Sr Product Quality Manager
About The Position
Clearwater Paper is hiring a Senior Product Quality Manager to lead the mill quality function and deliver product quality aligned with business goals. The role serves as the subject matter expert for SBS product quality, customer requirements, and quality-related risks. It develops and maintains quality and food safety management systems, ensures compliance with applicable product standards and regulations, and maintains documentation and audit readiness. The manager oversees process control and product quality, including critical paperboard attributes and statistical process control. The role partners with Operations and Engineering to reduce defects, waste, off-grade production, and process variation. It also manages customer quality concerns, supports product and grade development and customer trials, and participates in Management of Change processes. The position oversees laboratory testing, calibration, sample handling, reproducibility, and data integrity, while improving laboratory efficiency, safety, and technical capability. It leads data-driven quality improvement initiatives to reduce claims, rework, waste, downtime, and quality-related costs. Work takes place in manufacturing and operational areas and requires personal protective equipment and physical activity including standing, walking, bending, lifting, and climbing.
Requirements
- 7+ years of progressive quality experience within the pulp and paper industry.
- 4+ years of supervisory experience, including performance management, coaching, and employee development.
- Strong knowledge of paper and paperboard testing methods, including TAPPI/ISO, statistical process control, data analysis, and quality management systems such as ISO, GMP, and SQF.
- Working knowledge of fiber certification, food-contact packaging requirements, and translating customer specifications into operational quality controls.
- Must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and must not require Clearwater Paper sponsorship to continue working legally in the United States.
Responsibilities
- Lead the mill quality function by establishing priorities, performance objectives, and quality expectations aligned with business goals.
- Drive a culture of built-in quality through proactive process control, risk management, and continuous improvement.
- Serve as the subject matter expert for SBS product quality, customer requirements, and quality-related risks.
- Develop, implement, and maintain Quality and Food Safety Management Systems aligned with ISO 9001, FSC®, PEFC™, FSSC 22000, and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Ensure compliance with product standards and regulations, including FDA, BfR, EU, and other domestic and international requirements.
- Maintain document control, product specifications, procedures, records management, and audit readiness.
- Lead internal and external quality and certification audits and ensure timely resolution of findings.
- Monitor critical product attributes, including basis weight, caliper, moisture, formation, surface properties, print performance, sheeting, and roll quality.
- Drive effective use of statistical process control (SPC), control charts, and trend analysis to identify improvement opportunities and reduce variability.
- Partner with Operations and Engineering to reduce defects, waste, off-grade production, and process variation.
- Manage customer quality concerns from intake through root cause analysis, corrective action, and resolution.
- Partner with Sales, Customer Service, and Technical Service teams to address customer requirements and quality issues.
- Lead structured problem-solving investigations using tools such as 5-Why, Fishbone, and DMAIC.
- Track customer satisfaction metrics, claims, and cost of poor quality.
- Support new product development, grade development, and customer trials by validating product quality, specifications, and performance requirements.
- Participate in Management of Change (MOC) processes for raw materials, chemicals, equipment, and process modifications.
- Ensure laboratory testing accuracy and reliability in accordance with TAPPI, ISO, and customer-specific methods.
- Oversee calibration programs, sample handling, test reproducibility, and data integrity requirements.
- Improve laboratory efficiency, safety, and technical capability.
- Lead quality improvement initiatives using data-driven analysis to reduce claims, rework, waste, downtime, and quality-related costs.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Incentive Plan eligibility.
- Medical, dental, vision, and other benefits generally begin after 30 days.
- Paid vacation days, personal days, and company holidays.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
