ALKEGEN

Quality Manager

Council Grove, KS Full time

Job Requirements

Why work for us?

Alkegen brings together two of the world’s leading specialty materials companies to create one new, innovation-driven leader focused on battery technologies, filtration media, and specialty insulation and sealing materials. Through global reach and breakthrough inventions, we’re delivering products that enable the world to breathe easier, live greener, and go further than ever before. 

With over 60 manufacturing facilities with a global workforce of over 9,000 of the industry’s most experienced talent, including insulation and filtration experts, Alkegen is uniquely positioned to help customers impact the environment in meaningful ways.

Alkegen offers a range of dynamic career opportunities with globe-spanning reach. From production operators to engineers, technicians to specialists, sales to leadership, we’re always looking for top talent ready to bring their best.  Come grow with us!

Job Summary:

This key leadership position reports to the Plant Manager and is responsible for managing the daily functions of the Quality department and providing clear direction to drive world class customer service.

Job Responsibilities:

Job responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Lead the overall function of Quality Assurance to include planning, engineering, and auditing

  • Provide management skills to implement the objectives and culture for the Quality Assurance Team

  • Work with all the plant teams to provide Quality Assurance guidance, expertise and leadership

  • Lead investigations and corrective actions into customer concerns and inquiries

  • Manage the Quality System for the facility and assure compliance to the ISO 9000 requirements

  • Provide product specific expertise to support the Sales, Marketing and technical teams within the TEM business unit

  • Lead the Quality Pillar

  • Supervise, direct, and lead the Quality Assurance team in the Kansas facility

    • Provide communications to the team on a regular basis

    • Provide leadership to the Quality Assurance team and plant-wide groups in order to drive continuous improvement in the facility

    • Install best practice testing techniques and methods to drive effective quality measurement systems

    • Expand employees’ knowledge through training and certification

    • Drive cohesive working relationships among employees and peers

  • Manage the plant Quality System and drive/lead improvement

    • Facilitate monthly quality improvement team activities

    • Manage internal auditing process

    • Maintain specifications for final products and raw materials

    • Assist in the development and maintenance of control plans

  • Manage ISO certification and maintenance of the system

  • Intercompany Support

    • Support plant trials, working closely with the Process Engineering and Alkegen R&D  teams

    • Support the NPI program to develop new products

    • Establish and support standardization practices between facilities

  • Customer Support

    • Complete required customer-driven audits

    • Prepare PPAP’s as required by our customers

    • Provide data as requested/required by customers

  • Corrective Actions

    • Manage the Corrective Action Request System

    • Drive root-cause analysis to achieve effective root-cause solutions (8D, fishbone, and 5 Whys)

  • Manage Supplier Material Specifications

  • Participate in the management of the facility through the site Leadership Team

  • Actively participate in the plant safety program

  • Other duties as assigned

Job Specifications:

Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Quality Engineering or Operations Management is required

Experience:

  • 5+ years of related experience focused within Manufacturing Operations as a leader, particularly in continuous, high-volume setting

Skills and Abilities:

  • Proven leadership and management skills required

  • Proficiency in SPC is required

  • Strong computer skills required (Excel, Access, etc.)

  • Experience in implementing ISO 9000 preferred

  • Knowledge of ISO 9000 is required

  • Knowledge of IATF implementation is preferred

  • Must be able to function as a member of a team and be able to work under general supervision

  • Self-starter capable of operating independently

  • Must be able to maintain expected quality levels

  • Comply with all site required policies and procedures

  • Ability to organize high volumes of work and information

  • Strong time management and prioritization skills

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Employee is required to execute the following:

  • Occasional bending, reaching, pushing and pulling when retrieving and moving various items

  • Lifting intermittently of various items. Typically, assistance would be provided for weights exceeding 50 pounds

  • Good manual dexterity to operate computer equipment and precision measuring instruments

  • Verbal communication via telephone or in person while interacting with customers, suppliers, or other employees

  • Position may require more than eight hours daily and more than five days weekly to complete work assignments

  • Sitting in chairs (swivel, padded, and adjustable)

  • Squatting / crouching when retrieving stored items from lower shelves and file cabinets, making equipment / product inspections, etc.

  • Standing intermittently

  • Visual monitoring of computer screens

Equipment Used:

  • Computer

  • Calculator

  • Telephone

  • Standard office equipment

  • Lab equipment

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The duties of this position are performed throughout the entire floor space of Alkegen. Duties are performed primarily in an office setting but are occasionally performed in manufacturing areas where compliance with applicable safety rules is required. The noise level is light to moderate. During periods of travel, duties could be performed in conference centers, restaurants, places of public accommodation, modes of travel, etc.

Contacts:

Internal: This position works routinely with all Alkegen employees

External: This position works occasionally with external vendors, visitors, suppliers, customers, and others

Supervision:

This position supervises the Quality department.

Safety Requirements

  • Comply with all department and site safety regulations

  • Wear all required personal protective equipment (PPE)

  • Report all job-related illness and injuries per site safety policies

  • Report all safety, health and environmental concerns to your supervisor in a timely manner

  • Attend safety training as required

Quality Statement

We are committed to becoming the world’s leading specialty materials solution platform providing high quality products that meet or exceed our customers' requirements and help the world breathe easier, live greener and go further than ever before. 

We will accomplish this through compliance (customer and internal requirements and applicable laws and regulations), accountability (quality is the responsibility of all employees), exemplary performance (strive to achieve “right the first time” in all activities), and continuous improvement (measure effectiveness and drive improvement against performance indicators).

This job description reflects the general details of the specific job identified and is not necessarily a complete listing of all the work requirements that may be involved in the job.

If you are interested in being part of a world class production function here at Alkegen then we would love to hear from you.

At Alkegen, we strive every day to help people – ALL PEOPLE – breathe easier, live greener and go further than ever before. We believe that diversity and inclusion is central to this mission and to our impact. Our diverse and inclusive culture drives our growth & innovation, and we nurture it by actively embracing our differences and using our varied perspectives to solve the complex challenges facing our changing and diverse world.

Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, nation of origin, religion, color, gender identity and expression, age, disability, education, opinions, culture, languages spoken, veteran’s status, or any other protected class.