The Regional QA Manager South is responsible for providing quality management leadership and support across multiple manufacturing sites within the West region. This role focuses on operational quality coaching, root cause analysis, audit readiness, capability development, and regional quality communication. The position requires frequent travel to assigned locations and a strong ability to build trust and capability within site teams.
Responsibilities:
- Act as the primary quality resource for site teams, delivering hands-on coaching and supporting the execution of quality management systems across the region.
- Collaborate with site quality personnel and plant management to enhance daily quality system performance and ensure compliance with relevant certification standards.
- Guide teams through structured root cause analysis for nonconformances, customer complaints, and audit findings, and support the development and monitoring of corrective actions.
- Lead and manage customer quality escalations within the region, serving as the main point of contact and driving resolution of escalated issues.
- Support sites in maintaining audit readiness, facilitate internal audits, and coordinate pre-audit gap closure and customer audit preparation.
- Identify and address site-level quality personnel development needs, facilitate knowledge transfer, and support the onboarding and growth of new quality staff.
- Serve as the communication link between regional sites and the central quality function, providing updates on quality performance, risks, and support needs.
- Operate independently across multiple sites, balancing competing priorities, and building trust through coaching and partnership rather than authority.
Qualifications:
- 5+ years of quality management experience in manufacturing, with demonstrated ownership of a site-level quality management system.
- Working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 or equivalent; internal auditor experience required.
- Practical experience with structured root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
- Ability to work effectively across multiple sites and stakeholders with limited direct authority.
- Strong interpersonal and coaching skills; ability to build trust and influence without positional authority.
- Customer-facing communication skills, including the ability to manage customer quality escalations and support or lead customer audits.
- Experience with food safety standards (SQF, AIB, IFS PACsecure, HACCP, or equivalent) preferred.
- Exposure to label, packaging, or consumer goods manufacturing environments preferred.
- Lead auditor certification or equivalent third-party audit preparation experience preferred.
- Familiarity with CAPA governance, effectiveness verification, and corrective action tracking systems preferred.
- Experience supporting multi-site or multi-standard certification programs preferred.
Published Category: Quality & Validation