Quality Manager

James Hardie Building Products Inc. is the North American leader in fiber cement home siding and exterior design solutions. Hardie® products offer long lasting beauty and endless design possibilities with trusted protection and low maintenance. The company pioneered modern fiber cement building products and continues to invest in innovation to transform the industry. James Hardie is a high-performance organization, with an unwavering commitment to Zero Harm. The company proudly employs a diverse workforce of over 3,000 employees across operations in North America.
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Onsite from our Fontana CA Manufacturing Facility
James Hardie Industries is the world's #1 producer and marketer of high-performance fiber cement and fiber gypsum building solutions. We employ a diverse global workforce of approximately 4,800 employees across operations in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines, and generated more than $3.8 billion in net sales during our 2023 financial year. We believe that home is a sanctuary and a canvas for self-expression without compromise. As the trusted innovator and industry leader in the markets where we operate, James Hardie empowers homeowners and building professionals alike to achieve their dream home with premium quality solutions that enable endless possibilities for design and aesthetics, while also delivering trusted protection and long-lasting beauty.
As a member of the plant management team, the Quality Manager is responsible for ensuring the proper management of the quality control laboratory as well as the management and development of the quality technicians. The incumbent works in collaboration with the plant management team to address and solve quality issues as needed. The incumbent must also ensure compliance with corporate quality policies and business objectives to ensure the manufacture of products with superior value. The Quality Manager reports to the Plant Manager.
What You'll Do:
Manages and mentors laboratory technicians to ensure quality assurance and quality control of final product and the development of technicians by: (40%)

• Ensuring that lab technicians are complying with daily required testing methods including:
• Checking the Certificate of Analysis (COA) and testing critical properties of incoming raw materials including: silica, cement, pulp etc. to that the ensure materials meet the Company's specifications;
• Testing intermediate process streams (testing during the manufacturing process) to ensure that the process is in control and will result in consistent finished products;
• Using mechanical testing techniques including: Three-point bending test, tensile strength test and visual inspections of the surface quality of outgoing product to test quality of the products; and
• Maintaining and complying with the Company's quality standards, third-party quality agencies such as Intertech Test Services (ITS) and international standards such as the British Board of Agreement (BBA).
• Filing quality records, maintaining Excel or Access databases to capture previously stated testing data, and acting as a custodian of tests, raw materials, and product specification manuals;
• Coaching technicians to ensure consistent performance; and
• Providing internal and external technical training in statistical process control, quality specifications, quality systems, and customer expectations.

Trouble-shoots daily quality issues as they arise, by analyzing results of data collected from the aforementioned testing methods to solve and prevent future issues by: (30%)

• Performing root cause analysis on identified issues using a 5-Why or Apollo root cause analysis approach;
• Presenting findings from the analysis to the plant management team;
• Eliciting support and resources from the plant management team to find solutions;
• Implementing and monitoring all corrective action and communicating status to the plant management team; and
• Measuring performance of corrective actions by tracking the appropriate data for a minimum of three months to gauge sustainability.

Supports corporate quality policies and standards to ensure final product meets the Company's quality specifications and customer expectations by complying with the Company's core quality systems by: (20%)

• Providing accurate daily reports to the plant management team and monthly reports to the Corporate Quality Group on conformance and performance of the facility in:
• Process control of raw materials in the pulp, silica, and quality control labs (such as surface area, freeness and mechanical testing results);
• Waste streams from the sheet machines and finishing lines;
• Top 10 Market Driven Elements (MDE) scores through product quality audits; and
• New Quality Incident Reports (QIRs) due to process upsets or customer claims.
• Coaching and mentoring of employees through technical instruction around the Company's quality systems through monthly training sessions;
• Ensuring overall integrity of the quality system within the business including:
• Ensuring full and continuing external audit compliance;
• Ensuring an effective product quarantine system that does not allow the release of non-conformant material; and
• Providing timely and accurate data to the Claims and Quality groups to ensure accurate claims processing.

Supports the Company's stated key strategies and business objectives around execution, reducing delivered cash cost, introducing differentiated products and growing market share by: (10%)

• Collaborating on projects related to overall company success e.g. Marketing or Branding changes, Research & Development initiatives, new product launches such as Linea and, continuous improvements such as Zero to Landfill;
• Monitoring and assisting with the design and implementation phases of new process or product technology to ensure required specifications, process parameters and capabilities are fully met;
• Assisting with the qualification of new raw materials and raw material suppliers through in-plant testing, as necessary; and
• Providing ongoing technical instruction to all employees on any relevant process changes or modifications.

The position responsibilities outlined above are in no way to be construed as all encompassing. Other duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may be required and/or assigned as necessary.
Quantitative Dimensions
Supervisory Responsibilities:
The Quality Manager supervises the hourly quality control lab technicians and is responsible for their career development through continuous learning of requisite technical skills.
Decision Making:
The Quality Manager is required to possess exceptional decision making skills as well as an intensely collaborative problem solving approach towards problem solving between Operations, Safety, Human Resources as well as the Corporate Quality group, Research & Development, and Manufacturing support personnel. The incumbent is responsible for the final quality of the product that is released for sale from the particular facility. Other quality control issues encountered that have a potentially larger implication with respect to risk to the company requires sufficient communication amongst the aforementioned groups and the U.S. Division Quality Manager.
Scope of Position:
Under the direction of the Plant Manager, the Quality Manager establishes and promotes a safe, accident free, work environment. The Quality Manager plans and coordinates quality-based activities and training to maintain compliance with the Company's policies and provides assistance to other department managers to promote and maintain a productive and respectful quality culture.
What You'll Bring:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Required:

• Demonstrated and applied knowledge of statistical process control.
• Demonstrated advanced skills with the standard features of various personal computer word processing and spreadsheet software (Microsoft Word and Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet, PhotoShop, Minitab, JMP, Statistical and other proprietary software).
• Demonstrated and applied knowledge of troubleshooting quality issues.
• Demonstrated and applied knowledge of root cause analysis and a proven ability to develop and implement effective corrective actions for issues as needed.
• Ability to understand, comply with, and communicate the Company's quality policy.
• Ability to assist with quality-related training as needed such as how to perform product audits.
• Ability to coach personnel on how to thoroughly investigate process upsets and development of effective corrective action recommendations.
• Ability to manage the flow of all required reports and documentation.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and deliver sustainable and superior results.
• Knowledge of paper formation process (preferred).
• Knowledge of industrial priming or painting processes (preferred).

Education/Experience:
Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in an Engineering Field or Quality Management, or related quality management experience with a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• 5 or more years of related quality management experience, preferably leading quality management teams in a manufacturing environment
• Ability to work onsite in Fontana CA Manufacturing facility, during core hours: Monday - Friday, from 5am - 3PM

Wage Disclaimer:
The expected pay range for this position is between $110,000 and $120,000. Actual pay will be adjusted based on experience, market conditions, and other job-related factors permitted by law. This position qualifies for benefits which may also include a discretionary bonus.
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James Hardie Building Products Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, veteran's status, marital status, pregnancy, disability, or any other basis protected by law.