Sr. Quality Director, Robotics & Automation

Novanta Inc.; Apex (NC); On-site; USD 188,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Novanta is seeking a Senior Director, Quality to lead the global quality organization across multiple manufacturing sites, driving high standards, operational excellence, and a culture of continuous improvement. The role reports to the VP of Operations and requires building high-performing, globally distributed teams focused on quality excellence.

The ideal candidate will have 15+ years in Quality Management within manufacturing, strong strategic thinking, and a track record of driving

Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant field; advanced/graduate degree preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in Quality Management in manufacturing.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate large, cross-functional, global teams.
• Strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and ability to synthesize data into actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills with a track record of building inclusive, high-performing teams.
• Innovation & Problem Solving: drive innovation and resolve highly complex business problems.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Quality Leadership across multiple sites.
• Quality Culture Champion through training and engagement.
• Team Leadership & Development of global, cross-functional teams.
• ISO Audit & Certification Management for ISO 9001/14001, ISO 45001 and 13485.
• Customer Complaint & RMA Coordination and improvements in response time.
• Continuous Improvement of QA methodologies and processes.
• New Product Introduction quality support for launches.
• Global Regulatory Compliance oversight and audit readiness.
• Performance Management and employee retention.
• Innovation & Problem Solving to address complex business challenges.

Skills

Quality Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic thinking

Data-driven decision making

Excellent communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Advanced/Graduate degree preferred

Job description

Build a career powered by innovations that matter! At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing—improving productivity, enhancing people’s lives and redefining what’s possible. We create for our global customers engineered components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission‑critical applications—from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing. Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Looking for a great place to work? You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment. Come explore Novanta.

This position is part of Novanta’s Robotics & Automation group and is one of the company’s core capability pillars. This group focuses on delivering ultra‑precise, high‑reliability motion, sensing, and robotic end‑of‑arm technologies designed for mission‑critical applications across advanced manufacturing, surgical robotics, logistics automation, and emerging humanoid systems.

Summary

The Senior Director, Quality will lead the global quality organization across several manufacturing sites, providing strategic leadership and oversight of key initiatives. This role is pivotal in driving high quality standards, operational excellence, and a culture of continuous improvement. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader who thrives in complex, multi‑site environments and is passionate about developing high‑performing teams and fostering a culture of quality excellence. The Senior Director will ensure product quality for the Robotics and Automation business and will report directly to the VP of Operations.

Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Quality Leadership: Oversee strategic quality initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and operational excellence across multiple sites.
• Quality Culture Champion: Drive a culture of quality excellence through training, communication, and engagement across the organization.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop global, cross-functional teams, fostering a high-performing learning culture.
• ISO Audit & Certification Management: Coordinate ISO 9001/14001, ISO 45001 and 13485 audits and maintain certifications for all relevant sites.
• Customer Complaint & RMA Coordination: Coordinate the resolution of customer complaints and drive improvements in response time for Return Material Authorizations (RMAs).
• Continuous Improvement: Develop and implement best‑in‑class quality assurance methodologies, tools, policies, and procedures to optimize processes and improve operational efficiency.
• New Product Introduction: Provide quality support for new product introductions by leading planning, validation, and supplier qualifications to ensure successful product launches.
• Global Regulatory Compliance: Oversee compliance with international and regional regulations, including product safety and quality standards. Maintain and improve compliance programs and ensure audit readiness.
• Performance Management: Set clear expectations, manage performance, and ensure team engagement and retention.
• Innovation & Problem Solving: Drive innovation and resolve highly complex business problems using advanced critical thinking and strategic agility.

Required Experience, Education, Skills, Training and Competencies

• University degree in a relevant field; advanced/graduate degree preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in Quality Management, with specific emphasis on the manufacturing industry.
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing quality assurance programs and driving operational efficiency.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate large, cross‑functional, global teams.
• Strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and ability to synthesize data into actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills with a track record of building inclusive, high-performing teams.
• Innovation & Problem Solving: Drive innovation and resolve highly complex business problems using advanced critical thinking and strategic agility.

Preferred Attributes

• Experience in regulated industries (e.g., medical device, aerospace).
• Familiarity with global operations and multi‑site quality management.
• Data‑driven decision‑making mindset and comfort with analytics tools.
• Innovation & Problem Solving: Drive innovation and resolve highly complex business problems using advanced critical thinking and strategic agility.

Travel Requirements

As needed for global team leadership, multi‑site oversight, and customer/vendor engagement.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10-25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

The salary for this role will range from 187,625 to 280,400 annually based on full‑time employment. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including but not limited to location, relevant skills, training, experience, education, etc. Certain roles may be eligible for performance‑based incentive compensation and /or long‑term incentives. Incentives could be discretionary or non‑discretionary depending on the plan.

Novanta Supports all aspects of your life's needs. This position provides a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits to make your quality of life better.

Novanta is proud to be an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action workplace. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, military and veteran status, disability, genetics, or any other category protected by federal law or Novanta policy.

Please call [phone] if you need a disability accommodation for any part of the employment process.

Solving complex challenges, delivering innovations that matter! Novanta is a leading global supplier of core technology solutions that give medical, life science, and advanced industrial original equipment manufacturers a competitive advantage. We combine deep proprietary expertise and competencies in precision medicine, precision manufacturing, robotics and automation, and advanced surgery with a proven ability to solve complex technical challenges. This enables Novanta to engineer proprietary technology solutions that deliver extreme precision and performance, tailored to our customers' demanding applications. The driving force behind our growth is the team of innovative professionals who share a commitment to innovation, the Novanta Growth System, and our customers’ success.

Novanta’s common shares are quoted on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "NOVT".