Vice President, Quality

GATX•Chicago, IL

24d•$240,000 - $265,000

About The Position

At GATX, we hire the best and offer our employees a dynamic, energetic, collaborative environment to enable them to make an impact from day one. Enjoy the perks and benefits of a global company with the close-knit culture and community of a much smaller one. In the same way we strive to empower our customers to propel the world forward, we are dedicated to providing our people with the tools and resources they need to advance in their careers. The Vice President of Quality provides overall direction to the development, implementation, and execution of Quality Assurance policies, processes, procedures, and programs designed to meet or exceed regulatory and customer requirements for GATX North America. Drives quality culture with a loud voice such that every employee understands and embraces their role in achieving world-class quality. Works in cooperation with executive management on strategy, managing risk, and achieving compliance with regulatory requirements (AAR, DOT, and Transport Canada).

Requirements

BS in Industrial or Mechanical Engineering or technical discipline
15+ years of progressive quality management experience in manufacturing operations with 5-7 years of executive leadership.
Strong functional background in quality management systems and techniques (ISO-9000 or equivalent, root cause analysis, and problem solving)

Nice To Haves

ASQ Certified Quality Manager or Engineering (CQM, CQE)
Background of maintenance or heavy manufacturing with knowledge of welding
Must possess a strong functional background in modern quality techniques (TQM. ISO 9000 etc.)
Experience in highly sensitive quality industry (e.g. automotive, aerospace, etc.)

Responsibilities

Direct and manage the corporate quality function for Rail North America
Drive quality culture and strategy
Conduct quality management meetings at all levels of the organization, including executive management
Manage staff development and department budget
Direct quality assurance activities for the owned maintenance facilities
Utilize a lean/continuous improvement management framework through data driven metrics and daily visual management
Identify variance from requirements through procedures and metrics and resolve using root cause analysis and corrective action.
Direct and support the quality site managers in execution of hold point inspections, training programs (qualification nondestructive testing, welding, and protective coatings) and calibration.
Oversee and assist with routine audits of critical processes with goal of achieving consistent readiness for external regulatory compliance and certification audits
Implement the Quality Management System (QMS)
Develop and administer the quality management system and associated infrastructure for the North American rail organization consistent with DOT, Transport Canada, and AAR M-1003 requirements
Provide and manage a cross functional forum to review and address opportunity improvement reports (OIR’s) involving customer complaints and process failures
Work with department heads and functional leaders to identify and control critical quality processes
Conduct compliance audits of all critical processes, partnering with Internal Audit as needed
Deploy quality engineering to facilitate root cause analysis and implement sustainable solutions
Manage external audits conducted by the Association of American Railroads, Department of Transportation and Transport Canada
Develop and maintain quality training program
Administer and continuously improve a training program that provides function specific training to employees at all levels of the organization for critical quality processes
Liaison with Human Resources department to identify and implement training strategies, considering human factors and use of technology
Administer and oversee a supplier quality function
Support selection, auditing, and non-conformance resolution of a contract railcar repair network
Work with component suppliers to identify, contain, and correct defects and non-conformances with purchased products
Partner with New Car Inspection team to ensure newly purchased railcars comply with GATX and customer requirements