Quality Manager III - BU Quality System

Elkay Manufacturing•Downers Grove, IL

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Quality Manager – Drinking Water (DW) Business Unit is responsible for leading all aspects of quality performance across the DW Business Unit, including plant quality, customer quality, warranty and returns, and product launch readiness. This role drives continuous improvement and prevention of repeat quality issues through disciplined execution of quality systems, APQP, and structured problem-solving, aligned with Zurn Elkay Business System (ZEBS), Lean Six Sigma, and Quality Management principles. As a key member of the DW leadership team, the Quality Manager defines, implements, and maintains the DW Quality Operating Model and ensures consistent execution of quality processes across manufacturing sites. The role partners closely with Product Engineering, Operations, Product Compliance, Customer-facing teams, and Supplier Quality to deliver reliable, compliant, and high-quality products while reducing Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) and improving customer experience. This position is based in one of the following two areas, and requires up to 50% travel between Downers Grove, IL, Lanark, IL, and Freeport, IL: Freeport, IL Downers Grove, IL (preferred).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, or related Engineering discipline required
10 or more years of experience in quality systems, plant quality, customer quality, or manufacturing quality roles
Demonstrated expertise in Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), including DFMEA, PFMEA, Control Plans, and PPAP readiness
Experience supporting new product launches and manufacturing or process transitions
Strong root cause analysis, corrective action, and continuous improvement capability
Lean and/or Six Sigma experience required (Green Belt required; Black Belt preferred)
Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills

Nice To Haves

Experience in high-mix manufacturing, assembly operations, or regulated products preferred

Responsibilities

Responsible for the development, implementation, management, and maintenance of the DW Business Unit quality systems in alignment with internal standards, regulatory requirements, and ZEBS principles
Lead and influence plant quality leadership across DW manufacturing sites to ensure consistent execution of inspections, containment, corrective actions, and quality metrics
Serve as the advocate and voice of quality across the DW Business Unit, promoting a culture of prevention, accountability, and continuous improvement
Drive reductions in warranty, returns, customer complaints, and Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) through data-driven analysis and systemic corrective actions
Ensure robust systems for inbound, in-process, and outbound quality controls to prevent escapes and drive issues to effective root cause resolution
Lead and support APQP execution for new products and process changes, including DFMEA, PFMEA, Control Plans, and PPAP readiness
Partner with Product Engineering and Operations to ensure quality readiness and risk mitigation prior to product and process release
Collaborate with Supplier Quality (Sourcing organization) on supplier-related quality issues and improvement initiatives (Supplier qualification, audits, PPAP ownership, and supplier corrective actions remain within Supplier Quality)
Serve as the business point of contact for quality system execution and support audit readiness and regulatory compliance across DW sites
Establish and maintain quality review forums, performance metrics, dashboards, and reporting cadence
Leverage quality data, warranty trends, and customer feedback to drive analytics, root cause identification, and preventive actions
Promote and sustain structured problem-solving, continuous improvement, and lessons learned across Manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality teams