Global Vice President of Quality Assurance

Position Overview

The Global Vice President of Quality Assurance serves as a senior executive responsible for steering the company’s global quality assurance framework. This role emphasizes developing and executing comprehensive quality management strategies, ensuring regulatory adherence, enhancing operational efficiency, and fostering ongoing improvements in quality standards across all functions worldwide. It involves setting uniform quality benchmarks, reducing business risks linked to quality issues, and guaranteeing that all products, services, and processes consistently meet customer expectations alongside international regulatory obligations.

Key Responsibilities

• Formulate and implement global quality assurance strategies aligned with the overall corporate vision and growth plans.
• Create and enforce worldwide quality policies, governance structures, and performance metrics applicable to all business units.
• Foster a work culture emphasizing quality accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Implement and sustain enterprise-wide Quality Management Systems (QMS), ensuring consistency and compliance with standards such as ISO.
• Supervise uniformity in quality protocols, documentation, and operations globally.
• Lead quality audits and management reviews to reinforce compliance and performance.
• Drive product quality management throughout all phases — design, development, manufacturing, distribution, and customer support — employing preventive approaches to minimize defects and complaints.
• Promote methodologies such as Design for Quality, APQP, FMEA, SPC, and RCA to enhance product and process quality.
• Develop and enforce global supplier quality strategies, conducting supplier audits and improving performance in partnership with procurement and supply chain teams.
• Manage regulatory compliance across multiple standards including ISO 9001, ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100, GMP, FDA regulations, ensuring readiness for audits and certifications.
• Lead initiatives in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement practices to boost quality metrics, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
• Establish and monitor enterprise quality KPIs, utilize data analytics and AI tools for quality tracking, and steer quality transformation projects.
• Provide leadership to global quality teams including directors, vice presidents, and compliance professionals, focusing on talent development and succession planning.
• Oversee quality-related budgets, investments in labs and technologies, and coordinate with consulting and certification bodies.
• Report quality strategies, compliance outcomes, and operational results to the executive committee and board.

Qualifications and Expertise

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality Management, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Life Sciences or a related discipline.
• Advanced degrees (MBA or relevant master's) are preferred.
• Professional certifications such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, Six Sigma Black Belt, or ISO Lead Auditor favored.
• 15 to 20+ years of advancing leadership experience in quality assurance, manufacturing, regulatory compliance, supplier quality, or continuous improvement functions.
• Demonstrated track record managing complex global quality organizations and multi-regional business units.
• Deep expertise in quality management systems, operational excellence methodologies, regulatory mandates, and supplier quality management.
• Strong strategic planning, communication, leadership, and stakeholder engagement capabilities.

Core Competencies

• Global Quality Assurance
• Quality Management Systems (QMS)
• Regulatory and Compliance Management
• Supplier Quality Oversight
• Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement
• Lean Six Sigma
• Enterprise Risk and Quality Analytics