Senior Manager, Quality

Job description

The Impact You'll Make Danfoss is seeking a Quality Manager to lead quality systems and drive a culture of quality excellence at our liquid-cooling manufacturing and distribution facility in Utica, New York, supporting our rapidly growing Data Center Business Unit. This role is responsible for ensuring products meet customer requirements through strong quality processes, effective problem-solving, supplier quality management, and continuous improvement initiatives. The right person will maintain product quality and reliability, ensuring compliance with quality standards, preventing defects, improving customer satisfaction, and building a proactive quality culture across the organization. What You’ll Be Doing Lead site quality systems, customer quality, incoming inspection, process quality, corrective actions, audits, and overall quality performance initiatives. Ensure effective implementation of quality tools and processes, including measurement systems analysis (MSA), statistical process control (SPC), calibration programs, control plans, and inspection standards. Manage quality issues related to customer complaints, supplier performance, internal defects, scrap, rework, audit findings, and containment activities. Partner with Operations and Engineering teams to improve process stability, defect prevention, product quality, testing performance, and root cause problem-solving. Develop and lead the quality team through coaching, performance management, technical development, and succession planning. Monitor and improve key quality metrics, including customer complaints, supplier quality, internal defects, audit performance, corrective action closure, and cost of poor quality. Support quality planning for new product introductions, product transfers, production ramp-ups, supplier changes, and customer-specific requirements. Coordinate customer audits, supplier assessments, certification audits, and internal quality reviews. Ensure nonconforming materials are properly identified, documented, segregated, investigated, and resolved. Promote quality ownership throughout the organization through training, standard work, visual controls, and effective escalation processes. Collaborate with Supply Chain and Sourcing teams to improve supplier quality performance and incoming material quality. Foster a prevention-focused culture that emphasizes customer satisfaction, traceability, data integrity, compliance, and continuous improvement. What We're Looking For Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related technical field. Quality leadership experience within a manufacturing environment. Experience with quality management systems (QMS), audits, corrective actions, SPC, MSA, calibration programs, supplier quality, and customer quality management. Strong analytical, leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. Preferred Qualifications Master's degree in a related field. Professional certifications such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), Six Sigma, or equivalent. Experience in fluid conveyance, thermal management, automotive, electronics, HVAC/R, aerospace, medical device, or other highly regulated manufacturing industries. Experience supporting new product launches, product transfers, and manufacturing growth initiatives. Job Criteria Strong understanding of quality systems, process controls, inspection methods, quality planning, and continuous improvement principles. Experience leading root cause investigations, corrective and preventive actions, audit programs, and quality performance reviews. Ability to analyze quality metrics, process capability data, customer feedback, supplier performance trends, and defect data to drive improvements. Knowledge of calibration systems, measurement methods, traceability requirements, documentation control, and defect prevention techniques. Ability to build strong partnerships with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Continuous Improvement, customers, suppliers, and auditors. Strong leadership and coaching skills with the ability to influence quality ownership throughout the organization. Demonstrated ability to balance customer requirements, business objectives, compliance expectations, and operational performance in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. What You'll Get from Us At Danfoss, we believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace fosters creativity, innovation, and a broader perspective in decision-making. When you consider this job posting, do you feel like your profile is not a perfect match? Numerous studies have found that women and people of color are more likely to apply only when they meet all requirements listed in the job posting. Even if you do not check all the boxes, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are curious to find out how you can bring new insights to the role or to Danfoss as an organization. The targeted salary range for this position is $120,000 - $150,000 annually based on experience. We are excited to offer you the following benefits with your employment: Bonus system Paid vacation Retirement plan Personal insurance Opportunity to join Employee Resource Groups State of the art virtual work environment Employee Referral Program Ready to Make a Difference? If this role excites you, we’d love to hear from you! Apply now to start the conversation and learn more about where your career can go with us. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected category.