Director of Quality

Charter Manufacturing is a fourth-generation family-owned business where our will to grow drives us to do it better. Join the team and become part of our family!

We're seeking a

Director of Quality

to join Charter Steel where quality is at the core of everything we do.

In this pivotal role, you will provide strategic quality leadership, unifying our quality teams and establishing a robust Quality Management System (QMS). You'll be responsible for implementing best practices, including Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement.

You will partner with cross-functional teams to champion a culture of quality, ensuring our product and process capabilities consistently meet or exceed customer and regulatory requirements. You'll lead quality planning and execution through all phases of the product lifecycle, from supplier qualification and manufacturing to customer engagement.

Serving as the voice of quality, both internally and externally, you will use data-driven methods and a collaborative, structured problem-solving approach to elevate the quality organization and ensure we continue to provide superior products that set us apart from the competition.

Position specifics

- This is an onsite position

- Ideal location for this position is at our Charter Steel site in Cleveland, OH with an optional location in Saukville, WI

- Willingness to travel up to 30%+

- Reports into the President of Charter Steel

Key Responsibilities

- Develop, lead, and execute Charter Steel’s enterprise quality strategy and roadmap, including the design/implementation of a tiered APQP and organizational change management

- Oversee compliance and drive continuous improvement of the QMS that includes APQP

- Lead the Quality organization, including plant-level quality teams (indirectly/dotted line reporting) and corporate quality support functions (direct reporting)

- Establish meaningful KPIs and drive accountability to meet business and customer quality objectives

- Partner with Operations to ensure manufacturing process capability and stability

- Represent Charter Steel during key customer engagements, audits, and quality reviews

- Drive investigation, resolution, and prevention of customer issues, including formal corrective action and problem-solving efforts

- Oversee supplier quality management including audits, development, and performance monitoring

- Own and maintain internal audit programs to ensure system compliance and readiness for third-party certification

- Lead strategic quality improvement initiatives and cross-functional teams

- Support employee development through technical training, coaching, and engagement in quality initiatives

- Serve as a change agent to embed a culture of quality and operational excellence across the organization

- Follow Environmental, Quality and Safety Management System procedures and requirements

- Ability to meet the essential job requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation, as outlined in the job description

What You’ll Need

- Bachelor’s Degree in Quality Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, related engineering/technical degree or equivalent years of education and experience

- Ten plus years’ experience in quality systems, manufacturing, and/or technical operations with a demonstrated progression in leadership responsibilities

- Proven leadership and supervisory experience with the ability to lead through influence and develop high-performing teams

- Deep understanding of quality standards such as ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AIAG’s APQP manual and related quality processes

- Demonstrated expertise in implementing and managing company-wide APQP as a fundamental element of the QMS to include: quality-related training, FMEA’s, control plans, statistical process control (“SPC”), product and process audits, root cause analysis, and corrective action planning

- Effective communication and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate complex technical issues to a range of internal and external audiences

- Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools and familiarity with quality management software systems

Nice to have

- Master’s Degree (M.S. or MBA)

- Six Sigma certification or experience leading Lean/CI initiatives

- ASQ certifications (Certified Quality Engineer, Manager, or Auditor)

- Experience with advanced manufacturing systems and data analytics tools

- Wire and bar product experience in the steel industry

- Knowledge of heat treatment and process metallurgy

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We offer comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits, along with a 401(k) plan that includes employer matching and profit sharing. Additionally, we offer company-paid life insurance, disability coverage, and paid time off (PTO).