Lennox International (LII) is a leading global provider of innovative climate control solutions for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) markets. Here at Lennox, we recognize that our greatest asset is our employees. This is why we are committed to providing limitless opportunities for growth and development of all our employees, largely promoting from within the organization. Our Core Values of Integrity, Respect, and Excellence are more than just what we say; they are what we do!

The Director of Quality Assurance is a critical member of the Stuttgart leadership team and is responsible for the long-term quality strategy for the Commercial business. A 750,000-square-foot facility with over 1,750 employees, the Stuttgart factory is the foundation of the Lennox North America Commercial Unitary HVAC business.  

The selected candidate will develop, execute, and maintain processes and systems to ensure that all products engineered and manufactured within the Commercial division meet customer specifications and achieve superior quality and reliability. The Director of Quality Assurance will enjoy significant interface with all functional areas within the Commercial division, with specific emphasis on Engineering and Operations. The selected quality leader will be responsible for developing a system for measuring quality, complete with specific metrics designed to surface what’s working, what’s not working, determine root cause, and enable the necessary corrective action to occur with speed and accuracy. 

The Director of Quality Assurance will drive processes that not only define and detect quality issues for improvement, but also partner with the manufacturing team to identify and support improvements in the manufacturing processes and products.  The design and implementation of a “Quality Management System” (QMS) is a key to success.

Responsibilities:

• Creates and maintains a comprehensive Quality strategy; tirelessly educates and articulates it throughout the group.
• Champions the business’s goal of providing superior quality in products and processes while providing tools and metrics throughout the organization.
• Develop and lead comprehensive implementation plans for achieving quality objectives.
• Establish quantitative quality objectives based on customer/market requirements.
• Develop a consensus with management to integrate these objectives into their annual business plans.
• Define systems for measuring, providing feedback, and utilizing quality data that support improvement programs.
• Identify, validate, and lead manufacturing process improvements to enhance product quality and increase process yields.
• Establish, implement, and maintain a closed-loop quality issues resolution process that ensures that all identified quality issues are prioritized, assigned ownership, and resolved in an expeditious manner.
• Will have direct leadership responsibility for the quality department, including Quality Managers and Quality Engineers.
• Define and lead the deployment of training programs needed to support quality initiatives. Be actively involved in the initial deployment of existing and new best practices.
• Drive change management and employee involvement to support continuous improvement in quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
• Provide liaison with customers in resolving quality issues. Seeks frank customer feedback and works to surface issues via ongoing personal contact and customer visits.
• Build an effective quality team committed to organizational goals; foster collaboration among team members, functional leadership, and the senior leadership in the Commercial division. 

Standard Work Areas & Processes:

• Close partner with the General Plant Manager and the plant leadership team
• Key contributor to creating and executing the factory business plan
• Proven Lean Strategic Planning and execution, with at least 6-10 years of staff-level leadership experience
• Manages the hiring, direction, assessment, and development of the Quality team members
• Able to motivate and lead teams to achieve goals
• Champion the Commercial culture, driving an environment of accountability, open communication, and high ethical standards
• Drive process and efficiency improvement across all functions
• Support Lean “Change Management” leadership to be proactive in anticipating, assessing, and addressing the needs of the factory
• Must have proven success in a Lean environment, Quality deployment strategies, and driving continuous improvement strategies within the Quality organization and manufacturing operation
• Support the Vision and Mission statement of the Commercial business segment
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal skills that result in effective communications
• Exceptional presentation skills to senior executives
• Certification in Lean and Six Sigma Black Belt preferred
• Experience utilizing a wide array of Lean Six Sigma tools and processes

This position is 100% onsite in the Stuttgart, Arkansas, manufacturing facility

Professional requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or Finance, with an advanced degree preferred.
• Significant Lean/Sigma experience and knowledge of Lean analytics
• Self-motivated, resourceful, and entrepreneurial; demonstrating willingness to learn and improve
• Well-developed quantitative and qualitative analytical skills and critical thinking skills
• Strong influencing and communication skills; capable of securing management buy-in, sponsorship, and investment through strong articulation of business benefits aligned to broader organizational objectives
• Skilled with the use of Microsoft and other business software applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SAP, etc.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal skills that result in effective communications.
• Exceptional presentation skills to senior executives.
• Lean and Six Sigma preferred.
• Able to motivate and lead teams to achieve goals.
• The successful candidate will be comfortable working on the factory floor and will be expected to have a strong factory presence.
• The ideal candidate will have a background encompassing Design Quality, Quality Control, Compliance Test Development, Customer Quality, Manufacturing Quality, and Supplier Quality.

 Behavioral requirements:

• Continuously, but constructively, demanding of team performance
• Outstanding cross-functional leadership skills; viewed as credible by business unit/functional leaders
• Willingness to “constructively dissent” and challenge senior management thinking
• Visionary leader with a strong business perspective
• Able to get buy-in and commitment from both internal and external stakeholders
• Command respect based on experiences 

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Compensation: This is a salaried exempt role. The starting salary range for this role and market is between $150 to $190k annually. Factors that may affect starting salary include geography/market and the skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate. Employees in this role are also eligible for an annual bonus in accordance with the terms of the Company’s applicable plan. Employees in this role are not eligible for overtime.

Benefits: Subject to applicable eligibility requirements, the following benefits are offered for this role: tuition reimbursement; medical, dental, and vision insurance; prescription drug coverage; 401(k) retirement plan; short-term disability insurance; 8 weeks paid birthing leave; 2 weeks paid bonding leave; life and long-term disability insurance.

Depending on date of hire, and subject to applicable eligibility requirements, new employees in this role also receive up to: 12 days paid time off, 2 paid well-being days, 1 paid volunteer day, 12 paid holidays, and 3 floating holidays per year.

Our Culture: At Lennox, our Core Values of Integrity, Respect & Excellence are ingrained in the organization's fabric. They define our culture, which is about how we do business and how we treat others. Lennox is not just a workplace; we are a global community that values each team member’s contributions. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to succeed and contribute to our continued growth. At Lennox, you’ll take pride in our brands, knowing you are part of something special. Come, stay, and grow with us! 

Disclaimers: The compensation and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Lennox reserves the right to modify this information at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.