We are currently supporting a strategic search for a Senior Manager of Quality to lead a critical function within a premier global industrial manufacturing organization. This is a high-impact leadership role designed for a strategic thinker capable of driving operational excellence and ensuring that quality standards serve as a competitive advantage across the region.

As a Senior Manager of Quality, you will be the primary architect of quality assurance and control strategies for a multi-site operation. Your mission is to bridge the gap between high-level organizational vision and day-to-day production excellence, ensuring that every product meets rigorous global standards while optimizing for cost and reliability.

About the Role

Reporting to regional leadership, you will oversee a dedicated team of quality professionals through intermediate supervisors and specialists. You are responsible for the total quality lifecycle—from developing sophisticated statistical benchmarks to managing departmental budgets and resource planning.

This role offers a unique balance of technical governance and people leadership. You will act as a "trusted advisor" to production and site managers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. You won’t just be enforcing policies; you will be creating the linkages that help every employee understand how their daily precision contributes to the firm’s overarching business strategy.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Promote Organizational Strategy: Translate the firm’s global vision into actionable quality objectives that align with long-term business goals.
• Operational Planning: Manage departmental budgets, schedules, and resource allocation for multi-site or large-scale operations.
• Change Management: Lead and support continuous improvement efforts, championing new ideas and methodologies to modernize quality workflows.

Operational Excellence & Quality Control

• Standards Development: Analyze statistical data and product specifications to establish reliability expectations and "zero-defect" targets.
• Process Monitoring: Develop and implement robust methods for tracking work activities, expenditures, and progress reports to keep executive management informed.
• Compliance & Audit: Coordinate with production managers to maximize product reliability while minimizing waste and operational costs.

Team Development & Stakeholder Management

• Talent Management: Oversee the recruitment, training, and performance evaluation of the quality team, ensuring a high-performance culture.
• Problem Resolution: Act as the final escalation point for complex technical work problems and investigation of customer quality complaints.
• Communication: Facilitate effective feedback loops across the organization and interpret company policies to ensure consistent application across all sites.

Requirements

• Experience: Proven track record in a senior quality leadership role within a complex manufacturing environment.
• Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of ISO 9001 standards is required.
• Industry Background: Experience in Semiconductor manufacturing is highly preferred; however, candidates from Automotive (IATF 16949) or Aerospace (AS9100) backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Language Skills: Native-level Japanese and Business/Fluent English are essential for regional coordination.
• Soft Skills: Exceptional negotiation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead through influence and manage significant latitude in decision-making.

Why Apply?

• High Visibility: This role sets the direction for a major multi-functional unit, offering direct exposure to senior regional leadership.
• Strategic Impact: You have the authority to architect and implement quality programs that directly affect the firm's bottom line and market reputation.
• Leadership Autonomy: Manage a large-scale operation with significant latitude to initiate promotions, transfers, and organizational changes.
• Culture of Excellence: Join a firm that values continuous improvement and provides the tools necessary to drive world-class manufacturing standards.
• Professional Growth: Opportunity to lead in a sophisticated, multi-site environment that rewards innovation and data-driven decision-making.