Corporate Quality Leader

The Corporate Quality Leader is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategy, development, and execution of Dekko’s enterprise-wide Quality Management System (QMS), Corporate Quality Laboratory, and Regulatory Compliance functions. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations and based in Fort Wayne, IN, this leader directs a team of quality laboratory and compliance professionals and owns quality performance across the corporate office and manufacturing plants. The Corporate Quality Leader drives a culture of prevention, standardization, and continuous improvement – ensuring products, processes, and documentation consistently meet customer, ISO, UL, FDA, ITAR, and other regulatory requirements.

What You’ll Do:

1. Quality Systems Management

• Own, maintain, and continually improve the corporate Quality Management System, ensuring compliance with ISO 9001:2015 certification requirements as well as FDA and ITAR obligations.
• Lead Document Control: establish document formats, naming schemes, and revision control; champion implementation of a new PDM system to manage documents, drawings, and specifications.
• Create and deploy a more in-depth Internal Audit system; lead Management Review and drive process ownership across corporate and plant functions.
• Define specifications and translate them into process inspections and verification processes, including a robust Incoming Inspection process.
• Establish and manage core quality processes: Deviation, ECN, Lessons Learned, CAPA, Complaint/Warranty, NCMR, and RMA/Credit processes.
• Direct advanced quality planning: PFMEA, DFMEA, and Control Plan development; APQP, PPAP, and Quality Release processes; and New Product Review.
• Own supplier quality: SCARs, quality supplier Scorecards, Supplier Audit process, and SQE segments; oversee customer scorecards and customer quality requests.
• Develop and report Quality KPIs – customer, internal (corporate and manufacturing plant), and quality costing – and drive validated corrective action on misses.
• Build the quality Training Plan: awareness, standardization, and comprehension validation of processes across the organization.

2. Quality Laboratory Management

• Lead and develop the Corporate Quality Laboratory team (direct reports), including hiring, coaching, performance reviews, and skill development.
• Manage all laboratory testing operations supporting product qualification, validations, and customer requirements.
• Own the corporate Calibration program, ensuring measurement equipment integrity across all facilities.
• Support validations, new product review, and engineering verification testing with accurate, timely lab data.

3. Regulatory Compliance – UL and Agency Oversight

• Lead the UL Compliance team (direct reports) responsible for UL file maintenance, agency audits, follow-up services, and new product certifications.
• Provide regulatory oversight and compliance for UL, FDA, ISO, and ITAR requirements, and respond to customer regulatory requests.
• Drive a reduction in the number of regulatory groups by consolidating and standardizing compliance activities under a unified corporate structure.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position carries direct leadership responsibility for the Quality Laboratory staff and UL/Regulatory Compliance staff, with dotted-line influence over plant quality resources. Responsibilities include selection, training, performance management, and development of direct reports, and conducting employee performance reviews.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering discipline (or related technical field).
• 7–15 years of progressive experience in an engineering/quality discipline within a manufacturing environment.
• Six Sigma certification – Green Belt or higher (required).
• Demonstrated management experience leading teams with direct reports.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 quality management systems, internal auditing, and management review.
• Hands‑on experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA/DFMEA, Control Plans, CAPA, and root cause analysis tools.
• Experience with regulatory/agency compliance (UL, FDA, ISO, and/or ITAR).

Nice to Have:

• ASQ certification (CQE, CQM/OE, or CQA); Six Sigma Black Belt.
• Experience managing a quality/test laboratory and calibration systems.
• Experience implementing PDM/document management systems and supplier quality programs (SQE, supplier audits, scorecards).
• Working knowledge of SPC applications and blueprint reading.

Why You’ll Love It Here:

At Dekko, you’ll be part of more than just a company; you’ll join a team of passionate people who truly care about what they do and who they work with. We offer:

• Great People & Culture – A supportive, values-driven environment where teamwork and integrity come first.
• Competitive Pay & Benefits – Including comprehensive healthcare, dental, vision, and an 8% fully funded retirement plan.
• Growth Opportunities – We invest in your development with training, mentorship, and the chance to take on new challenges.
• Work That Matters – Contribute to innovative products that make a difference in how people live and work.
• Stability with Flexibility – A growing company with a strong foundation that understands the importance of work-life balance.

Dekko is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees