Quality Supervisor - Now Hiring

**Job Summary: **

American Art Clay Company (AMACO) was founded in 1919 by Ted O. Philpott. AMACO is known for being the first to commercially manufacture ceramic and non-ceramic clays, lead-free glazes, electric kilns, and potter’s wheels. AMACO is a founding member of the Arts and Creative Materials Institute, which established safety standards for children’s art materials in 1936. Today AMACO continues to manufacture ceramic supplies with the highest standards of quality and safety.

AMACO is a fourth-generation 100-year family-owned and operated company with a strong belief that art and creating art fosters well-being for the individual while enriching society as a whole. Making art facilitates tactile learning, encourages self-expression, develops craft skills and cultivates creativity. AMACO promotes a culture of continuous improvement and change; and a working environment that embraces innovation at all levels, from the factory floor to the executive offices. Everyone is empowered to improve their role, and their collaborative processes, and to participate in the common goals of safety, quality, customer care, teamwork, respect, and learning and development.

The Brent Quality Supervisor is responsible for overseeing Quality Assurance and in a mechanical manufacturing environment. This position plans and assigns work, implements policies and procedures and recommends improvements in production methods, equipment, operating procedures, and working conditions through the use of data collection, continuous improvement methodology, documentation, and collaboration.

**Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities. **

**Supervisory Responsibility: **

This position manages all department employees and is responsible for performance management, documenting standard operating procedures, and project prioritization. The supervisor will be responsible for finding training for, promoting the development of, and helping achieve your employees’ career goals. This will require good communication with the organization and your crew.

The appropriate candidate should also have previous experience working with cross-functional teams and a proven record of successful cooperative projects.

Responsibilities:

• Continually builds employee relations, makes employment decisions, and resolves employee issues through problem resolution.

• Balance quality, productivity, cost, safety, and morale to drive and improve results.

• Facilitate and maintain cross-departmental communication and participation in quality systems.

• Manage departmental NCR documentation for all Mechanical Division.

• Create and Implement work Instructions for quality within the Mechanical Division.

• Prioritize and drive implementation of all quality projects for the Mechanical Division.

• Provide purchasing with data regarding vendor quality to promote communication with the vendor and drive continuous improvement of purchased parts.

• Perform quality investigations and audits using industry-standard methodologies (e.g., Lean Six-sigma, ‘5 Why’, Shainin, etc.)

• Schedule maintenance and calibration of quality equipment in the Mechanical Division.

• Report on the area quality status of the mechanical division in weekly GEMBA discussions.

• Managing QA hold inventory using Microsoft NAV

• Oversee warranty returns from customers, using Tracker software, for all mechanical products.

• Financial liaison on all Mechanical Quality Issues and discontinued products.

• Responsible for creating, implementing, and maintaining Quality Systems for the Mechanical Division.

Competencies:

• Leadership
• Continuous improvement
• Performance management
• Data-driven management style
• Written and oral communication proficiency
• Time management
• Continual learning mindset
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 suite
• Experience with Microsoft NAV or other ERP systems.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment and job sites can be loud.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Hours of work are Monday through Friday, 40+ hours per week. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Travel:

Minimal to some travel is expected for this position.

Education and Experience:

Required:

• Associate Degree with 4-6 years of experience in a Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, or Continuous Improvement Engineering role.
• Bachelor’s Degree with 2-4 years of experience in a Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, or Continuous Improvement Engineering role.
• 1+ years leading people in a leadership role.
• Developing visual quality acceptance (A/B/C/D surfaces)
• Experience with working cross-functionally to develop Out of Tolerance Dimensions
• Experience in Lean Manufacturing or Toyota Production System
• Problem Solving/Analysis (A3 or DMAIC/Lean Six Sigma).
• Exposure to all quality tools (Process Flow Chart, Test Methods, FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, Gage R&R, Capability Studies, AQLs, Incoming Inspection, Quality at the source, and Cost of poor Quality).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven experience in participating in cross-functional teams.
• Kaizen event participation and/or leadership.
• Crucial conversation or EQ training
• Decision tree/reaction plan creation experience a plus
• Experience with QFD

You should be proficient in:

• Lean Manufacturing Principles