Quality Operations Manager

About the role

The Quality Operations Manager is responsible for leading and sustaining site-wide quality systems and driving overall quality performance within manufacturing operations. This role partners cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, and Maintenance to ensure products meet customer specifications while proactively improving processes and preventing defects.

Responsibilities

• Establish and ensure execution of daily quality operating cadence (e.g., GEMBA, tiered accountability, escalation processes) through Quality Supervisors to drive consistent performance and issue resolution
• Oversee quality operations across assigned areas, ensuring effective execution of inspection, testing, and release processes in alignment with defined standards and KPIs
• Drive quality performance across assigned production areas, including KPIs such as first pass yield (FPY), scrap, cost of poor quality (COPQ), and customer defects
• Own quality KPIs and compliance programs while driving execution of continuous improvement strategy
• Align quality objectives with business goals in a high-volume lithium-ion battery manufacturing environment
• Lead, coach, and develop Quality Supervisors, strengthening leadership capability and technical expertise across the organization
• Lead high-impact, cross-functional continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and advanced problem-solving methodologies
• Analyze quality performance data to identify systemic issues and drive sustainable improvements
• Lead the VDA 6.3 Process Audit program, ensuring audit effectiveness and sustained corrective action closure
• Advance implementation of digital and data-driven quality solutions, including analytics, automation, and emerging technologies
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Product Development, and Supply Chain to ensure quality is built into processes and product design
• Influence cross-functional decisions to proactively mitigate quality risks and improve manufacturability
• Represent Quality in site leadership discussions, escalation forums, and cross-functional governance processes
• Communicate quality performance, risks, and strategic initiatives to senior leadership and key stakeholders

Qualifications

• Required Education, Certifications, and Licenses: Bachelor’s degree in Quality Assurance, Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related technical field. Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education.
• Preferred Master’s degree (MBA or MS) in a related discipline.
• Leverage American Society for Quality (ASQ) certifications (e.g., CQE, CQM).
• 5+ years of progressive quality operations leadership experience, including ownership of quality systems and performance outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience owning and improving key quality KPIs (e.g., FPY, scrap, customer defects, COPQ).
• Strong knowledge of quality management systems (e.g., ISO 9001, IATF 16949) and regulatory requirements (e.g., UL, CE, RoHS).
• Proven ability to lead and deliver site-level or multi-functional quality improvement initiatives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Experience with quality systems and tools (e.g., Palantir Foundry, ERP systems, SPC, Minitab, SQL).
• Experience leading and developing leaders (e.g., supervisors) and cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills across all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated agility, sound judgment, and ability to make decisions in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Collaborative leadership style with strong team-building capability.
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English.
• Alignment to Panasonic’s seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude).

Benefits & Perks

• Health Benefits – Medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Voluntary Benefits – Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.
• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) – 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.
• Paid Time-Off Benefits – Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.
• Educational Assistance – Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.
• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs – Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources.
• Employee Recognition Program – High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition.
• Annual Bonus Program – Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus.
• On-site Food Options – Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events.