Advanced Product Quality Planning Process Owner

KCC Companies; Simpsonville (KY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9 Paid Holidays

Quarterly bonuses

Health, Dental, Vision insurance

401K

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Job summary

A leading HVAC company in Simpsonville seeks an Advanced Product Quality Planning Process Owner who will ensure effective APQP practices for successful product launches. This role requires 5+ years of leadership experience and a profound understanding of APQP principles. Responsibilities include developing processes, coaching teams, and monitoring outcomes for continuous improvement. The position offers competitive benefits including health insurance, paid holidays, and an employee stock ownership plan.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of team leadership experience or project leadership.
• Experience in leading APQP activities in a certified manufacturing setting.
• Auditor certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the APQP process for effective NPD and NPI.
• Ensure thorough documentation and training for the APQP process.
• Monitor outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement.

Skills

APQP principles

Strong communication skills

Collaboration

Project management

Process improvement methodologies

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

KCC Companies is an employee‑owned (ESOP) company dedicated to providing complete design, manufacturing, installation, and service for commercial & residential Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC).

Function

The Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) Process Owner works closely with leadership and members of all departments engaged in new product development (NPD) and new product introduction (NPI) to drive successful launches of new products on‑time, on‑budget, and with a high degree of quality and customer satisfaction. The APQP Process Owner ensures that APQP practices are designed to meet the needs of KCC, are thoroughly understood by all appropriate team members, and are actively employed in all aspects of NPD & NPI projects. The APQP Process Owner also uses project and product feedback to drive improvements into the process and into future products.

Essential Responsibilities

• Develop the APQP process to ensure it fits KCC’s business model and meets the needs of the company.
• Maintain detailed documentation of the APQP process, including procedures, guidelines, and best practices.
• Assist in the development of training materials to provide appropriate team members with a fundamental education on the general topics of APQP, as well as a deeper understanding of specific tasks and activities.
• Act as the primary instructor for live classroom training of KCC’s internal APQP courses.
• Provide ongoing coaching to cross‑functional teams and individuals, as necessary, to help them apply classroom teaching to their real‑world projects.
• Oversee execution of the APQP process, ensuring it is followed correctly and consistently.
• Verify the process is culturally adopted and uniformly considered to be the standard for NPD & NPI projects.
• Continually monitor the outcomes of the APQP process to ensure it is effective and achieves desired results.
• Identify opportunities for improvement and implement changes to enhance process effectiveness and efficiency.
• Communicate with all stakeholders involved in the APQP process to gather feedback and drive continuous improvement efforts.

Required Skills

• Must possess a very strong understanding of APQP principles, practices, and tools.
• The ability to drive timely results through people is critical.
• Strong ability to communicate ideas and information clearly, effectively, and concisely (verbal and written) with all levels of the organization.
• Strong collaboration, analytical, and documentation skills, as well as organization and time management.
• Strong ability to think holistically and take a systematic approach.
• Ability to effectively educate and coach others.
• Working knowledge of at least one commonly accepted method of Change Management (e.g. Kotter 8‑Step).
• A solid understanding of quality management systems.
• Ability to apply methodologies such as Lean, Kaizen, or Six Sigma to improve the APQP process.
• Project management skills are a strong plus.
• Must be self‑motivated and goal‑oriented, with a strong personal drive for success.
• Functional knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of programs.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of team leadership experience and/or project leadership.
• 5+ years of experience working within, or leading, APQP activities in a certified manufacturing setting (e.g. ISO9001:2015, IATF16949, AS9100).
• Experience developing and/or implementing a QMS in a manufacturing organization is a strong plus.
• Auditor certification is strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of necessary touch points and successful interconnections between departments of a mid‑size manufacturing company.
• Experience in leading the implementation of LEAN principles in a manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field is preferred.
• Successful candidates will embrace the challenges of advancing a quality culture that is still maturing.

Benefits

• 9 Paid Holidays
• Quarterly bonuses
• Quarterly rate increase
• Health, Dental, Vision insurance, and other Ancillary coverages
• 401K
• Monthly Accrued Vacation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• DailyPay

KCC COMPANIES IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER