Position Summary (position purpose):

The Director of Quality is a hands-on leader, responsible for the leadership and harmonization of the quality function across all Mini-Circuits product design and manufacturing sites. This responsibility is focused on defining, articulating, and executing (through the local quality assurance teams and with the support of the local general managers), a consistent set of quality policies, metrics, and reporting processes. The unification of quality practices must consider the unique differences in manufacturing processes at the various locations, while incorporating best-in-class practices, policies, and procedures. 

The Director Quality must work in support of the local managers to assess their quality systems, identify gaps and opportunities for improvement, and support the acquisition of talent and systems to achieve the corporate quality standards and objectives. In addition, the role has the direct responsibility for consolidating and reporting quality metrics for the entire enterprise across all product lines.  Local quality management is solid line reporting to the local general managers, and dotted line (indirect) reporting to the Director of Quality

Job Function (day-to-day responsibilities):

TECHNICAL QUALITY

• Identify and drive approved unified quality procedures and compliance projects at all sites, ensuring consistency, best practices while adapting to product and manufacturing process uniqueness. All processes and products must meet high internal standards and regulatory requirements and ultimately deliver high-quality, cost-effective products to the customer.
• Responsible for ensuring that all quality systems across all manufacturing sites are in full compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and are aligned with corporate quality policies.
• Establish corporate guidelines for quality data collection and reporting, and provide technical direction and support to all sites on the implementation of quality data collection, metrics analysis, trending, and report generation in accordance with these guidelines.
• Assess, analyze, and work with the local general managers to ensure that all QA responsibilities, including training, investigations, complaints, change control, document control, incoming inspection, manufacturing/lab oversight, and failure analysis, are implemented and maintained across all manufacturing sites in compliance with all corporate quality policies and programs.
• Experience with and knowledge of some or all of the following: mechanical, electrical, electronic, and electromagnetic components and systems; PCB technologies, surface-mount and connectorized components; semiconductors; Analog, RF, Microwave, and mmWave technologies and products.
• Ability to understand and drive the resolution of electrical and/or mechanical quality issues.
• Maintain a strong independent role as it relates to supporting compliance-related decisions.

SUPPLIER QUALITY

·      Implement strategies and processes to drive supplier performance improvement.

·      Address and resolve supplier quality issues with a sense of urgency, ensuring interim containment as appropriate, root causes are identified, and corrective actions are implemented and validated effectively.

·      Develop and lead effective supplier quality activities across our supply base, such as Quality Improvement Plans (QIP) and new/existing supplier audits.

·      Partner with the Strategic Sourcing team on new and sustaining supply base initiatives.

·      Support new product initiatives by ensuring supplier capabilities meet our required quality standards.

·      Ensure all major suppliers to Mini-Circuits have an effective Quality Management System capable of supporting our quality requirements.

·      Ongoing development of process capabilities (Supplier qualification / onboarding, product qualification, non-conforming material, process audits, etc)

·      Implementation of appropriate quality tools across the supply base (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, etc)

·      Meet or exceed annual supplier quality objectives as agreed upon with management.

·      Preparing, managing, and ensuring adherence to the Supplier Quality budget and forecasts

LEADERSHIP

• Develop, implement, and communicate a clear strategic vision for site quality to maximize employee alignment and engagement, and performance.
• Establish and actively lead the company’s quality leadership team, providing input and direction to quality programs, policies, and quality plans.
• Take the lead in review and negotiation of customer quality contractual requests (contract review, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability to lead high-performing teams made up of technical and administrative quality and reliability personnel.
• Coach and develop both direct and, as appropriate, indirect reports through ongoing, example-based performance feedback, annual performance reviews, and the provision of training and development opportunities. Ensure that performance issues are managed in a consistent and timely manner.
• Actively demonstrate and perform all work in support of the core values and guiding principles.
• Demonstrated ability to work with cross-functional organizations, including business and product lines, sales and marketing teams, supply chain, and operations group.
• Lead change in the organization to continuously adapt to a dynamic business environment; apply learning to enhance organizational performance within the spirit of the company culture.
• Deliver quality presentations at management review.

Education:

·      BSEE, BSME, Business, Manufacturing, Operations or another related field of study is required.

·      MSEE / MBA preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies:

·      Minimum 10 years’ experience in a manufacturing quality business (or any of its support industries) within manufacturing, electronics preferred.

·      Exposure to a variety of quality (and preferably reliability engineering) roles and processes, and direct experience in a manufacturing environment, and exposure to supply chain management via a computer-based, enterprise-wide resource management system.

·      Experience with ISO 9001 and AS9001 strongly preferred.

·      In-depth working knowledge of product qualification concepts (DFMEA, PFMEA) and reliability-problem solving systems (8D, Gage R&R, SPC, 5 Why, etc.)

·      An established leader who can demonstrate his/her ability to lead change and implement sustainable quality systems in support of a complex commercial operation.

·      High aptitude for quality function problem-solving (root cause analysis, etc.)

·      Show insight and good judgment in assessing complex or uncertain alternatives, including the risks of each. Considers the impact on other parts of the organization before making decisions.

·      Ability to be hands-on as needed as the organization grows and changes.

·      Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

·      Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a team of engineers to create and support the activities during the life cycle of products, from conception through production and product release within stated time frames

·      Sensitivity to cultural dependencies is a must.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, and use their hands to operate a computer keyboard. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Additional Requirements / Skills

·  Comply, understand, and support corporate safety initiatives to ensure a safe work environment

·  Ability and willingness to abide by the Company’s Code of Conduct

·  Valid driver’s license and ability to drive for extended periods of time

·      Ability to travel up to 25% domestically and internationally

·      Disclaimer: The listed qualifications and requirements for each position are intended as guidelines. Mini-Circuits reserves the right to hire outside of these guidelines at Management’s discretion.

·      Mini-Circuits is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, familial status, gender identity, gender dysphoria, pregnancy-related condition, and domestic violence victim status or protected class characteristic, or any other protected characteristic as established by federal or state law.

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