Director, Quality Engineering

Owens & Minor • Richmond, VA

5d • Remote

About The Position

Owens & Minor is a global healthcare solutions company providing essential products, services and technology solutions that support care delivery in leading hospitals, health systems and research centers around the world. For over 140 years, Owens & Minor has delivered comfort and confidence behind the scenes, so healthcare stays at the forefront, helping to make each day better for the hospitals, healthcare partners, and communities we serve. Powered by more than 14,000 teammates worldwide, Owens & Minor exists because every day, everywhere, Life Takes Care™.

Global Reach with a Local Touch
140+ years serving healthcare
Over 14,000 teammates worldwide
Serving healthcare partners in 80 countries
Manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Honduras, Mexico, Thailand and Ireland
40+ distribution centers
Portfolio of 300 propriety and branded product offerings
1,000 branded medical product suppliers
4,000 healthcare partners served

Summary
The Director, Quality Engineering provides global leadership for the Quality Engineering function supporting product development, manufacturing, distribution, supplier quality, and post-market activities. The role develops and implements Quality Engineering strategies, standards, processes, and technical capabilities that ensure medical devices are designed, manufactured, and distributed in accordance with applicable safety, efficacy, quality, customer, and regulatory requirements. The Director leads and develops a high-performing Quality Engineering organization supporting manufacturing facilities and distribution operations. The role embeds prevention-based Quality Engineering practices throughout the product lifecycle, from early product development and new-product introduction through commercial manufacturing, distribution, and post-market support. The role partners with Research and Development, Operations, Engineering, Product Supply, Supplier Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and other functions to improve product and process robustness, reduce quality-related risks, and ensure Quality Engineering practices support business growth, operational performance, and customer expectations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, statistics, quality, or a related technical discipline required; master’s degree preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive Quality Engineering, product-development Quality, or manufacturing Quality experience within a regulated medical device or similarly regulated environment.
• 5+ years of progressive people-leadership experience, including responsibility for leading Quality Engineering professionals, managers, or highly specialized technical teams.
• Experience providing Quality Engineering leadership across multiple manufacturing facilities, distribution operations, business units, or geographic locations.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing Quality Engineering strategies, standards, processes, and technical capabilities.
• Extensive experience with design controls, product and process risk management, process validation, inspection planning, statistical methods, and process capability.
• Demonstrated experience supporting product development, new-product introduction, design transfer, manufacturing transfer, process changes, and commercial manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of applicable FDA and international medical device Quality requirements, including ISO 13485, ISO 14971, and other relevant standards.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex failure investigations, root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, nonconformance management, and effectiveness verification.
• Experience using Quality data, statistical analysis, cost-of-quality information, and performance indicators to identify risks and improve product and process outcomes.
• Experience supporting Supplier Quality activities, including supplier selection, qualification, monitoring, development, and performance management.
• Demonstrated experience leading the standardization, integration, or transformation of Quality Engineering practices across multiple locations.
• Experience partnering with Research and Development, Operations, Engineering, Product Supply, Supplier Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and other cross-functional leaders.
• Demonstrated experience communicating significant technical Quality risks, performance trends, and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent certification preferred.
• Strong leadership and technical expertise in Quality Engineering within a regulated medical device or manufacturing environment.
• Advanced knowledge of design controls, risk management, process validation, statistical methods, inspection planning, process capability, and manufacturing Quality systems.
• Strong understanding of the product lifecycle, including product development, new-product introduction, design transfer, commercial manufacturing, distribution, and post-market activities.
• Strong people-leadership, coaching, talent-development, and succession-planning capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead managers, technical professionals, and geographically dispersed teams.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes the global Quality Engineering strategy in alignment with the company’s Quality Assurance strategy, product-development priorities, manufacturing objectives, and business requirements.
• Leads the global Quality Engineering function and provides direction to Quality Engineering professionals, managers, and technical teams supporting manufacturing facilities and distribution operations.
• Establishes Quality Engineering standards, governance, processes, tools, and performance expectations across the product lifecycle.
• Provides technical Quality leadership supporting the development, manufacture, distribution, and post-market management of safe, effective, and compliant products.
• Embeds prevention-based Quality Engineering practices into early product development, new-product introduction, design transfer, manufacturing, distribution, and post-market activities.
• Partners with Research and Development, Operations, Engineering, Product Supply, Supplier Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and other functions to ensure Quality requirements are incorporated into business and technical decisions.
• Leads Quality Engineering activities associated with design controls, risk management, product and process development, process validation, inspection planning, statistical methods, and process capability.
• Develops and implements product-evaluation methods and Quality Engineering practices that ensure products and processes meet regulatory requirements, internal standards, and customer expectations.
• Directs Quality Engineering support for new-product introductions, design transfers, manufacturing transfers, process changes, product changes, and other significant technical initiatives.
• Analyzes Quality and operational data and establishes Quality Engineering programs that improve product quality, process robustness, manufacturing capability, and operational efficiency.
• Establishes data-driven monitoring systems and performance indicators that identify product and process risks, predict outcomes, and support timely corrective action.
• Leads the standardization, integration, and continuous improvement of Quality Engineering practices across manufacturing and distribution locations.
• Establishes and maintains effective failure-investigation and resolution practices for internal and external product-quality issues.
• Provides Quality Engineering leadership for root-cause investigations and ensures appropriate technical rigor is applied to corrective and preventive actions, nonconformances, complaints, and product-quality concerns.
• Supports corrective and preventive action activities and ensures investigations, corrective actions, closures, and effectiveness verifications are technically sound and appropriately documented.
• Provides Quality Engineering support for plant-based and distribution Quality activities, including process reliability, problem resolution, complaint investigations, document control, cost-of-quality improvement, and corrective and preventive actions.
• Drives a continuous improvement culture by using Quality data, cost-of-quality information, statistical methods, and engineering controls to improve manufacturing and distribution processes.
• Provides functional direction for Supplier Quality activities and partners with Product Supply to strengthen supplier selection, qualification, monitoring, development, and performance-management practices.
• Reviews Quality Engineering performance, identifies systemic risks and trends, and recommends appropriate improvement, remediation, or investment priorities.
• Provides senior leadership with timely updates regarding significant technical Quality risks, product and process performance, and recommended actions.
• Escalates significant product-quality, process, supplier, customer, and regulatory risks through the appropriate leadership and governance channels.
• Establishes priorities, allocates resources, and ensures Quality Engineering capabilities support the needs of the business.
• Builds, leads, coaches, and develops a high-performing Quality Engineering organization and establishes clear expectations and accountability for individual and team performance.
• Develops talent and succession plans that strengthen technical expertise, leadership capability, organizational continuity, and employee retention.
• Demonstrates excellent guest service to internal team members.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Healthcare Plan - Medical, dental, and vision plans start on day one of employment for full-time teammates.
• Educational Assistance - We offer educational assistance to all eligible teammates enrolled in an approved, accredited collegiate program.
• Employer-Paid Life Insurance and Disability - We offer employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage.
• Voluntary Supplemental Programs – We offer additional options to secure your financial future including supplemental life, hospitalization, critical illness, and other insurance programs.
• Support for your Growing Family – Adoption assistance, fertility benefits (in medical plan) and parental leave are available for teammates planning for a family.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and 401(k) - We offer these voluntary financial programs to help teammates prepare for their future, as well as other voluntary benefits.
• Paid Leave - In addition to sick days and short-term leave, we offer holidays, vacation days, personal days, and additional types of leave – including parental leave.
• Well-Being – Also included in our offering is a Teammate Assistance Program (TAP), Calm Health, Cancer Resources Services, and discount programs – all at no cost to you.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director