Vice President, Quality Full Time

The Vice President of Quality is a key member of the senior leadership team, responsible for defining, developing, and deploying a world‑class, integrated Quality Management System across all global manufacturing operations, the global supply chain, Product Divisions, and company design activities. This role provides strategic leadership to enhance product quality, drive system standardization across business units where appropriate, ensure compliance with all applicable standards and certifications, and significantly improve customer satisfaction.

Operating within a contract manufacturing environment, the VP of Quality must navigate complex, customer‑driven quality requirements across diverse product portfolios. This role ensures consistent quality and continuous improvement across global manufacturing sites with different capabilities, certifications, and product mixes. Success comes from balancing enterprise-wide standardization with site- and customer-specific needs, while aligning culture, accountability, and quality across geographically distributed teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and execute the global Quality strategy aligned with business objectives and long-term growth.
• Establish and maintain an integrated global QMS across manufacturing, sourcing, and design sites in compliance with applicable regulatory, industry, and customer standards (ISO, FDA, defense, automotive, etc.).
• Drive a culture of quality excellence, risk management, and continuous improvement across the enterprise.
• Define, track, and report key Quality KPIs (e.g., PPM/DPPM, FPY, COQ, scrap/rework, warranty, customer complaints), linking quality performance to financial and operational outcomes.
• Own end-to-end Quality management, including product quality, CAPA, customer complaints, supplier quality, SPC, and Voice of the Customer integration.
• Lead regulatory compliance, certifications, and all external audits, serving as the primary executive liaison.
• Own quality governance for APQP/NPI, including FMEAs, control plans, PPAP, design reviews, validation, and manufacturing transfer.
• Lead response to critical quality events, including stop-ship authority, major customer escalations, recalls, and 8D investigations.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing global Quality organization; manage budgets, talent development, and succession planning.
• Lead management review processes and ensure closure of all Quality-related actions.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITY & SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree – Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related technical field; Master’s degree (MBA or equivalent) preferred.
• Relevant Quality certifications strongly preferred (e.g., ASQ CMQ/OE, ISO Lead Auditor).
• 15+ years of progressive Quality leadership experience in a complex, multinational manufacturing environment (OEM or EMS), with strong exposure to product development and manufacturing across the full product lifecycle.
• Proven success in designing, implementing, and leading integrated management systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001).
• Demonstrated experience building and leading global, cross‑cultural Quality teams.
• Extensive experience working with regulatory bodies and leading customers, certification, and regulatory audits.
• Industry experience in automotive, aerospace, medical devices, consumer goods, or similar regulated manufacturing environments strongly preferred.
• Ability to define and articulate a clear, enterprise‑wide strategic vision for Quality.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence, inspire, and drive engagement at all levels of the organization.
• Highly analytical and data‑driven, with deep expertise in problem-solving, root cause analysis, and performance improvement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex topics clearly to diverse audiences.
• Proven change leader with experience driving organizational and cultural transformation.
• Strong business acumen, including an understanding of financial metrics and their linkage to quality performance.
• Hands‑on experience with QMS platforms (e.g., ETQ, TrackWise, MasterControl, Arena) and advanced quality analytics tools (e.g., Minitab, JMP); exposure to digital quality initiatives, SPC automation, and Industry 4.0 applications preferred.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, global environment and travel domestically and internationally as required (up to 30–50%).

This job description provides an overview of the role and may evolve as business needs change.

We are an equal-opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

ABOUT US:

East West is a global manufacturing services company focused on the realization of products, from design through distribution. As an integrated team of designers, engineers and specialists in onshore, nearshore, and offshore manufacturing, we offer a seamless path to scale and an exceptional speed-to-market strategy while driving down costs and adhering to the highest quality standards. We are one integrated family, working together to support our customers throughout the entire product lifecycle. We are East West!