Director of Total Quality - Manufacturing

Job Description

Job Description

ABOUT THE COMPANY At RS, we are redefining how the world builds reliable energy infrastructure. We design and manufacture advanced composite utility poles that are lighter, stronger, and longer-lasting than traditional materials such as wood, steel, and concrete. Our poles are engineered for superior performance in the most demanding environments, providing utilities with a durable, low-maintenance, and sustainable solution for a more resilient grid. With operations in North America and customers across 30+ countries, RS is a leader in grid resilience, driven by our values of Safety , Respect , Resilience , and Teamwork .

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking a Director of Total Quality to lead and align quality performance across multiple manufacturing sites. In this role, you will lead and strengthen process discipline and ensure consistent product performance by embedding quality into daily operations at our Humble, TX Facility. 

In a multi-site, matrixed environment, you will guide plant quality teams, align cross functional partners, and drive consistency in systems, metrics, and execution. Success requires both technical depth and the ability to influence across Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams. Ownership of Total Customer Quality is central, ensuring product performance, field outcomes, and customer experience consistently reinforce the company's brand . This includes connecting Voice of the Customer, complaint and warranty trends, and field data to effective corrective actions and prevention systems.

 

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Shape and Advance the Quality System

• Establish a scalable, enterprise Quality Management System aligned with ISO standards and business priorities, including governance, core processes, and operating routines
• Implement enterprise frameworks to measure and report on total customer experience, linking VOC, field performance, and operational quality to drive continuous improvement
• Translate company strategy into clear quality standards and operating practices across sites, embedding quality into operational and strategic decision-making

Drive Measurable Improvement

• Apply structured, data-driven methods to identify root causes, resolve systemic issues, and deliver sustained performance improvement across sites
• Develop enterprise dashboards and reporting mechanisms that transparently communicate quality performance, highlighting trends, successes, and opportunities to drive accountability and action
• I mprove process capability, stability, and overall quality performance, reducing defects, scrap, rework, and Cost of Poor Quality while increasing consistency across operations

Embed Quality in Engineering and Production

• Establish and govern material quality, configuration control, and disposition processes to prevent nonconforming product use
• Ensure documentation, work instructions, training, and production ownership are effective and embedded on the floor
• Partner with Engineering to assess and mitigate quality risk in engineering changes, new product introductions, and production readiness (DFMEA, PFMEA, control plans, PPAP/FAI)

Strengthen Customer and Field Performance - Total Customer Quality

• Build customer quality scorecards and deliver customer-facing outputs (8D responses, technical communications) while embedding lessons learned across sites
• Lead resolution of customer complaints, returns, and warranty issues with containment, root cause, corrective action, and verified effectiveness
• Own the end-to-end customer quality system from VOC to CTQ, manufacturing controls, field performance, and continuous improvement

Lead Brand Stewardship and Brand Protection

• Align cross-functional priorities and customer-impacting decisions (concessions, deviations, holds/releases) with governance, risk assessment, and brand commitments
• Define and champion what "quality" means for the brand, ensuring consistency in product performance, documentation, packaging, labeling, and delivery quality
• Establish enterprise approaches to quality escape prevention, escalation, and rapid response for high-visibility events impacting customer trust

Elevate Supplier Quality

• Define supplier quality expectations (specifications, acceptance criteria, control plans, audits, scorecards) in partnership with Supply Chain
• Drive supplier performance through structured evaluation, containment, corrective action, and root cause prevention
• Support supplier selection, qualification, and ongoing performance management

Ensure Compliance and Audit Readiness

• Lead internal and external audits, ensuring timely resolution of findings and preventive actions
• Maintain compliance with ISO 9001 and applicable regulatory and customer standards
• Promote proactive risk management and sustained audit readiness across sites

Build Organizational Capability

• Deploy training initiatives that enhance technical rigor, problem-solving capability, and customer-centric decision-making
• Develop and mentor quality professionals across sites, building bench strength and consistent capability
• Strengthen quality ownership and accountability within Operations, making quality a daily discipline

WHAT YOU BRING

• 10 or more years of experience in quality within a manufacturing environment, including multi-site leadership
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, quality, manufacturing, or a related technical field
• Ability to influence across functions and communicate effectively in a matrixed organization
• Experience embedding quality into engineering and production systems (FMEA, control plans, change management, production readiness)
• Experience with customer-facing quality issues and supplier quality systems
• Lean or Six Sigma experience preferred
• Strong grounding in Quality Management Systems and ISO 9001
• Strong problem-solving capability using structured and data-driven methods
• Willingness to travel between manufacturing locations

Leadership Competencies

• Ability to influence and align stakeholders without direct authority in a matrixed, multi-site environment
• Calm, structured leadership under pressure, particularly during escalations and customer-impacting events
• Customer advocacy and brand stewardship, with a clear link between quality performance and reputation
• Data-driven decision-making grounded in systems thinking and root-cause orientation
• Executive presence with concise, credibility, and confident communication across all levels, including customers
• High accountability with a bias for action and disciplined operational execution

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
• Employer paid life and short-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off and Employee Assistance Program
• Optional additional coverage including life and long-term disability
• Opportunities for growth and leadership impact within a global, forward-thinking company
• Retirement savings plans with company contributions, 5%-401(k) matching program

 

WHY JOIN US? This is a high-impact role with enterprise visibility, responsible for defining and leading Total Quality across a growing, multi-site manufacturing organization. You will shape not only outcomes, but the systems, standards, and behaviors that drive consistent performance.

At RS, quality is fundamental to operational excellence and customer trust. This role carries a clear mandate to elevate standards, strengthen discipline, and connect customer experience with manufacturing execution. You will work closely with plant teams and leadership to solve real problems, deliver measurable improvement, and build a quality function that scales the business.

 

EEO/AA Employer M/F/D/V

 

 

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