Quality Assurance Lead
Akzo Nobel

AkzoNobel has a passion for paint. We're experts in the proud craft of making paints and coatings, setting the standard in color and protection since 1792. Our world class portfolio of brands - including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon - is trusted by customers around the globe. Headquartered in the Netherlands, we are active in over 150 countries and employ around 34,500 talented people who are passionate about delivering the high-performance products and services our customers expect.

Job Purpose

AkzoNobel Coatings Inc. has a great opportunity for a Quality Assurance Lead at our Pontiac, Michigan location.

The Quality Assurance Lead oversees the quality management system, champions the complaint process, and guarantees our certification and the satisfaction of our customers. The position will report to the BU Global Commercial Quality Manager or Regional/ Segment Commercial Quality Manager with the responsibility to ensure that our quality management system approach and management affords the processes, training, tools, skills development, and certifications necessary to meet our customer's requirements and drive continuous improvement.

• Designed to provide support and/or facilitation across functions (Commercial, Operations, Research & Development , Quality Control, Finance, Customer Service, etc.) in the areas of quality certifications, customer audits, audits, management reviews, customer complaints, failure modes & effect analysis (FMEA), improvement projects, customer demands and improvement recommendations through effective interface with these teams as well as customers.
• Will serve as an advocate to the Commercial business, is unbiased and pursues data-based insight, acts with a sense of urgency, affords data for transparency to the organization and proactively makes recommendations to the organization/management on ways to improve.
  

Key Accountabilities

• Assists in the development and communication of the Business Quality Objectives, Business Quality Strategy, Business Quality Awareness, identified/proposed quality training, KPI's and improvement projects in conjunction with Quality Managers and responsible functions. Subsequently drives these elements through the organization to ensure awareness, effectiveness and adherence. Expected to attend, support and/or present at the necessary functional meetings (Sales Meeting, Operations, IBP, etc.) to create two-way visibility and feedback for quality within the organization.
• Champions or assists in the architecture, maintenance, document control and direction of the Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure that market, customer and/or regional requirements are met. Aides in the development, documentation and/or refinement of procedures and processes with functional owners and sites. The position can also be assigned global QMS oversight requiring interface/cooperation across regions or segments to afford alignment.
• Champions end to end facilitation of the customer complaint process via an eight discipline (8D) type of approach including regular complaint reviews with functional owners to ensure customer satisfaction and organizational continuous improvement is achieved. Ensures the organization is responsive with effective containment actions, delivers root causes, meaningful corrective actions and actions/processes to prevent reoccurrence through effective/efficient means and prioritization. Includes the analysis of external customer complaints leading to the generation of data, charts and recommendations for potential improvement areas for quality dashboards, management reviews and process audits. Interfaces with quality assurance counterparts in other regions and functions to ensure complaint/ NC data, transparency, processes, improvement actions, etc. are aligned to support the business in resolution, prevention and responsiveness.
• Ensures that the necessary risk analysis, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), equipment calibration/ verification management and customer qualification documentation is taking place and documented in collaboration with the concerned departments via designated tools/ approaches. The level of responsibility is to be agreed and documented to ensure proper execution and accountability.
• Manages or supports Internal Audit scheduling, execution, and non-conformance follow-up to ensure improvement areas are identified with process owners and necessary advancements or escalations are afforded for risk mitigation/decisions. Can include additional non-scheduled auditing identified from analysis, failures, etc. to heighten transparency, improve processes and ensure proper execution.
• Responsible for the lead or support of agreed quality certification, customer, distributor and/or supplier audits with subsequent non-conformance follow-up working with the appropriate functions. Includes the engagement and associated responsibilities/ monitoring of market specific and regional bodies.
• Facilitates the execution of customer quality surveys, assessments, documentation, portal entries and requirement reviews with the appropriate functions. Manages customer scorecards to ensure performance is transparent to the organization and any required actions are afforded, effective and timely.
• Responsible or assists the gathering, summarizing and analysis of data for effective Management Reviews and dashboards including recommendations for continuous improvement areas, projects, and resource focus. Leads or supports Management Reviews and responsible for dashboard documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required and preferred in Chemistry, Engineering or Quality Systems Mgmt.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a quality role or technical discipline; either coatings or chemical industry preferred. Experience in aeronautics, film or automotive industries beneficial due to quality standard demands for this role (ISO9001, AS9100, IATF 16949, etc.).
• Expected ISO9001 Certified Internal Auditor certified at a minimum; Lead Auditor certification to ISO9001 would be beneficial along with exposure/certifications to IAFT 16949, AS9100, ISO14001 and ISO17025.
• Effective communication, presentation, training, project management and facilitation skills in a cross-functional and collaborative team environment.
• Proven troubleshooting, root cause analysis and continuous improvement skills/methodology.
• Attention to detail, process oriented, continuous improvement, data management and analysis mindset.
• Ability to lead and motivate project teams as needed to ensure a sense of urgency and efficient/professional approach is afforded.
• Confidence and ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers.
• Proficient in computer applications - MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) and SharePoint at a minimum; ERP system experience beneficial (SAP, other).
• Experience/familiarity with FMEA's, Six Sigma and/or Lean Manufacturing principles beneficial.
• Fluent spoken and written English needed: ability to communicate fluently with international customers and with the group.
• Travel expected from this position; estimated 10%.

AkzoNobel is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable laws, we prohibit discrimination against any applicant or employee based on any legally-recognized basis, including, but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status, uniformed servicemember status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.

Requisition ID:14222

#LI-MV2

Nearest Major Market: Detroit

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