Quality Manager

Quality Manager

Axalta has remained at the forefront of the coatings industry by continually investing in innovative solutions. We engineer technologies that protect customers' products whether they are battling heat, light, corrosion, abrasion, moisture, or chemicals and add dimension and beauty with colorful finishes. We have a vast and ever-evolving portfolio of brands primed to play an important part in everything from modernizing infrastructure around the world to enabling the next generation of electric and autonomous vehicles.

We are currently looking for a Quality Manager to join us at our facility in High Point, NC.

The Quality Manager leads the site Quality Control (QC) function, maintains the Quality Management System (QMS), and executes continuous quality improvement projects. As a core member of the Site Leadership Team, this individual leverages a strong manufacturing background to act as the primary backup for the Production Manager when needed.

Key Responsibilities:

Quality Control & QMS Management

• Departmental Operations: Directs daily QC lab operations, ensuring final products strictly meet organizational, customer, and regulatory standards.
• Throughput Optimization: Tracks and improves batch throughput metrics to eliminate laboratory testing bottlenecks while maintaining high evaluation accuracy.
• QMS Compliance: Maintains and updates all department-level ISO 9001 documentation, including SOPs, test methods, specifications, and work instructions.
• Audit & CAPA Ownership: Supports internal, customer, and registrar audits; owns the timely closure of CAPA, non-conformance reports (NCRs), and deviations.
• Lab Infrastructure: Oversees the calibration, maintenance, and reliability of all laboratory testing equipment.
• KPI Reporting: Compiles and delivers monthly performance metrics, tracking Right-First Time (RFT), Hits-per-batch (HPB), Complaints, CAPA aging, and the cost of poor quality.

Quality Projects & Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

• Problem Solving: Leads technical investigations for quality deviations and customer complaints using structured methodologies (8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa, FMEA).
• Continuous Improvement: Executes Lean Six Sigma / DMAIC projects to maximize RFT rates and minimize plant rework, holds, and scrap.
• Financial Tracking: Partners with Finance to quantify continuous improvement project benefits and track savings.
• Product & Material Changes: Leads quality planning and validation for new product introductions (NPI), raw material substitutions, and process transfers.
• Technical Collaboration: Partners with the Technology team to resolve formulation, specification, and test method constraints.

Production Coverage & Process Integration

• Production Operations Backup: Steps in as Production Manager during absences to lead daily manufacturing meetings, manage staffing, and enforce schedule attainment.
• Risk-Based Decisions: Makes critical release, hold, and rework decisions while fully balancing production schedules with quality risk.
• Built-In Quality: Works alongside the production team daily to integrate preventative quality controls directly into manufacturing processes rather than relying solely on post-production inspection.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Talent Development: Coaches and develops the Quality Supervisor, ensuring QC Technicians are thoroughly trained, qualified, and productive.
• Resource Planning: Manages laboratory priorities, shift coverage schedules, headcount allocation, and the annual Quality department budget.
• EHS Advocacy: Fosters a safety-first culture, ensuring absolute compliance with all Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) guidelines in the lab and plant.

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related science/engineering discipline.
• Production Experience: 6+ years in manufacturing, featuring at least 3 years in a production supervisory or management position.
• Quality Leadership: 2+ years managing quality or QC teams, preferably in coatings, paints, chemicals, or related batch process manufacturing.
• Lean Six Sigma: Active Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Technical Compliance: Working knowledge of ISO 9001 systems, formal audits, CAPA execution, and statistical process control (SPC).
• Systems Fluency: Hands-on experience navigating SAP QM or comparable ERP/LIMS platforms.

Axalta operates its business in two segments: Performance Coatings and Mobility Coatings, which serve four end markets, including Refinish, Industrial, Light Vehicle and Commercial Vehicle, across North America, EMEA, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Our diverse global footprint allows us to deliver solutions in over 140+ countries and coat 30 million vehicles per year. We've recently set an exciting 2040 carbon neutrality goal, in addition to 10 other sustainability initiatives, and we take pride in working with our customers to optimize their businesses and achieve their goals.