Plant Quality Manager

From a small family business to a multi-billion-dollar global company, Sonoco has been changing the face of products and packaging since 1899 — all while keeping the heart of “People Build Businesses” alive.

Our talented people are at the core of our growth, constantly reinventing the Sonoco wheel with brilliant solutions every year. Today we are a world leader in global packaging solutions with diversified operations in over 34 countries. We're extremely proud of our portfolio of brands, our achievements in sustainability and industrialization and the groundbreaking work accomplished by our people. 

Reporting to the Market Quality Manager, the Plant Quality Manager leads all quality assurance and quality control functions in a high‑volume composite fiber can facility. The role oversees five Quality Technicians, ensuring raw materials meet specifications, processes run to target, and finished goods comply with customer and regulatory requirements. The position also owns site-level change control, data analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.

What you’ll be doing

• Manage all elements of the Quality Management System, including corrective actions, supplier quality, customer complaints, audits, standard work, test methods, and process controls.
• Participate in, and lead, initiatives related to the Plant Steering Team as required.
• Produce plant quality scorecards and reports (VOC, CARs, SCARs, COAs, OTIF, SPC, losses, audits, and change control metrics).
• Lead, coach, schedule, and develop a team of five Quality Technicians. Set expectations, training plans, and performance metrics to drive accountability and proactive quality ownership.
• Serve as the primary plant representative for customer quality interactions.
• Oversee incoming material inspection, maintain specifications, and partner with suppliers to resolve nonconformances and drive corrective actions.
• Ensure products meet dimensional, structural, and visual specifications; support operators with real‑time troubleshooting and quality decisions.
• Own site change control and line validation; evaluate proposed changes for risk, capability, and customer impact.
• Maintain and improve control plans and testing protocols; ensure documentation accuracy.
• Analyze production, scrap, and test data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Lead structured root‑cause investigations using tools such as 5 Why, Fishbone, and FMEA.
• Drive product and process improvements aligned with cost, quality, and efficiency goals, present performance metrics to site and divisional leadership.
• Manage ISO/GFSI product safety certification standards and keep the plant audit ready. Ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety requirements.
• Support customer audits, complaint investigations, and corrective action responses; promote customer requirement awareness across the plant.

This position is in our Rigid Paper and Closures Division and is located in West Chicago, IL.

We’d love to hear from you if:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing quality; experience with fiber, paperboard, or composite materials is a plus. ASQ Certification, Six Sigma Green Belt certification (preferred).
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing technical teams.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in data analysis and problem‑solving tools. Statistical analysis and critical thinking expertise.
• Working knowledge of SPC, control plans, GFSI product safety management, and quality systems.
• Proficiency in the following software: Word, Power Point, Excel, Visio, Share Point, SPS software & Minitab desired.
• Excellent communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.

Compensation:

The annual base salary range for this role is as follows:

• Quality Manager II - Plant: $99,440 - $111,870, plus a quarterly target bonus of 12.5% of the base salary.

#LI-CB1

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.