Manager, Manufacturing Quality (Traveling)

Job Description

A collective energy and ambition. A place where you can make a real difference.

We’re a company that genuinely cares about our people, our products, our consumers and the environment.

Our unique, informal culture champions courage, determination and collaboration. Knowing we have an open and supportive team means each of us has the freedom to take responsibility and ownership. We have a shared passion to work hard, innovate and push boundaries.

United by the belief that when we strive for growth, anything is possible. While we might not be the largest company in our industry, we believe we can have the biggest impact because: Together We Have the Power to Win.

Summary Description:  

The Manufacturing Quality Team Manager provides day-to-day leadership and direction for the China Manufacturing Quality team supporting China and Southeast Asia contract manufacturing sites. This role leads team execution, aligns quality processes, supports supplier performance, and helps ensure compliant, capable, and stable manufacturing operations from product transfer through mass production.

This role requires strong manufacturing quality knowledge, team leadership skills, and regular on-site engagement with contract manufacturers. The manager is expected to guide team priorities, coach team members, coordinate cross-functional work, and escalate risks or resource needs as appropriate.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Process Alignment                    

• Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and direction to the China Manufacturing Quality team.
• Align team priorities, work methods, and quality processes across China and Southeast Asia manufacturing sites.
• Support team development through training, feedback, delegation, and regular performance check-ins.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing Engineering, Design Engineering, Project Management, and contract manufacturers to ensure quality deliverables are completed on time.
• Escalate quality, staffing, supplier, or schedule risks to management and help drive timely resolution.

Product Transfer, Launch & Manufacturing Quality

• Lead quality execution for product transfers from China to Southeast Asia, from mold trials through mass production.
• Support review and approval of tooling, fixtures, equipment, testers, and production lines in partnership with Engineering and contract manufacturers.
• Coordinate product qualification and re-qualification activities, ensuring required documentation and follow-up actions are completed.
• Review molded parts, finished units, inspection results, and production line readiness during engineering builds, qualifications, pilot runs, and production ramp-up.
• Maintain Product Quality Plans (PQP) and support completion of key quality deliverables prior to First Shipment Authorization and production approval.

Continuous Improvement & LEAN

• Support reduction of quality variation using standard quality tools, including SPC, capability analysis, FMEA, 5-Why root cause analysis, and corrective action methods.
• Conduct or coordinate on-site audits and assessments to evaluate manufacturing quality systems and identify improvement opportunities.
• Provide training and coaching on quality tools, measurement systems, Lean methods, and structured problem solving.
• Partner with engineering and manufacturing teams to resolve fitness-for-use issues, nonconformances, and supplier quality concerns.
• Support Lean and continuous improvement initiatives across internal teams and contract manufacturers, promoting consistent execution and follow-through.
• Help identify waste elimination, Kaizen, line balancing, SOP, efficiency, safety, and labor improvement opportunities.
• Track improvement actions and report progress, risks, and results to management and global Lean or quality stakeholders as needed.

Administrative and Ethical Responsibilities:

• Adapt to a rapidly changing environment with professionalism and discretion.
• Participate in special projects as assigned.
• Conduct all activities in a manner that is fair, moral, ethical, and legal.
• Conduct business activities consistent with the guiding principles and business practices in the Ethics code.

Operating Skills, Knowledge, Abilities and Travel:

• This position primarily supports contract manufacturers in China and Southeast Asia. Travel is expected to be approximately 40% to 60%, depending on project and supplier needs.
• A valid passport is required, along with the ability to travel throughout Southeast Asia manufacturing sites.
• Ability to communicate in Chinese is required; Thai and/or Vietnamese language skills are desirable but not required.
• Working knowledge of standard quality and statistical methods, problem-solving methods, process capability, sampling methods, fixturing/gaging principles, and nondestructive testing methods.
• Ability to lead, coach, and prioritize work for a technical quality team.
• Familiarity with Lean tools, FMEA, SPC, control charting, measurement variation, risk analysis, and corrective action methods.
• Understanding of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing methods used in design assessment and measurement method definition.
• Effective communication, conflict management, teamwork, and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 requirements.
• Self-directed, organized, and able to follow through on team priorities with appropriate management escalation.

Training & Education Requirements:     

Degree in Engineering, Quality, the sciences, or another 2- or 4-year degree in a technical field is required. Equivalent manufacturing quality leadership experience may be considered.

Experience Requirements:

• 4-6 years of experience in manufacturing quality, supplier quality, manufacturing engineering, project coordination, or related technical disciplines.
• Prior experience leading or coordinating technical work is preferred.
• Experience with product transfer, supplier quality, and high-volume manufacturing is preferred.
• Experience with plastic injection molding, tooling, assembly lines, testing, or production planning is desirable.
• Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement practices.

Traveling Requirements:

• Valid passport and ability to travel extensively throughout Southeast Asia (40–60%).
• Thai and/or Vietnamese language skills are desirable but not required.

Reporting Relationship: Reports directly to the Waterpik China Operations Manager, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the CHD Quality Manager.

Team Lead Duties: Leads members of the China Manufacturing Quality team and provides direction, coaching, prioritization, and performance input. Provides guidance and coordination with contract manufacturer quality teams as needed.

Disclaimer

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employee(s) within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Church & Dwight is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.

For more information on our company, our brands and our culture visit us at http://www.churchdwight.com/