Senior Manager, Quality Assurance & Excellence

The Friedkin Group•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Sr Manager of Quality Assurance and Excellence under the leadership of the VP, Quality is responsible for leading, developing, and implementing quality assurance strategies, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement initiatives across the organization with one Quality focus across GST and our partner Automotive companies (USAL, ASG, GSFS, etc). This role ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, industry best practices, and internal quality standards while fostering a culture of operational excellence. This includes focus on creating a work environment that engages associates at all levels to improve Quality and Customer experience, reduce waste, and standardize processes with speed and transparency to sustain a competitive advantage for GST in the market. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker and influential leader with strong facilitation skills and background in quality, process optimization, and/or continuous improvement that can communicate effectively with any audience (Executive leadership, Dealers, Suppliers, and various associates throughout GST and our partner Automotive companies). Direct report includes the Supplier & Field Quality Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree completed in Engineering, Quality Management, Business Administration, or a related field with transferable knowledge.
10+ years in quality assurance, process improvement, operational excellence, or equivalent combination of education and experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
Excellent leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
Strong communication, facilitation and stakeholder management abilities

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree completed in Engineering, Quality Management, Business Administration, or a related field with transferable knowledge.
Proven track record of driving operational excellence or continuous improvement initiatives
Experience in automotive, manufacturing, technology, or a related industry.

Responsibilities

Lead company-wide initiatives focused on exceeding customer expectations, continuous improvement and reduction of quality risks and the costs of poor quality (CoPQ).
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing quality assurance and excellence organization.
Lead Supplier & Accessory Quality organization
Lead, mentor, and develop Quality Council associates to instill a Quality culture throughout the organization.
Champion a culture of high-quality standards and continuous improvement by applying Lean, GST Production System and/or other quality management methodologies.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify areas of improvement, prioritize, and develop roadmap to improve.
Foster a culture of accountability, problem-solving, and innovation with a customer focus mindset and data driven decision making.
Develop and implement quality assurance framework to ensure high quality standards across our automotive products, services, and processes.
Collaborate with senior leadership to align quality and operational excellence initiatives with business goals and priorities.
Oversee the development and execution of quality assurance programs, including audits and risk assessments, and corrective action follow-up.
Identify risks by working closely with Business Unit leaders and Business Audit and Advisory Services (BAAS). Deploy appropriate tools like PFMEAs to develop risk reduction plans and ensure action plan follow-up through completion.
Develop high level Quality Dashboard and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to quality and operational excellence.
Implement technology and data analytics tools to enhance quality monitoring and decision-making.
Strong ability to drive organizational change and foster a culture of Quality assurance and Operational excellence.
Expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar methodologies.
Knowledge of quality management systems (ISO 9001, FMVSS regulations, etc.)
Proficiency in data analysis, quality management software, and process automation tools.