Quality Assurance Director

BPG-Arrowhead Winch•Broken Arrow, OK

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Arrowhead Winch is seeking a Quality Assurance Director to lead the Quality Department and build a prevention-focused quality culture across its Broken Arrow and Okmulgee, Oklahoma manufacturing plants. This is a 100% onsite, office-based position supporting both plants. The director partners with Operations, Engineering, Purchasing, and frontline teams to promote quality at the source, shared accountability, and measurable customer satisfaction. The role oversees the ISO 9001 Quality Management System, customer and supplier quality, corrective action, measurement systems, traceability, warranty analysis, and new-product readiness. The director sets quality strategy and goals, leads the team, monitors performance, and drives sustainable improvements while maintaining product conformance and customer requirements. The work environments are described as clean, climate controlled, and safe. Applicants must complete a background check, drug test, and pre-employment physical as a condition of employment. The position requires regular travel between the Broken Arrow and Okmulgee plants.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, quality, manufacturing, or a related field.
Seven to ten years of quality leadership in ISO 9001 manufacturing, including machining and assembly, multi-site supervision, and team development.
Proven success building a quality-first culture, coaching frontline teams, and reducing recurring defects through prevention and accountability.
Ability to interpret part and assembly drawings; working knowledge of metrology and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
Practical experience with Lean/Six Sigma, structured root-cause analysis, and corrective-action effectiveness verification.
Experience with statistical process control (SPC), Gage R&R, process capability, PFMEA, and control plans, including methods suited to low-volume, high-mix production.
Strong analytical, technical, leadership, communication, and conflict-resolution skills; ability to influence cross-functional teams and work effectively with customers.
Strong documentation and organizational skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods, including in a manufacturing shop; use a computer and review technical documents for extended periods; have adequate vision to inspect parts and review documents; hear and speak clearly; occasionally lift up to 50 lbs. with assistance and bend, squat, or stoop; work around electrical and heavy equipment; handle and inspect parts; and wear required PPE in applicable areas.
Regular travel between the Broken Arrow and Okmulgee plants.
Completion of a background check, drug test, and pre-employment physical as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

Lean or Six Sigma certification; Green Belt or Black Belt preferred.
ISO 9001 Lead Auditor training or certification.
Experience using short-run SPC, layered process audits, and mistake-proofing in low-volume, high-mix manufacturing.
Welding inspection knowledge; AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) is a plus.
Knowledge of paint and coatings inspection.
Knowledge and experience using AI tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot.

Responsibilities

Build a quality-at-the-source culture through shop-floor leadership, employee engagement, supervisor coaching, recognition, and shared accountability.
Set quality strategy and annual goals aligned with business priorities, customer requirements, and measurable results.
Lead and standardize quality procedures, controls, audits, and ISO 9001 management reviews across both plants, ensuring actions are completed and effective.
Partner with Operations to strengthen standard work, in-process checks, visual controls, and mistake-proofing to prevent defects and improve first-pass yield.
Establish expectations for identifying, containing, and escalating suspect product, and support prompt action on quality concerns.
Define quality standards and process controls for machining, welding, painting, assembly, and final testing.
Track and review quality measures, assign improvement owners, and drive action on performance trends.
Monitor customer scorecards and ensure customer-specific specifications, certifications, inspection records, and corrective-action requirements are met at both plants.
Communicate quality issues, containment plans, corrective actions, and verified closure to customers promptly and accurately.
Develop employee quality awareness and problem-solving skills; maintain inspector training, qualification, and competency requirements.
Lead Quality Department staffing, coaching, performance management, succession planning, and professional development.
Oversee calibration, measurement system suitability, and Gage R&R studies.
Lead cross-functional root-cause analysis and corrective action using structured methods such as 8D or 5 Whys, and verify actions prevent recurrence.
Use risk-based and layered process audits to confirm compliance with critical controls and sustain improvements.
Manage nonconforming material, including identification, containment, segregation, documented disposition, controlled deviations, and release authorization.
Control process changes through risk assessment, approval, validation, documentation, and communication.
Partner with Purchasing to improve supplier quality through scorecards, reject trends, audits or visits, and targeted corrective actions.
Lead returned-product, warranty, and field-failure investigations and coordinate containment, customer feedback, and prevention of repeat issues.
Partner with Design Engineering to improve manufacturability and eliminate design-related quality risks.
Support new products, engineering changes, and process transfers through risk-based quality planning, PFMEAs, control plans, inspections, and process validation.
Set end-of-line testing requirements and records; ensure failed tests are investigated and authorized before retest or product release.
Maintain part, component, production, and test traceability appropriate to product and customer requirements.
Manage the quality budget and prioritize sustainable improvements that reduce the cost of poor quality without compromising conformance.
Manage customer-specific process approvals, create qualification plans, and maintain required test results and certifications.
Establish internal processes that must be maintained to hold customer certifications.