Director, Global Quality Compliance

Position Summary

The Director of Global Quality Compliance is a senior leadership position that oversees the creation, governance, and ongoing enhancement of the organization’s worldwide Quality Management System (QMS). This role spans manufacturing locations, design centers, and other global business functions.

The leader will also own the global internal audit program, with responsibility for verifying adherence to QMS expectations, uncovering systemic risks, and ensuring non-compliances are closed in a prompt and durable way.

This position calls for deep, practical experience in complete QMS ownership, manufacturing quality, design quality processes, and the ability to build accountability and compliance across multiple geographies and business units.

Global Quality Management System Leadership

• Steer the company-wide QMS and the governance structure that supports it.
• Keep the system aligned with applicable standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 13485, or other relevant requirements, as well as customer expectations and internal policies.
• Bring consistency to QMS practices across manufacturing sites, design teams, and global functions.
• Set, issue, and maintain global procedures, standards, and compliance guidance.
• Guide regional and site quality teams on how to implement and run QMS requirements effectively.

Internal Audit Program Ownership

• Direct the global internal quality audit program for manufacturing plants, design centers, and support organizations.
• Build an annual audit plan based on risk, including compliance exposure, process strength, and recurring quality risks.
• Make sure audits are carried out consistently, objectively, and with strong methodology across all locations.
• Identify quality gaps related to process, system, people, or documentation failures.
• Monitor corrective and preventive actions at site level and ensure they are completed on time and in a lasting way.
• Escalate major systemic issues and quality risks to senior leadership without delay.

Manufacturing Compliance Oversight

• Work closely with factory quality and manufacturing operations teams to maintain operational discipline, control, and adherence to QMS requirements.
• Confirm compliance in critical manufacturing areas such as material control, process change management, validation, inspection, testing, and nonconformance handling.
• Lead root-cause removal efforts for repeated audit findings.

Design Compliance and R&D Quality Alignment

• Ensure design quality practices such as design control, new product introduction readiness, FMEA, and risk management are aligned to global standards.
• Partner with R&D, AME, and NPI teams to build strong quality compliance early in the product lifecycle, from design through mass production.

Culture and Compliance Reinforcement

• Encourage a global mindset of zero tolerance for non-compliance and disciplined execution.
• Coach site leaders on compliance expectations and proven practices.
• Lead capability-building initiatives in QMS, compliance, and audit effectiveness across all locations.

Metrics, Reporting, and Leadership Visibility

• Create compliance and audit KPIs, dashboards, and reporting tools for executive review.
• Share key risks, trends, and improvement actions with senior management and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Use independent judgment and discretion in decisions that affect the organization operationally, financially, and strategically.
• Lead, coach, and assess direct reports, with authority over hiring, discipline, performance reviews, promotion, and termination.
• Handle confidential and sensitive business information, including employee relations matters, compensation data, strategic plans, financial results, and trade secrets.
• Follow organizational rules on quality management, health and safety, code of conduct, legal obligations, environmental requirements, 5S, and general duty of care.
• Protect the confidentiality of production processes, components, business information, technology, and materials.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Work Environment

This role operates in a typical office setting and involves the use of standard office equipment such as a telephone, computer, copier, and fax machine.

Qualifications

• 12 to 15 years of experience in quality management within high-tech manufacturing, electronics, EMS, or a similar hardware production environment.
• Strong command of QMS frameworks, with ISO 9001 required; ISO 13485 or IATF 16949 is a significant advantage.
• Proven track record of driving compliance, enforcement, and closure of systemic quality issues.
• Excellent executive-level stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence teams globally.
• High integrity, disciplined working style, and a strong commitment to compliance.
• Ability to spot systemic problems and push for timely resolution.
• Excellent problem-solving ability and risk-based decision-making.
• Comfortable collaborating across regions, cultures, and functions.

Experience

• Demonstrated success in leading global internal audit programs.
• Solid background working with manufacturing factories, preferably in Asia, and with design or R&D organizations.
• Experience in electronics manufacturing, EMS operations, or similarly complex hardware production environments.
• Certified Lead Auditor in ISO 9001 or an equivalent standard.
• Experience in high-volume manufacturing settings.
• Experience managing multi-site global quality systems.
• Strong analytical approach with the ability to influence outcomes without direct authority.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or another related technical field.