Senior Quality Manager, Africa

Job Title: Senior Quality Manager

Division: Weir Minerals

Location: Alrode

Onsite

Purpose of Role: To lead and manage the Quality function within the Africa sub-region, ensuring that all quality standards and processes are upheld across various aspects of the business. This includes overseeing customer complaints, supplier quality assurance, in-house manufacturing quality, and overall business quality assurance. The role also involves strategic planning, team development, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement and achieve world-class quality performance.

Key Responsibilities:

Safety First: Demonstrate 100% commitment to our zero harm behaviors in support of our drive towards developing a world class safety culture.

Leadership: Lead the Quality function in the Africa sub-region and support the Africa sub-region executive team with the overall business leadership of the Africa business. This includes overseeing the following Quality functions:

• Customer complaints and warranty claims
• Supplier Quality assurance
• In-house manufacturing Quality assurance
• Overall business Quality assurance
• Quality legislation implementation
• Stakeholder education

Team Development and Succession Planning: Identify training needs of Quality team members and implement development plans. Provide coaching and mentoring to team members. Develop and implement succession plans to ensure continuous growth and readiness. Create an inclusive work environment that embraces diversity.

Strategic Initiatives: Develop and implement strategic improvement and growth initiatives to drive the Africa Quality function forward in the pursuit of world class quality performance. Support the Africa executive team to deliver the Africa sub-region strategic initiatives. Contribute to the EMEA Quality strategy development and implementation as a member of the EMEA Quality leadership team.

EMEA Collaboration: Work together closely with the Europe and METCA sub-region Quality leaders to ensure adoption of best practice, common processes and procedures and common Quality KPI’s and reporting of these KPI’s.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (Process/sales teams, Capital Projects team, Engineering team, Operations team, Supply chain team, 3rd party suppliers) to deliver world class quality customer solutions.

Performance Management: Establish Africa Quality KPI’s and drive business performance against these KPIs. Compile monthly Africa Quality performance reports for presentation to the Africa executive team and the EMEA Engineering Director.

Customer Interaction and Site Visits: Visit customer and supplier sites and interact with their Quality personnel to propose quality improvement initiatives utilizing the Weir Quality knowledge base.

Policy and Strategy Formulation: Formulate Quality policies and strategies in conjunction with the EMEA Engineering Director and the Divisional Quality Director. Ensure the rollout of Weir Group, Divisional, and Regional Quality initiatives.

Technical Quality Leadership: Provide leadership on quality matters during the manufacturing and installation of integrated solutions and ETO equipment, as well as during the execution of large capital projects.

ISO Accreditation: Maintain all ISO accreditations, manage external certification, and conduct internal audits for the Africa sub-region.

Management Review Meetings: Ensure management review meetings are held to formulate and improve the management systems of the Africa sub-region.

Budget Management: Develop annual expense budgets and manage expenses for the Africa Quality function.

Continuous Improvement: Ensure that data regarding Quality performance is effectively captured and analyzed on an ongoing basis to develop and execute quality improvement plans across the Africa sub-region.

Risk Assessment & Legal Compliance: Ensure rigorous risk assessment systems are in place to identify hazards and implement appropriate control measures. Ensure and assure Quality legal compliance to minimize risk, litigation exposure, and adverse publicity.

Job Knowledge/Education and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in business administration, quality management, engineering, or a related field.
• At least 8-10 years of experience in quality assurance, with a significant portion in a managerial or leadership role in the manufacturing/engineering industry.
• Experience in managing large projects and cross-functional teams.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing strategic initiatives.

• Strong leadership skills with experience in coaching, mentoring, and developing teams.
• In-depth knowledge of quality management systems, ISO standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to assess quality performance and implement improvements.
• Excellent communication skills for interacting with stakeholders, customers, and cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies such as Six Sigma or Lean.
• Experience in risk assessment and implementing control measures to ensure compliance and minimize risks.