Associate Director Quality, Data Center Solutions

nVent; Anoka (MN); Hybrid; USD 146,300 - 271,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision plans

401(k) retirement plan with company‑to

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

nVent is seeking an Associate Director of Quality, Data Center Solutions to define and execute the quality strategy across products, processes, and systems. You will partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and program teams to elevate performance and embed prevention and continuous improvement as the business scales.

You will drive QMS governance, supplier quality, and product/process quality excellence, while leading a cross-site quality organization and championing data-driven

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Science, or related technical field.
• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in Quality, Operations, or Engineering, including global and multi site experience.
• Deep expertise in quality systems, standards, and regulatory/customer requirements.
• Proven success leading enterprise or business level quality initiatives in complex, growing organizations.
• Strong experience building and scaling Quality Management Systems.
• Executive presence with clear, confident communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and deploy a unified Data Center Solutions quality vision and strategy aligned with DS objectives and customer needs.
• Lead the Data Center Solutions Quality Management System to ensure ISO 9001 compliance and applicable requirements.
• Drive root cause analysis and structured problem solving to eliminate quality issues across programs.
• Partner with Engineering, Program Management, Operations, and Supply Chain to embed quality in design and launch.
• Own and improve customer quality metrics, complaints, escapes, and field performance.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using data-driven methodologies across Data Center Solutions.

Skills

Quality leadership

Data-driven decisions

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Science, or related technical field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Six Sigma Black Belt

Quality Certifications (CQE, CQM, CQA)

Job description

We're looking for people who put their innovation to work to advance our success - and their own. Join an organization that ensures a more secure world through connecting and protecting our customers with inventive electrical solutions.

The Associate Director of Quality, Data Center Solutions is a strategic leader responsible for defining and implementing the Data Center Solutions quality strategy to ensure products, processes, and systems consistently meet or exceed customer expectations. This role drives quality excellence across programs, sites, and functions; strengthens operational rigor; and embeds a culture of prevention, ownership, and continuous improvement as the Data Center Solutions business scales.

This leader partners closely with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Program Management, and site quality leaders to harmonize standards, elevate performance, and build sustainable, world class quality capabilities aligned to customer commitments and growth priorities.

WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE IN THIS POSITION:

Quality Strategy & Governance

• Define and deploy a unified Data Center Solutions quality vision and strategy aligned with DS business objectives, customer requirements, and growth plans.
• Establish and govern quality standards, metrics, policies, and operating rhythms across standard and program-based solutions.
• Provide clear quality insights, risk assessments, and performance updates tied to customers, programs, and execution readiness.

Quality Management Systems (QMS)

• Lead the Data Center Solutions Quality Management System to ensure compliance with ISO 9001 and applicable industry and customer-specific requirements.
• Integrate QMS processes with digital tools and systems to enable scalability, visibility, and accountability.
• Oversee audit programs (internal, external, customer); ensure timely and effective corrective and preventive action closure.

Product & Process Quality Excellence

• Drive disciplined root cause analysis and structured problem solving to eliminate recurring quality and execution issues within Data Center Solutions programs.
• Partner with Engineering, Program Management, Operations, and Supply Chain to embed quality in design, development, validation, and launch.
• Strengthen control plans, inspection strategies, qualification, and validation processes for products and solutions.

Customer Experience & Reliability

• Own and improve customer quality metrics, complaints, escapes, and field performance.
• Strengthen feedback loops between customers, programs, and internal teams to improve product reliability and execution outcomes.
• Ensure effective communication and coordinated resolution of customer quality issues.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across Data Center Solutions using data driven methodologies.
• Establish and manage quality dashboards for defect rates, COPQ, audit performance, and customer metrics.
• Identify and deploy digital quality tools to enhance analytics, monitoring, and predictive quality capabilities within Data Center Solutions.

Supplier Quality & External Partnerships

• Partner with Sourcing and Supply Chain to define and implement the Data Center Solutions supplier quality strategy.
• Oversee supplier qualification, audits, and ongoing performance management focused on Data Center Solutions programs and demand profiles.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead and develop a high performing quality organization across sites and functions.
• Coach and develop site and program quality leaders; build depth, capability, and succession.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Serve as a trusted quality thought leader and subject matter expert.
• Champion a consistent, scalable Data Center Solutions quality culture.

YOU HAVE:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Science, or related technical field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in Quality, Operations, or Engineering, including global and multi site experience.
• Deep expertise in quality systems, standards, and regulatory/customer requirements.
• Proven success leading enterprise or business level quality initiatives in complex, growing organizations.
• Strong experience building and scaling Quality Management Systems.
• Exceptional analytical, root cause problem solving, and decision making skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Program Management, and customer-facing teams.
• Strategic approach with strong execution.
• Executive presence with clear, confident communication skills.
• Demonstrated leadership of geographically distributed, cross functional teams.
• Data driven approach with a strong commitment to operational excellence.
• Professional quality certifications (CQE, CQM, CQA) preferred.
• Six Sigma Black Belt or higher preferred.

WE HAVE:

• A dynamic global reach with diverse operations around the world that will stretch your abilities, provide plentiful career opportunities, and allow you to make an impact every day

• Commitment to strengthen communities where our employees live and work

• Core values that shape our culture and drive us to deliver the best for our employees and our customers. We're known for being:

• Benefits to support the lives of our employees

Pay Transparency
nVent's pay scale is based on the expected range of base pay for this job and the employee's work location. Employee pay within this range will be based on a combination of factors including knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, education, and performance. Where federal, state, or local minimum wage requirements exist, employee pay will comply.
Compensation Range:

$146,300.00 - $271,700.00

Depending on the position offered, employee may be eligible for other forms of compensation, such as annual incentives.

Benefit Overview

At nVent, we value our people and their health and well-being. We provide a broad benefits package with meaningful programs for eligible full-time employees that includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision plans along with flexible spending accounts, short-term and long-term disability benefits, critical illness, accident insurance and life insurance.

• A 401(k) retirement plan and an employee stock purchase plan - both include a company match.

• Other supplemental benefits may include tuition reimbursement, caregiver, personal and parental leave, back-up care services, paid time off including volunteer time, a well-being program, and/or legal & identity theft protection.

At nVent, we connect and protect our customers with inventive electrical solutions. People are our most valuable asset. Inclusion and diversity means that we celebrate and encourage each other's authenticity because we understand that uniqueness sparks growth.

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