Supplier Quality Manager

The Supplier Quality Manager oversees quality operations across multiple vendors and manages a structured team consisting of Continuous Improvement (CI) who report directly to the Supplier Quality Manager, and Quality Controllers (QCs) who report to the CI. This team is responsible for following product launch schedules and managing production quality across all assigned vendor facilities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Quality team management. Clearly communicate with Ashley CQI office and set GOALs by giving clear direction to the QA/QC team to achieve the set GOALs by setting KPIs for team members and managing this

2. Consistently review the team's performance to maintain continuous improvements, this includes daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally and yearly department GOALs and achievements

3. Full knowledge of Ashley quality control system tools such as QIS system and Dominator APP. Provide feedback to the system development team to continuously improve the tools to better organize the team's daily work. This also requires providing continuous training to team members on the developed system functions to ensure the team remains highly efficient daily

4. Drive continuous improvement efforts and provide management with cost benefit analysis, streamlining workflow and establish the Standard Operation Procedure while continuously improving to ensure the team stays highly organized on quality operations

5. By researching and communicating throughout the whole supply chain to understand the quality expectations of the customer, develop appropriate quality standards and establish clear service standards for customers and operators to ensure the team maintains this correct approach within daily work

6. Provide immediate action on Home Store operation customer complaints by setting up Ashley Furniture Managed (AFI) QIS projects through work with US champions and obtaining prioritized reviews at production line to get solutions and SOPs updated, and train vendor-related staff on preventing the issues from re-occurring within the latest cutting

7. Provide quality-related training to suppliers, QA and QC teams to ensure each team remains aligned to the quality standards

8. Get continuous training within the vendor base to have the Vendor Managed (VMI) QIS projects updated with higher quality and the closure rate from each supplier needs to be set and followed to hit each week. The projects need to be closed within the latest cutting

9. Collect and analyze performance metrics and trends, analyze data, and prepare reports and analysis to evaluate the team's performance and maintain continuous improvements

10. Communicate with Ashley QA Teams, Regional Offices, and other functional areas to ensure consistency in service across the business

11. Effective problem solving, analytical, and communication skills

12. Strong attention to detail, highly organized with the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines with a strong focus on reducing / eliminating errors or defects and leading the team to stay on the correct track

13. Strong understanding of the value of technology and its impact on Quality and Continuous Improvement

14. Strong project management skills required--Coordinate the selection, scoping, planning and implementation of Continuous Improvement projects and events to achieve improvements through each project

15. Experience in driving change management

16. Apply practical and intermediate level knowledge in CI methods to improve quality, reduce cost and improve customer satisfaction

17. Stay informed of the latest external developments in best practices and help bring those onboard as appropriate and needed. Keep improving and maintaining open discussions across operations on the latest information

18. Work closely with the new product development teams to execute new product launches in Ashley Furniture and develop and implement pre-production review for new product launches

19. Work with factory management to clearly communicate the Ashley standards to ensure vendor bases maintain a high focus on the continuous improvements of the product quality and the production processes.

20. Train personnel to properly build and conduct product and process inspections, investigations and audits, effectively solve and improve product/processes through the application of sound Continuous Improvement methodologies.

21. Maintain reliable attendance

22. Team development

23. Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced and demanding environment

1. Education required:

- BS college degree or equivalent work experience.

- OR combination of education and experience (Engineering or Operations Management preferred)

- Experience in the furniture industry is preffered.

2. Experience:

- Minimum of 2 years in the Ashley environment is preferred.

- 5+ years previous Quality and Continuous Improvement experience strongly preferred with a strong understanding of process expertise, continuous process improvement and quality assurance methodology and tools.

- 3+ years of experience in team management function as manager or higher position.

3. Knowledge:

- Fluent in English (4 skills)

- Blueprints/ CAD

- Working knowledge of Continuous Improvement tools

- Document management system

- Record Management

- Key Performance Indicators

- A3 Methodology

- Problem Solving and Root Cause Analysis (PDCA)

- Process Flow Mapping

- Value Stream Mapping

- 6S/ Visual Management

- Standard Work

- Job Instruction/ Method/ Relation

- Quality in the Source

- Just In Time

- Kaizen/ Continuous Improvement