or security applications, for example in fighter jet canopies or bullet resistant windows. From routine daily-life to life-saving applications—we make a difference. Our broad scope of products and services keep our environment interesting and challenging with a culture focused on success. If you want to make a difference in a fast-paced environment with a company large enough to offer you room to grow but not so large that you become “just a number”, Spartech might be the ideal company for you.

General Summary and Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

The Director of Quality has global responsibility for Spartech's Quality Management System across all aspects and functions of the organization. The Corporate Quality Manager is accountable for setting the long-range global vision of quality and is the driver of enterprise wide quality improvement initiatives and programs. In addition, the role is responsible for central management of ISO, the global customer complaint process and calibration services.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities to Include:

• Perform on-going assessments of Spartech’s quality system effectiveness; develop long-range vision based on identified performance gaps, emerging customer requirements and external benchmarking; Spartech’s quality system includes corrective and preventive action, internal auditing, document control, control of records, process control, raw material management, lab testing, etc.

• Evaluate and monitor (and participate as required in) all external customer quality audits to gather the collective voice of our customers and their needs across Spartech; coordinate investigation of evolving trends and related gaps; structure a plan to address.
• Interface with senior leaders by providing guidance on how to improve quality systems and product quality within their businesses and functional units.
• Assist business teams in managing, coordinating, and prioritizing their quality project portfolio including selecting the appropriate channel for improvement activity and the articulation of required activity into project charters.
• Develop and maintain global quality metrics (i.e. cost of quality) along with method for the communication of results through executive dashboards and reports; recommend and implement corrective actions where required.
• Manage Spartech’s central certifications (i.e. ISO) and related processes; as the management representative, ensure all sites are meeting the standard.
• Manage the global customer complaint system and related processes; evaluate overall effectiveness and application by identifying trends and common issues; develop plans to address.
• Indirect leadership role for all Spartech quality leaders including the recruitment and evaluation of potential candidates; chair the global quality leader council to facilitate the communication, translation, and incorporation of best practices across businesses and regions.
• Provide technical leadership as the "in house" subject matter expect on quality systems, tools and methodologies; provide training for business leaders, quality leaders and auditors.
• Develop, maintain, and revise quality training curriculum; define skills, knowledge and certification standards for quality leaders and auditors.
• Manage calibration services to ensure effectiveness; utilize reported data across sites to improve overall performance.
• Assure that raw materials specifications are defined and being followed per Spartech’s quality policy; monitor and report on progress and health of process.
• Manage supplier quality system evaluation process; identify risks and address issues with sourcing and business teams.
• Provide expertise and direct support for individual sites and/or businesses that may lose business or quality certifications due to ineffective quality systems.
• Manage integrated quality system software applications to ensure effective use and compliance.

Required Skills/Experience:

• B.S. degree in related engineering discipline, physical sciences, or management, or equivalent.  M.S. degree in engineering discipline, physical sciences, or management, or equivalent preferred
• Minimum 15 years professional experience in operations and/or quality
• 8-10 years of quality management experience
• Trained in Lean techniques – ability to lead Kaizen events
• Trained or certified OE Black Belt desired
• Experience conducting internal quality audit and responding to external quality audits preferred.
• Minimum five years' experience with thermoplastic processing, automotive or plastics quality management systems preferred
• Experience using ERP or other manufacturing system; experience with Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook; PowerPoint preferred

Benefits

We offer competitive salary, incentives, and benefit programs. – Most Benefits Start Day ONE!

Benefits include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Company paid Life & Long-term/Short-term disability programs.
• 401(k) with strong company match.
• 120 hours Paid Time Off (pro-rated based on hire date).
• 11 paid holidays.

Spartech, LLC provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status, or other legally protected classification in the state in which a person is seeking employment. Spartech will use E-Verify to ensure employment eligibility of newly hired employees where required.