Area Quality Manager

Smurfit Westrock • Allentown, PA

19d • Remote

About The Position

The Area Quality Manager focuses on compliance, customers, and continuous improvement to build a total quality culture and reduce quality costs in line with best-practice procedures. The role ensures the supply of high-quality products and works with production and support functions to maintain and improve quality systems and adherence to operational best practices and applicable standards.

The manager leads quality improvement projects and initiatives, maintains compliance with customer, legislative, internal, and accredited-standard requirements, and develops an integrated quality management system covering quality, environment, health, and safety. The position also supports new equipment introductions and validation processes, customer-facing activities, site audits, complaint investigations, corrective and preventive actions, employee training, and business-improvement work to improve quality, safety, efficiency, and operating costs. The role produces and presents data and reports for sites, customers, and corporate stakeholders and supports senior leadership in improving operating effectiveness.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• At least 5 years of experience in a senior- or management-level quality role.
• Working and audit knowledge of relevant accredited standards, with experience and knowledge of industry standards and guidelines.
• Demonstrable experience leading change and implementing continuous-improvement processes.
• Supervisory experience.
• Demonstrable experience validating new equipment and processes.
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Project management and problem-solving skills, such as 6 Sigma or another recognized business-improvement technique.
• Knowledge of root-cause analysis and problem-solving techniques.
• Customer relations skills.
• Ability to handle, analyze, and present information.
• Competence using Microsoft Office packages.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in quality or a business-related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the supply of the highest-quality product to customers.
• Work with production and support functions to maintain and improve quality systems and adherence to operational best practices and applicable standards.
• Drive improvement activities and lead projects supporting quality and financial performance, including changes in customer requirements, legislation, and accredited standards.
• Draft, review, and implement changes to quality systems, standard operating procedures, and policies to meet customer and third-party requirements and accreditation standards.
• Manage the customer complaint procedure and facilitate investigation of quality problems, faults, and non-conformances with production teams.
• Manage corrective and preventive actions and conduct robust investigations to prevent recurring issues.
• Facilitate customer-facing activities and communications, including customer visits, responses, and preparation of information.
• Lead external-body, internal, and customer audit activities at sites.
• Lead quality initiatives and focus groups to build employee understanding and awareness of quality issues.
• Promote a total quality philosophy, right-first-time culture, and continuous improvement at all levels.
• Develop an Integrated Quality Management System covering quality, environment, health, and safety.
• Improve the quality system and processes to meet customer specifications while maximizing production.
• Review amendments to standards and ensure compliance with accreditation bodies.
• Support the introduction of new site equipment and validation processes to meet safety and customer expectations.
• Contribute to business-improvement initiatives that reduce operating costs, improve margins, and inform site strategy and operations.
• Produce data and present reports for sites, customers, and corporate stakeholders as required.
• Identify and implement continuous-improvement projects aligned with site and corporate requirements to improve quality and safety.
• Support the senior leadership team in introducing systems and procedures to improve operating effectiveness and efficiency.
• Deliver GMP, Quality, and FSC training to employees as required.
• Take on other projects and responsibilities as required.

Benefits

• Comprehensive training and learning and development opportunities.
• Attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential.
• Medical insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Vision insurance.
• Life insurance.
• 401(k) with match.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts.
• Employee referral bonus.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: High school or GED