Senior Director of Quality
Position Summary
We are seeking a visionary and highly experienced Senior Director of Quality to lead our global quality strategy across all operations, including manufacturing, new product introduction, and supplier management. This executive will ensure the company maintains the highest standards in product quality, process excellence, and regulatory compliance, with a strong focus on ISO 9001, IATF 16949 (TS), and other industry-specific certifications.
The ideal candidate brings over 10 years of senior-level quality leadership in the semiconductor or photonics industry, coupled with demonstrated expertise in global quality systems, continuous improvement methodologies, and stakeholder engagement across geographies.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute a comprehensive global quality strategy aligned with corporate goals.
- Lead the deployment and governance of quality systems across all global sites (U.S., Europe, Taiwan, etc.).
- Act as the voice of quality at the executive level and champion a company-wide culture of quality excellence.
Quality Systems & Standards
- Ensure compliance with industry standards, including ISO 9001, IATF 16949 (TS), ISO 14001, and customer-specific requirements.
- Oversee internal and external audit readiness and successful certification outcomes globally.
- Develop standardized quality procedures, policies, and metrics across all business units and regions.
New Product & Process Development
- Partner closely with R&D, engineering, and operations teams to embed quality assurance in the design and development of new products and processes.
- Establish phase-gate quality criteria for product development lifecycles.
- Drive early detection and resolution of product or process issues before scale-up or launch.
Supplier Quality Management
- Oversee global supplier quality programs including qualification, audits, performance monitoring, and corrective action processes.
- Build a world-class supplier quality framework to ensure materials and components meet or exceed requirements.
- Collaborate with supply chain leadership to develop supplier scorecards and improvement plans.
Continuous Improvement
- Lead the adoption of Lean, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement tools across the enterprise.
- Define and track key quality KPIs (yield, field return rates, cost of quality, etc.) and ensure ongoing improvement.
- Sponsor cross-functional quality initiatives and root-cause analysis of systemic issues.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related technical field (Master’s preferred).
- 10+ years of senior-level quality leadership in the semiconductor, photonics, or advanced electronics manufacturing sector.
- Deep understanding of ISO 9001, IATF 16949 (TS), and regulatory expectations specific to semiconductor or high-tech environments.
- Proven ability to build and lead geographically dispersed quality organizations.
- Strong experience supporting NPI (New Product Introduction) and ramp-to-volume manufacturing.
- Demonstrated expertise in supplier quality, statistical process control, and continuous improvement frameworks (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent).
- Exceptional communication, leadership, and cross-cultural collaboration skills.
Travel Requirements
- Willingness to travel globally up to 30%, including regular visits to facilities and supplier sites in the United States, Europe, and Taiwan, to support quality operations and strategic initiatives.
Location
US East Coast or Europe (Global Travel Required)
Reports To
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Industry
Semiconductor / Photonics
Employment Type
Full-Time, Executive Level