Mgr, Regional Quality & Technology

Job Purpose

Lead the quality and technical functions for multiple manufacturing facilities within an assigned region, business unit, or product line. Ensure compliance with corporate quality standards and third-party certification requirements while driving consistent product performance, continuous improvement, process optimization, product and process development, and cost-effective manufacturing. Serve as the regional quality and technical leader responsible for translating business strategy into executable quality priorities.

In this position you will have the opportunity to:

• Ensure plant quality department practices align with corporate, business, and site safety programs.
• Provide functional leadership and development for Plant Quality Managers, including coaching, mentoring, performance management input, succession planning, and capability building in partnership with Plant Managers.
• Lead and govern the regional Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure consistent product performance, standardized quality practices, certification maintenance, compliance, and continuous improvement across assigned facilities.
• Identify, assess, communicate, and mitigate risks affecting product quality, process capability, customer satisfaction, regulatory or certification compliance, and business performance.
• Establish and monitor regional quality performance measures, including customer complaints, warranty and claims performance, cost of poor quality, audit outcomes, certification compliance, process capability, and completion of continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure consistent product inspection, sampling, testing, data review, and disposition practices at each plant to support compliance, product assurance, cost reduction, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with internal requirements and external standards for finished-product quality, process changes, third-party certification, and control of nonconforming product.
• Support product and process development, equipment improvements, capital projects, manufacturing start-ups, cost reduction, and efficiency improvements across assigned facilities.
• Lead quality input to regional implementation of new products, material changes, process modifications, and technology transfers by coordinating activities among R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales and Marketing, and manufacturing facilities.
• Partner with Procurement and Supply Chain to establish, maintain, and improve supplier quality assurance programs and supplier performance expectations for the assigned region.
• Lead execution of regional internal quality audit programs. Ensure timely corrective action, verification of effectiveness, documentation, and closure of identified gaps.
• Assess capability needs and lead training programs that strengthen quality, technical, analytical, and problem-solving skills across the region.
• Ensure product and process changes are evaluated, approved, documented, and implemented in accordance with company requirements and applicable third-party certification procedures.
• Provide technical and quality support to Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and Claims as requested. Maintain awareness of competitor products, technologies, manufacturing processes, and market trends.
• Participate in development of business strategy and lead execution of quality and technical initiatives supporting growth, operational excellence, customer satisfaction, risk reduction, and product leadership.
• As directed by the business team, participate in R&D planning for new products, platform extensions, raw-material changes, and process improvements.
• Lead analysis of product claims, customer complaints, warranty issues, and field performance data to identify systemic product or process deficiencies and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What do I need to be successful?

• 10 or more years of manufacturing experience with progressively increasing responsibility in quality, process engineering, product development, operations, or technical leadership roles.
• At least 5 years of quality leadership experience and 5 years of supervisory or people-management experience.
• Experience supporting multiple manufacturing facilities or leading work across a region, business unit, or product line is preferred.
• Process engineering, product commercialization, supplier quality, claims analysis, and third-party certification experience are preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of quality management principles and systems, including quality assurance, quality control, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Statistical Quality Control (SQC), process capability, and continuous improvement.
• Working knowledge of structured root-cause analysis and corrective-action methods, such as 5 Why, cause-and-effect analysis, fault tree analysisand failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA).
• Demonstrated knowledge of wood-products manufacturing processes and the relationship between raw materials, equipment, process conditions, and finished-product performance.
• Knowledge of third-party product certification, regulatory compliance, audit practices, and change-control requirements relevant to the business.
• Demonstrated leadership, supervisory, coaching, and talent-development skills.
• Strong analytical and data-interpretation skills, including the ability to identify trends, evaluate risk, and convert findings into practical actions.
• Strong project-management, product-development, process-development, and change-management capabilities.
• Ability to influence and align cross-functional teams in a matrix organization.
• Well-developed interpersonal, facilitation, and training skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical and business risks to plant, functional, and senior leaders.
• Ability to work independently, establish priorities, and manage multiple facilities and initiatives.
• Proficiency with business, quality, statistical, and data-visualization software used by the organization.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in forest products, engineering, science, quality, manufacturing, or a related field required; an advanced degree in a related discipline is preferred.
• An equivalent combination of education, technical training, and directly relevant experience may be considered when it demonstrates the ability to perform the key responsibilities.

Work Environment

• Works frequently in active manufacturing environments and must comply with site-specific personal protective equipment and safety requirements
• Frequent travel to assigned manufacturing facilities, suppliers, customers, and other business locations is required.