Quality and Technology Manager, Packaging

Job Summary

Quality

• Support customers by bringing manufacturing experience and technical expertise gained in the marketplace to solve customer issues and improve their operation. 
• Advise customers on how to optimize their operations.  When the quality of the Domtar product has caused an issue in our customer’s operation, the QTMP will work with the manufacturing quality lead to ensure:  rapid response to take care of the customer, investigation, follow-up, and communicating back to the customer what Domtar has done to improve the product.
• Support sales by providing technical expertise as a value-added service from Domtar. 
• Work closely with the Manufacturing Lead Team and the Sales Team as the “go to person” when there is a technical question from our customers about manufactured product quality.
• Support manufacturing by analyzing data to recognize trends from the marketplace – providing key focus areas for quality improvement to the manufacturing team. 
• Review complaint history and identify opportunities for product improvement and/or quality issues that require corrective action.
• Gather additional information as required to document conditions at the customer, advises the manufacturing team on the immediate needs of the customer, gathers additional information as needed to aid in the investigation of any claims or to monitor performance of a new product. 
• Spend time in our manufacturing operations to speak knowledgeably to customers about what Domtar is doing to continuously improve our products and processes.
• This role is a central resource to bring the full resources of Domtar to assist the customer in a claim.  These resources include planning and scheduling, returns, joblot, transportation, warehousing, and finance.  All of these teams must work together to resolve quality issues in the field and at the manufacturing plant.
• Work with Sales, Mills and other Domtar resources on OEM/customer certifications and address/resolve acute and chronic quality issues. 
• Work with the quality lead in each manufacturing location to recognize priorities and trends emerging from customer feedback.  Priorities are based on knowledge of the customer and feedback from sales, frequency of customer complaints particularly those of repetitive nature, and severity or size of the claim. 
• Engages the Manufacturing Lead Team in the resolution of claims across the entire manufacturing system.  This engagement brings a level of consistency to the quality investigation process.
• Serves an integral role in proactive quality management systems also.  This includes recognizing and sharing best practices and quality improvement successes within the manufacturing system; bringing technical resources available within the company to the table when the mill needs outside expertise to improve quality; leading quality audits in the manufacturing system to provide manufacturing teams with actionable improvement opportunities based on best practices and standards within Domtar and from observations in the marketplace.

Technology

• Be the recognized expert for the packaging product line; owner of Grade Groups (documentation, performance standards, etc.)
• Establish and maintain product guarantees; assess fit-for-use against end-use performance requirements.
• Develop and maintain OEM relationships to further develop equipment/end-use expertise and anticipate changing market needs.
• Spend time with end users to understand the demands their applications place on our products in the marketplace. 
• Evaluate products for performance through in-house testing and commercial facilities; Benchmark key product lines against industry competitors ensuring Domtar maintains a competitive edge.
• Manage specifications based on process capability of the manufacturing system.
• Work with Planning and Manufacturing to ensure maximum system flexibility by qualifying grades across the system as required.
• Work with manufacturing to evaluate cost optimization activities with focus on maintaining product attributes and functionality.
• Manage timely execution of new and improved product development/grade transfers to meet market and business requirements.
• Maintain/gain market share by facilitating continuous improvement of existing products.
• Manage product development and evaluation trial processes by interfacing with Innovation Team, Sales, Planning, Manufacturing, Converting, etc. Provide structure to the process – evaluation, planning, execution, documentation, follow through, etc.
• Provide technical expertise support to Manufacturing for product development, product performance optimization and quality related issues.
• Develop technical training material/specialized information as needed for Manufacturing and Sales.
• Provide segment specific training to educate Sales, Mills, etc. on product and customer critical performance issues and sensitivities.

Key Responsibilities

• Recognized expert for the containerboard product line; technical owner of grade groups (technical documentation, performance standards, etc.)
• Manages specifications based on process capability of the manufacturing system; Maintain grade-machine qualification.
• Establish and maintain product guarantees; assess fit-for-use against end-use performance requirements.
• This role is a central resource to bring the full resources of Domtar to assist the customer in a claim.  These resources include planning and scheduling, returns, joblot, transportation, warehousing, and finance.  All of these teams must work together to resolve quality issues in the field and at the manufacturing plant.
• Work closely with the Manufacturing Lead Team and the Sales Team as the “go to person” when there is a technical question from our customers about manufactured product quality. Support sales by providing technical expertise as a value-added service from Domtar.
• Serves an integral role in proactive quality management systems also.  This includes recognizing and sharing best practices and quality improvement successes within the manufacturing system; bringing technical resources available within the company to the table when the mill needs outside expertise to improve quality; leading quality audits in the manufacturing system to provide manufacturing teams with actionable improvement opportunities based on best practices and standards within Domtar and from observations in the marketplace.

Required Education/Professional Experience

Bachelor of science in engineering, chemistry or similar

At least 5 years’ experience in containerboard industry in marketing, technical or manufacturing; 5+ years’ experience in product line specific applications preferred; good leadership, communication and influencing skills; pro-active and creative with good capacity of autonomy; well-organized, good multi-tasking skills.

Preferred Education

Bachelor of paper science, engineering, chemistry degree or similar; advance degree a plus.