Vice President of Quality and Continuous Improvement
Location: Lewiston, ME
Type: Full Time
Min. Experience: Senior Executive
Elmet Technologies is seeking a VP of Quality and Continuous Improvement to serve as a strategic and hands-on leader, responsible for overseeing Elmet’s enterprise-wide quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement programs. This individual will promote a culture focused on operational excellence by utilizing data-driven approaches, Lean Six Sigma principles, and robust quality systems to uphold top-tier standards in product quality, safety and customer satisfaction.
This role will guide cross-functional teams in developing and executing scalable quality systems, streamlining processes, and maintaining compliance with industry and client-specific regulations (ISO 9001 and AS9100). This is a pivotal role that will ensure quality and improvement priorities are tightly aligned with overarching business goals.
Primary duties and responsibilities include:
Continuous Improvement Leadership Responsibilities:
Education and Experience:
Benefits of the Job:
Established in 1929, Elmet is a global manufacturer of high-performance metals and metal products. Our world-class facility produces mill, machined, and fabricated products for our customers in industries like medical, aerospace, technology, and defense. We have a positive work environment and structured roles you can come in and learn without experience! Just an interest in making things! Give us a try!
This role will guide cross-functional teams in developing and executing scalable quality systems, streamlining processes, and maintaining compliance with industry and client-specific regulations (ISO 9001 and AS9100). This is a pivotal role that will ensure quality and improvement priorities are tightly aligned with overarching business goals.
Primary duties and responsibilities include:
- Develop, lead, and execute a global quality strategy that ensures compliance, product reliability, and customer satisfaction across 3 sites.
- Oversee and maintain an effective quality management system (QMS), ensuring alignment with AS9100, ISO 9001, and other relevant standards.
- Establish/maintain/monitor QMS scorecard and quality KPI metrics relative to the manufacturing site initiatives.
- Conduct periodic QMS reviews and update upper management on results.
- Work jointly with the management team on strategic initiatives as well as other critical issues. Collaborate with management to develop business practices and procedures that support Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Effectively execute internal and supplier audits, as well as host customer audits as required.
- Establish and maintain relationships with key customer quality representatives to fully understand customers’ quality requirements.
- Track the Price of Nonconformance costs and customer complaints – identifying opportunities and addressing root causes.
- Facilitate, train, and promote “Zero-defect” methodology for all processes.
- Overall responsibility for effective root cause analysis, CAPA and timely/routine communication with the customer(s). Conduct risk assessment to determine priority and level of actions.
- Manage external benchmarking activities and maintain awareness of current, best-in-class internal audit practices.
- Responsible for maintaining proper staffing levels, scheduling, and organizing work assignments within company policies and procedures across all quality departments.
- Drive improvement in overall team leadership and engagement, ensuring the best team is in place to support growth, while maintaining and improving the culture.
- Mentor and develop direct reports and entire Quality Team. Cultivate positive open communication while engaging and encouraging employee suggestions to drive improved quality.
Continuous Improvement Leadership Responsibilities:
- Develop and lead the continuous improvement roadmap and initiatives across the organization including the creation and leadership of a cross-functional governance team.
- Develop and implement training and mentor programs for all functional process owners in the concepts of continuous improvement and various tools.
- Lead cross-functional projects and initiatives to deliver process improvements, lean strategies, and best practices in the areas of lean manufacturing, six sigma, kaizen, etc.
- Consult and advise leadership on process and performance improvement opportunities that will foster growth, improved customer satisfaction, and operational efficiencies.
- Conduct leader coaching on the introduction of organizational changes and the role of the people side of change management.
- Facilitate value stream mapping of key processes to define current state and develop plans to execute to future state. Conduct advanced data analysis for process mapping as needed.
- Drive the development of the continuous improvement training curriculum for new hires.
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing or related field
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in quality, operations, or continuous improvement within a highly regulated manufacturing environment.
- Several years’ leadership experience preferably in a multi-plant capacity.
- Six Sigma, Kaizen and lean manufacturing experience
- Ability to influence across organizational boundaries
- Extensive knowledge in ERP systems
- Quality management/engineering background with ASQ certifications desired (i.e. CQE/CRE/CQM/CQA).
- Demonstrated ability to improve quality, cost, and delivery goals.
- In-depth Problem Solving/Root Cause Analysis and risk analysis (FMEA/FTA).
Benefits of the Job:
- Paid vacation and holidays!
- 401K with company match
- Company Profit Sharing
- Medical, Dental, Vision!
- Short term/long term disability, Life insurance
- Convenient location, close to I 95 in Lewiston, easy access!
Established in 1929, Elmet is a global manufacturer of high-performance metals and metal products. Our world-class facility produces mill, machined, and fabricated products for our customers in industries like medical, aerospace, technology, and defense. We have a positive work environment and structured roles you can come in and learn without experience! Just an interest in making things! Give us a try!
Veteran/Disabled
NO PHONE CALLS OR RECRUITERS, PLEASE
Elmet Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, familial status, domestic violence status, or any other status protected