Corporate Quality Leader

Dekko; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

8% retirement plan

Healthcare, dental, vision

Growth opportunities

Work that matters

Work-life balance

Job summary

Dekko is seeking a Corporate Quality Leader in Fort Wayne, IN to own the enterprise Quality Management System, Corporate Quality Laboratory, and Regulatory Compliance.

You will lead a team across corporate and plant functions, drive prevention and standardization, and ensure ISO, UL, FDA, ITAR, and other regulatory requirements are met. The role reports to the Vice President of Operations and emphasizes continuous improvement, audits, and supplier quality management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field.
• 7–15 years of progressive quality/engineering experience in manufacturing.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or higher required.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015, internal auditing, and management review.
• Hands-on experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA/DFMEA, Control Plans, CAPA, and root-cause analysis.
• Experience with regulatory compliance (UL, FDA, ISO, ITAR).

Responsibilities

• Own and improve the corporate QMS to meet ISO and regulatory requirements.
• Lead document control and implement a new PDM system.
• Establish internal audit program and conduct management reviews.
• Define specifications and translate into inspection/verification processes.
• Manage supplier quality, scorecards, audits, and customer quality requests.
• Develop and report quality KPIs and drive corrective actions.
• Build and deliver the quality training plan.
• Lead Corporate Quality Laboratory and Calibration programs.

Skills

Leadership experience

Quality engineering

Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

APQP/PPAP tools

PFMEA/DFMEA

Control Plans

Job description

The Corporate Quality Leader is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategy, development, and execution of Dekko’s enterprise-wide Quality Management System (QMS), Corporate Quality Laboratory, and Regulatory Compliance functions. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations and based in Fort Wayne, IN, this leader directs a team of quality laboratory and compliance professionals and owns quality performance across the corporate office and manufacturing plants. The Corporate Quality Leader drives a culture of prevention, standardization, and continuous improvement – ensuring products, processes, and documentation consistently meet customer, ISO, UL, FDA, ITAR, and other regulatory requirements.

What You’ll Do:

1. Quality Systems Management

• Own, maintain, and continually improve the corporate Quality Management System, ensuring compliance with ISO 9001:2015 certification requirements as well as FDA and ITAR obligations.
• Lead Document Control: establish document formats, naming schemes, and revision control; champion implementation of a new PDM system to manage documents, drawings, and specifications.
• Create and deploy a more in-depth Internal Audit system; lead Management Review and drive process ownership across corporate and plant functions.
• Define specifications and translate them into process inspections and verification processes, including a robust Incoming Inspection process.
• Establish and manage core quality processes: Deviation, ECN, Lessons Learned, CAPA, Complaint/Warranty, NCMR, and RMA/Credit processes.
• Direct advanced quality planning: PFMEA, DFMEA, and Control Plan development; APQP, PPAP, and Quality Release processes; and New Product Review.
• Own supplier quality: SCARs, quality supplier Scorecards, Supplier Audit process, and SQE segments; oversee customer scorecards and customer quality requests.
• Develop and report Quality KPIs – customer, internal (corporate and manufacturing plant), and quality costing – and drive validated corrective action on misses.
• Build the quality Training Plan: awareness, standardization, and comprehension validation of processes across the organization.

2. Quality Laboratory Management

• Lead and develop the Corporate Quality Laboratory team (direct reports), including hiring, coaching, performance reviews, and skill development.
• Manage all laboratory testing operations supporting product qualification, validations, and customer requirements.
• Own the corporate Calibration program, ensuring measurement equipment integrity across all facilities.
• Support validations, new product review, and engineering verification testing with accurate, timely lab data.

3. Regulatory Compliance – UL and Agency Oversight

• Lead the UL Compliance team (direct reports) responsible for UL file maintenance, agency audits, follow-up services, and new product certifications.
• Provide regulatory oversight and compliance for UL, FDA, ISO, and ITAR requirements, and respond to customer regulatory requests.
• Drive a reduction in the number of regulatory groups by consolidating and standardizing compliance activities under a unified corporate structure.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position carries direct leadership responsibility for the Quality Laboratory staff and UL/Regulatory Compliance staff, with dotted-line influence over plant quality resources. Responsibilities include selection, training, performance management, and development of direct reports, and conducting employee performance reviews.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering discipline (or related technical field).
• 7–15 years of progressive experience in an engineering/quality discipline within a manufacturing environment.
• Six Sigma certification – Green Belt or higher (required).
• Demonstrated management experience leading teams with direct reports.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 quality management systems, internal auditing, and management review.
• Hands‑on experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA/DFMEA, Control Plans, CAPA, and root cause analysis tools.
• Experience with regulatory/agency compliance (UL, FDA, ISO, and/or ITAR).

Nice to Have:

• ASQ certification (CQE, CQM/OE, or CQA); Six Sigma Black Belt.
• Experience managing a quality/test laboratory and calibration systems.
• Experience implementing PDM/document management systems and supplier quality programs (SQE, supplier audits, scorecards).
• Working knowledge of SPC applications and blueprint reading.

Why You’ll Love It Here:

At Dekko, you’ll be part of more than just a company; you’ll join a team of passionate people who truly care about what they do and who they work with. We offer:

• Great People & Culture – A supportive, values-driven environment where teamwork and integrity come first.
• Competitive Pay & Benefits – Including comprehensive healthcare, dental, vision, and an 8% fully funded retirement plan.
• Growth Opportunities – We invest in your development with training, mentorship, and the chance to take on new challenges.
• Work That Matters – Contribute to innovative products that make a difference in how people live and work.
• Stability with Flexibility – A growing company with a strong foundation that understands the importance of work-life balance.

Dekko is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees