VP Quality

Crane Company•Lynnwood, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Crane Aerospace and Electronics is seeking a Vice President of Quality for their Elyria, OH or Lynnwood, WA location. Crane Aerospace & Electronics specializes in supplying critical systems and components to the aerospace and defense markets, operating in demanding environments from engines to satellites. The Elyria, Ohio facility has a century-long history of excellence in pumping technology, including supplying pumps for Charles Lindbergh and currently having over 150,000 fuel and lubrication pumps in service, alongside custom thermal management system solutions. The Vice President of Quality is responsible for overseeing quality assurance and control programs, ensuring compliance with stringent Aerospace & Defense (CAE) industry and government regulations, and developing quality strategies to improve products and processes across all Crane Aerospace & Electronics businesses. This role involves building a quality culture, managing audits, leading corrective actions, and collaborating with departments like engineering, operations, and supply chain to enhance key metrics such as First Pass Yield and Cost of Poor Quality. The VP Quality will also serve as the lead facilitator for Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) across all CAE sites, driving process improvements through requirements definition, compliance flow-down, and employee training to ensure safety, airworthiness, conformity, and product reliability. Additionally, the position supports CAE's strategic priorities for Growth, Customer Service, and Quality.

Requirements

15+ years of directly related Quality work experience in defense, space electronics or high-end aerospace industry.
Experience with developing and managing a department budget and projects.
Change leadership experience.
Expert knowledge of Quality Management Systems including AS9145 as well as Process Improvement and Control Techniques.
Demonstrated knowledge of manufacturing best practices, process control (SPC, Six Sigma), logistics processes, engineering management (project management) and safety management.
Demonstrated strong analytical skills, problem solving and financial acumen.
Outstanding leadership skills.
Ability to analyze and interpret scientific/technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.
Ability to demonstrate a strong sense of urgency.
B.S. degree in electrical or mechanical engineering, or related field.
Ability to travel up to 70%.
Eligibility Requirement: This position may require access to Controlled Data or Information, thus only US Persons will be considered due to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in engineering, or another related field.

Responsibilities

Oversee quality assurance and control programs, ensuring compliance with stringent Aerospace & Defense (CAE) industry and government regulations.
Develop quality strategies to improve products and processes across all Crane Aerospace & Electronics businesses.
Build a quality culture, manage audits, and lead corrective actions.
Partner with engineering, operations, and supply chain to drive improvements in key metrics such as First Pass Yield and Cost of Poor Quality.
Act as the lead facilitator across all CAE sites of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).
Drive breakthrough process improvements in Quality through requirements definition and full compliance flow-down into value streams, including employee training and awareness to assure safety, airworthiness, conformity, and product reliability requirements are met.
Drive and support actions to meet all CAE strategic priorities for Growth, Customer Service and Quality.
Develop and implement the AS9145 standard requirements for the Product Development Process (PDP) using APQP and PPAP methodologies for all sites.
Ensure that customer engineering design requirements are clearly fulfilled and that manufacturability and quality requirements of the products supplied to the customer can be met.
Develop and establish manufacturing processes to produce products that consistently meet all requirements during the actual production run at the quoted production rate.
Implement APQP core tools across all CAE sites for key products and key processes to significantly improve First Pass Yield, COPQ and reduce customer returns.
Provide strategic direction for the quality function, aligning with organizational goals and objectives.
Lead and mentor a team of quality professionals, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to ensure product and process quality.
Drive initiatives to improve product quality, reduce defects, and enhance customer satisfaction.
Develop and implement all five phases of APQP starting with product concept and extending throughout the product life cycle.
Identify PPAP elements including any customer specific requirements, develop a PPAP file, comply with PPAP submission requirements, provide required PPAP documentation, maintain the PPAP file, notify customer of product/process changes, determine requirements for changes, and provide a revision plan.
Develop a PPAP process including design records, Design Failure Mode, and Effect Analysis (DFMEA), process flow diagram, Process Failure Mode, and Effect Analysis (PFMEA), Control Plan, Measurement System Analysis (MSA), Process Capability Studies, Packaging, First Article Inspection Report (FAIR), and PPAP approval requirements.
Update Quality Management System to support APQP sustainability with APQP/PPAP deliverables embedded in PDP Deliverable by Gate.
Develop a cadence to manage AS9145 performance including integration with Strategy Deployment Initiatives, PDP Program and Gate reviews, and Site CI Roadmaps.
Integrate PDP AS9145 reviews in Vertical Programs Review and sustaining AS9145 reviews included in Site MOR and ME-QE functional regular reviews and working meetings.
Develop and improve KPIs including Strategy Deployment TTI’s, PDP Program health, FMEA RPN reduction, Cpk Improvement, FPY Improvement and COPQ reduction.
Develop stable processes capable to Cpk ≥1.33, with robust inspection and capable MSA, with a manufacturing system that is adequately defined and documented.
Leverage AS9145 process to drive breakthrough improvement in Cost of Poor Quality.
Establish collection and analysis systems of statistical data to predict trends that will affect improvement of product quality.
Develop and conduct internal audits for AS9145.
Collaborate with operations and supply chain leadership to ensure full integration of Quality Management System (QMS) into value streams.
Include Supply Chain Management to support project, identify supplier related risks, define mitigation actions, including flow down of standard requirements.
Lead effort to define and train employees on AS9145, APQP, PPAP, root-cause analysis and problem-solving tools to identify effective corrective actions/process improvements.
Perform any other task assigned by your manager.

Benefits

Health care insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Life insurance
Disability insurance
15 days of paid time off that start accruing your first day at Crane
12 paid holidays per year
401k plan with company match
Education Reimbursement (eligible after 90 days of employment)
Comprehensive health benefits
Wellness incentives
Assistance with retirement savings
Performance-based bonus programs for certain positions
Annual development plan that includes a mixture of on-the-job coaching and formal training experiences
Proactive support for ongoing career development