Department Manager, Quality

Dandy•Indianapolis, IN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Dandy is transforming the massive and antiquated dental industry—an industry worth over $400B. Backed by some of the world’s leading venture capital firms, we’re on an ambitious mission to simplify and modernize every function of the dental practice through technology. As we expand our reach globally, Dandy is building the operating system for dental offices around the world—empowering clinicians and their teams with technology, innovation, and world-class support to achieve more for their practices, their people, and their patients. Dandy is looking for a Department Manager - Quality to join our rapidly growing venture-backed company as a senior founding leader for our brand-new Indianapolis facility. In this role, you will be the primary architect of our site’s Quality Management System (QMS). You aren't just managing quality control; you are owning the technical strategy to drive down defects and Internal Remakes (IRs) across a high-tech Advanced Automated Manufacturing Center. You will lead a team of 40+ Machine Operators and 4 Supervisors, ensuring that our automated processes deliver world-class precision from day one. This role requires up to 70% travel during the first 1–2 months for training at our hubs in Provo, UT or Dallas, TX.

Requirements

Experience: 7+ years in manufacturing management with a specific, proven track record of creating and implementing comprehensive Quality Management Systems.
Analytical Mindset: Expert-level ability to partner with data teams and use statistical analysis to drive continuous improvement and defect reduction.
Launch Mentality: Experience in a facility launch or greenfield project where you had to establish quality standards in a high-tech, automated environment.
Technical Problem Solving: Passion for breaking down complex process failures into manageable steps to help the team work through launch-phase ambiguity.
Digital Proficiency: High level of comfort with digital tools, specifically GSuite (Google Docs, Sheets, etc.) and Slack.
The "Vibe" Factor: A true "people person" with a natural curiosity, a great sense of humor, and the positive energy needed to inspire a founding team during a site launch.

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or similar continuous improvement certification.
Experience in medical device, automotive, or aerospace manufacturing (environments with high regulatory and quality stakes).
Previously built a quality department in a high-volume, 24/7 automated manufacturing setting.

Responsibilities

QMS Creation & Implementation: Partner with internal data teams to design, build, and launch our site-specific Quality Management System from the ground up.
Defect & IR Reduction: Take full ownership of the continuous improvement cycle to identify, analyze, and eliminate process defects that drive Internal Remakes (IRs).
Data-Driven Strategy: Partner with data science and engineering teams to create real-time quality dashboards and feedback loops that inform production decisions.
Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with other Department Managers (Fixed and Removables) and Training teams to root-cause issues and implement site-wide corrective actions.
Automation Quality Oversight: Work with Factory Automation Engineering and OEM Vendors to ensure automated equipment is calibrated and optimized for zero-defect output.
Training & Development: Lead the creation of quality-focused training modules to ensure all Machine Operators are experts in identifying and preventing non-conformances.
Team Leadership: Lead, scale, and continuously train a team of 40+ Machine Operators and 4 Supervisors, fostering a "Quality-First" culture within a 24/7 operation.
Reporting: Report directly to the facility’s Director of Manufacturing.