Foundry Quality Manager

JOB SUMMARY:

The Manager partners with plant operations leaders to ensure process control / consistency and drive scrap minimization and operational performance improvement. Provides plant-level quality leadership, provides and coordinates worker training, is the vehicle through which the PDT affects process and quality improvement, and works with the Plant Manager to achieve Donsco’s customer, supplier, and ISO certified quality objectives.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:

1. Work with the Plant Manager to provide direction to and ensure the personal and professional development of direct reports.

2. Direct the day-to-day activities of the Finishing Quality Technician(s), Lab Manager and Lab Supervisor.

3. Oversee the quality lab to ensure effective defect analysis, sand testing, and metallurgical testing including metal certification and test bar prep, analysis, and storage.

4. Lead in creating a plant-wide quality culture; provide Quality training and empowerment for production workers; make certain everyone understands that it is not acceptable to produce scrap and that production must be stopped if scrap is likely to result.

5. Work with the Plant Manager and production Supervisors across all shifts to ensure that workers possess the knowledge and skills they need to be fully effective at their jobs.

6. Establish formal scrap review procedures; chair regular scrap review meetings; nominate problem jobs to the Plant Manager for PDT review.

7. Lead defect analysis and correction activities through formal root cause studies and other forms of structured problem solving.

8. Work to develop an effective, integrated corrective action system; oversee and manage that system at the foundry; ensure that disciplined and thorough problem identification and root cause analyses underpin process improvement decisions and (with the Documentarian) that all aspects of the process are properly documented.

9. Work independently, with customers, and with others as needed to identify and document necessary process improvements and corrective actions; work with and through the PDT as needed.

10. Oversee implementation of agreed upon corrective actions; with the Documentarian, make sure new processes are properly documented and that Supervisors and workers are properly trained and able to execute well and consistently; provide formal and informal feedback to Donsco staff, the PDT, and (as needed) customers about the status of corrective actions and their results.

11. On behalf of the PDT, observe and facilitate sample production; collect data at each step in the sampling process and report results back to the PDT in a timely manner so they may be incorporated into process designs, work instructions, routings, etc.; recommend job-specific process changes and improvements.

12. Evaluate manufacturing processes through observation and collection / publication of process data to determine capabilities, variations, root causes, and improvement actions; work with department staff and plant leaders to improve process control.

13. Use data (i.e., Control Charts, Improvement Charts, Improvement Metrics, etc.) to monitor processes and improve consistency, advocate for the use of consistent and uniform practices.

14. Drive quality improvement through the use of contemporary quality management tools and techniques.

15. Implement a documented audit system to ensure that all quality and manufacturing processes are being performed to prescribed standards, support ISO certification.

16. Work with the Plant Manager as needed to facilitate effective customer communication and customer / prospective customer quality audits.

17. Inspect, test, audit, and otherwise ensure the quality of incoming material and supplies.

18. Work with the Plant Manager as needed to facilitate effective supplier selection, certification, and re-certification.

19. Assist the Plant Manager as needed by verifying (or not) that products are scrap.

20. Perform other duties and manage special projects as assigned by the Plant Superintendent.

ESSENTIAL JOB REQUIREMENTS (BACKGROUND/SKILL/TRAINING):

1. Bachelor's degree in quality management or related field.

2. A minimum of five years' experience in quality management in an iron foundry.

3. Deep understanding of iron foundry and machining processes and of casting defects and their causes

4. Demonstrates knowledge of advanced quality management principles including APQP, cost of quality (COQ), TQM, SPC, root cause analysis, corrective actions, etc.

5. In depth knowledge of contemporary quality management and improvement tools and techniques

6. Strong knowledge of the technology and information systems required be effective

7. Strong training and employee development skills

8. Ability to interact with internal and external customers to accomplish goals

9. Strong organizational and planning skills, problem solving skills and oral and written communication skills.

10. Team orientated, ethical, and trustworthy

11. Flexible and able to adapt to and embrace change

12. Detail orientated, able to make decisions and act responsibly and results orientated.

About Donsco Inc

Donsco, Inc. is North America’s leading single source provider of machined iron castings, and has been in continuous operation for more than 100 years