Director, Quality

Elemental Brands•Reno, NV

4d•$125,000 - $150,000•Onsite

About The Position

As our Director of Quality, you will have a direct seat at the table in shaping our global electromechanical manufacturing quality footprint. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role where you will build a scalable Quality Management System (QMS), establish and strengthen Contract Manufacturing (CM) partnerships globally, and direct a growing quality team. If you thrive on strategic autonomy, global supply chain governance, and driving operational excellence, this role offers the ideal platform to make a lasting mark. The Director, Quality serves as an executive-level quality leader responsible for the strategic vision, design, implementation, and overall management of the company's Quality Management System (QMS), ISO standards, and global Contract Manufacturer (CM) quality governance. This position drives international supplier quality management prior to US product arrival, quality control (QC) systems, quality assurance (QA), continuous process improvement, and new product validation. This senior leadership role requires interdepartmental leadership in managing multiple complex strategic projects and collaborating closely with Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Business Strategies/OEM, Production, Supply Chain, and Distribution. Key responsibilities for this position include establishing a scalable quality infrastructure, directing offshore vendor compliance, and collaborating across internal departments and global supply chain partners to improve quality methods and systems, resulting in a positive impact on product quality and services. This position will be required to communicate with international Contract Manufacturers (CMs) and business partners in various time zones, requiring work outside of normal business hours and up to 15% travel (including domestic and international factory/supplier visits). This position partners directly with the SVP, Engineering and Operations on strategic departmental planning, long-range operating goals, expansion efforts, and implementation of advanced technology.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, technical, or quality-related field and 7+ years of progressive quality experience in a manufacturing environment, with at least 3+ years in a direct management capacity leading teams.
Proven hands-on experience implementing, maintaining, and auditing Quality Management Systems (QMS) and ISO standards (e.g., ISO 9001 procedure writing and auditing).
Extensive background in Contract Manufacturer (CM) management, supplier quality governance, offshore vendor auditing, and pre-shipment quality setup.
Electromechanical quality standards and methodologies, including IPC-A-610 standards, GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing), APQP, PPAP, and 8D/CAPA root-cause analysis.
Lean Six Sigma principles (Green Belt or Black Belt certification a plus) and Statistical Process Control (SPC).
Quality best practices (QA, QC, Supplier Quality, and Failure Analysis) that can be applied in the company’s environment.
General knowledge of electromechanical components (e.g., LEDs, drivers, basic lighting terminology, photometry, applications, power supplies, and controls).
Advanced management principles and practices of employee management and leadership, including work planning, assignments, and multi-layered team oversight.
Business math and statistical techniques.
Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Google applications (Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides).
Familiarity with ERP and PLM systems in a manufacturing environment.
Exceptional attention to detail, time-management, and executive-level problem-solving skills.
Ability to safely use various metrology tools equipment including but not limited to, calipers, handheld photometer, and a multimeter for purposes of evaluating product conformance.
Ability to strategize, plan, organize, prioritize, and execute a variety of multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner: organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or quality related field and 5 years quality experience preferred OR equivalent experience with proven record of successful quality leadership in a manufacturing and/or quality environment
Experience with imaging measuring machines or CMM’s programming and measuring, a plus.

Responsibilities

Directs the end-to-end design, implementation, and maintenance of the company's Quality Management System (QMS) and ISO standards (e.g., ISO 9001), ensuring full organizational compliance and audit readiness.
Oversees vendor and Contract Manufacturer (CM) compliance, establishing rigorous quality control processes, pre-shipment inspection gates, and Certificate of Conformance (CoC) validation prior to parts arriving in the US (requires up to 15% domestic/international travel).
Drives strategic alignment with international quality teams and global suppliers, leading factory audits, Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA/SCAR) protocols, and supplier quality governance.
Owns and modernizes the quality roadmap with direct sponsorship from executive leadership, enjoying full authority to implement best-in-class processes, digital quality tools, and international CM governance frameworks.
Coordinates with Engineering, Product Management, and vendors to establish and enforce First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) protocols for new product introductions (NPI).
Develops, implements, measures, and evaluates overall infrastructure, including procedures, policies, and plans to check, test, and inspect finished goods to supply the highest quality possible before they are shipped to the customer, to include: Incoming material quality control, In process quality control, Final product quality control.
Leads a multi-tiered quality department through direct management of the Quality Engineer and Quality Supervisor, providing indirect leadership and oversight to Quality Assurance Technicians.
Implements and monitors Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track both departmental/supplier Quality performance in aggregate and individual employee metrics.
Manages and coordinates the inspection and documentation of manufactured and incoming merchandise that will be made available for sale.
Ensures that accurate and current documentation and QMS records are created, maintained, and accessible for all quality inspections.
Responsible for evaluation of Returned Merchandise Authorization (RMA), determining disposition and root-cause analysis in coordination with Engineering and Sales.
Plans, establishes, implements, and maintains audit checks at the facility and warehouse, reporting findings to executive management throughout the organization.
Trains Quality employees on auditing processes and manages the execution of auditing practices.
Ensures equipment, personnel, processes, and procedures are in place before demand comes, utilizing statistical trend analysis, predictive modeling, and risk management.
Leverages the latest technologies, including robotics and other automation within quality processes.
Provides necessary support and resources to the Quality team to effectively perform their duties.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life/AD&D, Short Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance (100% PAID by employer), available first of the month, following the date of hire
Company-matched 401(k) Plan, at 5%, no vesting schedule
Discretionary Time Off (DTO)
Parental Leave (PL)
Sick Time Off (STO)
Seven Paid Holidays
Pre-Tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) - $200 annual employer contribution
Career Development Plan Program
Discounted Corporate Gym Membership at South Reno Athletic Club
Tuition Assistance
Monthly Birthday Lunch Celebrations
Employee Discount
On-site Snacks and Beverages
Employee Referral Bonus Program