Quality Manager

The Asahi Kasei Group operates with a commitment of creating for tomorrow.  Our business sectors, Material, Homes, and Health Care, contribute to the development of society by anticipating the changing needs of those around the world. We look for candidates that offer a fresh perspective and a variety of skills to help us achieve our commitment.

We are currently seeking applications to fill the following job opening at Celgard where we develop and manufacture membrane battery separators that are critical components used in lithium-ion batteries for electric drive vehicles (EDVs) and energy storage systems (ESS).
Company:
Celgard, LLC

Job Description:

About the Role

We are seeking a Quality Manager to oversee the quality assurance processes and the quality team. The incumbent will ensure that Celgard products meet both internal and external requirements.  This role is based at our Charlotte, NC plant.

Reporting Relationships

This position directly reports to the Sr. Director, Global Quality and will have engineers and quality lab employees that report to this role.

Asahi Kasei’s Values

- Sincerity – Being sincere with everyone
- Challenge – Bolding taking challenges, continually seeking change
- Creativity – Creating new value through unity and synergy

Key Accountabilities

- Lead the personnel, resources, and operational processes of the Quality Department, consisting of Quality Engineers and Quality Laboratory staff, within a 24/7 manufacturing environment.

- Provide leadership and assists team in troubleshooting quality issues and resolving customer complaints / internal issues and ensures corrective actions identified through problem resolution efforts remain effective.
- Support the startup and implementation of a new coating and slitting operation, including the introduction of new testing equipment, quality processes, and a Quality Management System (QMS) to support the evolving business model.
- Monitor process capability and implement lean / six sigma projects. Develop and audit corrective / preventive actions for customer complaints.
- Manage employee performance through goal setting, performance expectations, reviews, ongoing feedback, coaching, development planning, and corrective actions. Establish and maintain sustainable training, evaluation, and development programs to ensure quality department personnel meet certification requirements and performance standards.
- Lead the alignment of Celgard systems and processes to meet automotive industry requirements.
- Manage internal process audits and lead external IATF/customer audits.
- Develop and ensure compliance with Advance Product Quality Planning (APQP). Oversee development of PPAP’s/PSW & external qualification package for new products.
- Utilize tools such as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), data analysis to identify trends, root cause analysis, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and other problem-solving tools.
- Lead the Material Review Board process, process design reviews, and product / process qualification.
- Collaborate and coordinate with the Production, Maintenance, Warehouse and Process Engineering Departments to monitor product and process quality implications of all raw material, process, and product related trials and changes.
- Oversee the contamination control program and drives process improvements to enhance quality and operational efficiency.
- Collect, analyze, and report quality performance data, preparing comprehensive reports for management, corporate leadership, and other key stakeholders.
- Continuously develop management and technical competencies to enhance job performance and prepare for increased responsibilities and future leadership opportunities.
- Leads customer tours as needed to support the Charlotte plant and promote positive customer relationships.
- Facilitate quality stand-down meetings with all manufacturing crews, fostering employee engagement and accountability to improve customer quality performance and reduce recurring issues.

Qualifications

Education Background:

- Bachelor’s degree is required.  Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Quality, or related field required is strongly preferred.
- Certifications through American Society for Quality (ASQ) is preferred (i.e., CQE, CQA, CQM/OE)

Knowledge & Experience :

- 7+ years’ experience with quality systems in a manufacturing environment is required, preferably in the automotive industry.
- Must be familiar with APQP and PPAP methodologies.
- 4+ years of experience leading a team of professionals and technicians is required.
- Experience working with ISO9001 is required and IATF 16949 is strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with blown film or plastics manufacturing is preferred.
- Experience leading internal/external audits is required.
- Thorough practical knowledge of statistics, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is required.
- Experience with a statistical software package is required; Mini-tab experience is a plus.
- Lean Manufacturing experience is preferred.

Key Attributes:

- Must demonstrate initiative, analytical skills, a sense of urgency, and a strong attention to detail.
- Demonstrated competency in decision making and adaptability in a rapidly changing work environment is required.
- Strong interpersonal skills -- listening, written communication, and public speaking skills are required.
- Must demonstrate team organization, leadership, and facilitation skills.
- Must have a passion for developing the quality team and growing their careers.

Travel:

- Must be able and willing to travel up to 10% domestically and abroad for training, supporting operational initiatives, and collaborating with teams across company locations.

Availability:

- Must be willing to work after hours to support 24/7 operation, which will require coordinating coverage with a team. This position also requires work outside normal business hours on occasion to support international customers.

Working Environment

This position is in a manufacturing plant setting that would require working in a production environment around chemicals.  Work will require standing and walking for up to 80% of the time.  Lighting and temperature are adequate.  You may be required to lift up to 35 pounds and/or force necessary to push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Celgard manufacturing sites are IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 certified.

About Us

For more than 50 years, Celgard has been a proven global leader in the development and production of high-performance membrane technology.  Our products are used in a broad range of energy storage and other barrier-type applications, including lithium-ion batteries, lithium primary and other specialty battery solutions, technical textiles such as waterproof breathable apparel and medical personal protective equipment (PPE) and other specialty applications.  Headquartered in the United States, we operate manufacturing facilities in the USA and China and have sales and technical service staff located strategically throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.

Celgard is part of Polypore International, a leading global high technology company specializing in microporous membranes. Polypore brings advanced development and manufacturing know-how as well as unique problem-solving capabilities to customers' lithium-ion and lead-acid battery development teams. Polypore is an Asahi Kasei Group company, which is a diversified group of companies led by holding company Asahi Kasei Corp., with operations in the material, homes, and health care business sectors.  We are creating for tomorrow!

Location Information

Charlotte, NC, known as Queen City, is a thriving metropolitan area of over 2.6 million people across 15 counties and is situated just north of the South Carolina border, within a weekend drive to the mountains and the beach.  It is comprised of diversity in people, industries and living, from urban to rural.  It is ranked second among 25 largest cities for most desirable place to purchase a home by Nerdwallet.com and is ranked eight among the top 10 big booming cities by CNNmoney.com.  Charlotte is home of one of North Carolina’s largest college campuses, UNC Charlotte.  Along with a friendly southern culture, Charlotte offers dining, arts, museums, major league basketball, football and soccer teams, a minor league baseball team, NASCAR, shopping, festivals, a variety of amenities and quick access to several parks and reserves for people who love the outdoors.

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As an equal opportunity employer, Asahi Kasei believes a diverse workforce will provide us with the ability to continuously support the changes in the economy, society, and environment.