Employee Mission: Nekoosa Quality Manager

The Quality Manager is responsible for delivering best-in-class quality performance by ensuring that all products and processes consistently meet defined quality standards and exceed customer expectations.

This role involves overseeing a team of quality engineers, developing, and implementing effective quality management systems (QMS), ensuring adherence to quality standards, and driving continuous improvement processes across operational and manufacturing functions.

The Quality Manager plays a critical role in maintaining high-quality standards while optimizing performance and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Organizational Development:

• Lead, motivate, and develop a team of quality engineers, providing direction, training, and support.
• Foster a collaborative, innovative team culture that encourages creative problem-solving and continuous improvement in both quality and cost-saving initiatives.
• Set clear performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching, mentoring, and development opportunities to team members.
• Interface effectively with other functions to maximize success and increase expertise across the entire organization (Purchasing, Marketing, Sales, Technology, Finance, and Production).

Quality Excellence:

• Deliver a corporate and site level Q-Metric performance of 99.5%, while ensuring our quality claim closer rate is Enhance and standardize our quality management system across all sites to incorporate new tools, methods, and root-cause investigations driving a 10% reduction in customer quality credits in 2025, with an additional 10% in 2026.
• Lead claim investigations process by setting clear response timelines and expectations for both customers and internal team members, ensuring effective communication and timely resolution of claims.
• Manage and enhance a comprehensive quality dashboard that tracks and communicates key quality metrics across all sites, covering all phases from sourcing through development, manufacturing, and shipping.
• Manage and collect quality performance data for key metrics, including corporate and site-level Q-metric performance, customer claim status, and plant corrective actions, and report this data monthly to senior management.
• Conduct detailed data analysis on process improvements, tracking and reporting performance trends related to key quality and operational metrics to identify areas for further optimization. Develop and implement training programs to enhance team knowledge and compliance with quality standards and procedures.
• Build and maintain relationships with customers and suppliers to address quality issues and drive improvements in products or processes.

Quality Improvement Innovation:

• Within the next 12 months, drive technical innovation in the quality and manufacturing teams by implementing three innovative technologies or methodologies, aiming for a 10% improvement in quality improvement.
• Actively engage with RD and engineering teams to implement innovative solutions to common quality challenges, improving both product performance and cost efficiency.

Required Qualifications:

Education: Associate or bachelor’s degree in quality management, Engineering (Paper Science, Chemistry), Manufacturing, and/or a related technical field.

Experience: Minimum of 7 years in quality management or engineering roles, with at least 3 years of experience leading quality teams in operational or manufacturing environments.

Travel: The travel requirements of this position will be less than 30% Key Skills and

Attributes:

• Leadership: Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing high-performing quality teams.
• Customer-focused: Ability to understand customer requirements and ensure quality processes are aligned with their expectations.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with a data-driven approach to continuous improvement.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail to ensure consistent quality and compliance across all production processes.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effectively interacting with team members, customers, and senior management.
• Adaptability: Ability to quickly adapt quality processes to meet changing customer demands and production requirements.
• Proficiency with quality management software, statistical analysis tools (e.g., Minitab), and root cause analysis techniques.
• Strong computer skills, including advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (Excel is essential).