Quality Assurance Manager - Kuraray America

Title: Quality Assurance Manager

Location: Pasadena, TX

Who we are:

Voted one of the Nation's Best and Brightest Companies to Work for, Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber, and resin production. With top-of-the-line research and production facilities and a vast network of supplies from around the world, Kuraray leads the industry in specialty dental, fiber, resin, and elastomer products. Kuraray America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Company, Ltd. Based in Tokyo, Japan. Kuraray has operations in 31 countries and employs more than 11,000 employees, including over 800 in the United States.

Why Kuraray:

Kuraray is building a better tomorrow, today. Our team members are dedicated to expanding our business with committed professionals who share essential values such as integrity, excellence, teamwork, and accountability.

As a part of Kuraray America, Inc., our team shares the advantages of working for the leader in specialty chemicals, resins, and fibers. Our international presence and resources allow us to be a world-leading innovator in the industries we service. Yet, despite our size, our people are more than just a number. As a new team member, you can expect to earn responsibility quickly. Our commitment to our people is visible in our comprehensive benefits package. As a Kuraray team member, you will have the opportunity to enjoy competitive salaries and benefits, incentive opportunities, and an excellent work environment.

Position summary:

The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all quality-related activities, ensuring compliance with ISO 9001, ISCC +, GMP, and other regulatory standards. This role requires close collaboration with various departments, including production, QC Lab, customer service, logistics, and product management, to address and resolve quality issues efficiently. The Quality Assurance Manager is a key member of the Global Quality Assurance Team and actively participates in data collection, reporting, and maintaining certifications and audits. The position involves managing customer complaints, monitoring quality KPIs, and driving continuous improvement within Quality Assurance processes

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with plant personnel, technical teams, QC Lab, customer service, logistics, and product management on quality-related issues, including product standards, logistics, and general customer service.
• Serve as a liaison among plant personnel, product management, customer service, sales, and technical support to address quality inquiries.
• Complete and submit customer questionnaires, ensuring accuracy and timely responses.
• Manage customer complaints via Salesforce, track response times, and monitor complaint closure rates.
• Conduct Corrective Action Review (CAR) meetings to evaluate and resolve quality concerns.
• Prepare and present monthly QA reports for the Business Unit (BU) and senior leadership.
• Actively participate in the Global Quality Assurance (GQA) Team, attending monthly meetings and contributing to data collection efforts.
• Manage and maintain the ISO 9001 Quality Management System, including scheduling and conducting internal and external audits, as well as management reviews.
• Ensure compliance with additional standards such as RC 14001, ISCC +, and IATF; participate in related audits as required.
• Oversee GMP compliance and maintain ISCC + certification requirements, including scheduling and conducting audits.
• Attend BU meetings to communicate and align quality practices with business objectives.
• Develop and enforce quality practices across production, packaging, customer service, and logistics departments.
• Facilitate QA data collection within SAP and troubleshoot SAP issues related to quality.
• Develop deep mastery of the Company's QA Program, and work with the production team(s) to ensure effective action plans are in place to execute the program, with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction.
• Leverage the QA tools and systems to continually improve business results in the production site.
• Audit the QA program for the production site on a regular basis and provide feedback/direction to the production team(s) on the improvements needed to ensure compliance with the Company's QA program.
• Work with resources across the broader QA organization and R&D to help resolve significant quality issues.
• Provide training or coaching to others throughout the organization in own area of expertise to enable others to improve performance and fulfill personal potential.
• Contribute to stakeholder engagement by identifying stakeholders; by finding out their needs, issues, and concerns; and by reacting to these needs, issues, and concerns, arranging meetings and events and drafting supporting materials to promote understanding and commitment

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Quality Management, Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in quality assurance or a related field, with experience in ISO and GMP compliance.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001 management systems and audit procedures, with additional certifications (e.g., ISCC +, IATF) a plus.
• Proficiency in using SAP for data management, reporting, and issue resolution.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication, presentation, interpersonal, creative thinking, consulting, and analytical skills.
• Ability to prioritize work to manage multiple projects to meet deadlines.
• Excellent problem-solving/decision-making skills.
• Ability to multi-task
• Candidates must have a valid driver's license.

Competencies:

• Customer Focus
  • Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Business Insight
  • Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goals.
• Cultivates Innovation
  • Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.

• Action Oriented
  • Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Ensures Accountability
  • Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Drives Results
  • Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstance
• Collaborates
  • Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Values Difference
  • Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization
• Communicates Effectively
  • Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Courage
  • Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.
• Instills Trust
  • Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Situational Adaptability
  • Adapting approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.

We offer a competitive compensation package that includes base pay and an annual incentive. This program is designed to reward individual performance and align overall rewards with corporate and team performance.

Our employees benefit from a robust healthcare package that includes wellness reimbursements, along with generous perks such as three weeks of paid time off, ten company holidays, paid parental leave, education reimbursement, and a matching 401k plan, among other offerings.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S.

Please apply online at: http://www.kuraray.us.com/careers/

Kuraray America, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer AA M/F/disability/protected veteran status.

No third-party candidates accepted.