Senior Manager, Customer Quality

The Field Quality Senior Manager (FQSM) – CFI is primarily responsible for the delivery of the Ceer Field Investigation (CFI) process, which focuses on identification, definition, and investigation of systemic field product defects, which may potentially relate to product and customer safety.

The FQSM – CFI manages a small team of specialist Engineering staff, ensuring investigations are conducted to unparalleled standard, in compliance with the business KPIs and metrics governed by the CFI process. The FQSM – CFI is ultimately responsible to ensure the technical accuracy and adequacy of investigations, to enable evidence-based Field Action decision-making by CEER’s Senior Leadership Team.

Key Functional Responsibilities:

Manage field investigations for Ceer products throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries to achieve the requirements of:

• Ministry of Commerce “Consumer Protection Law”
• ISO 10377 “Consumer product safety – Guidelines for suppliers”
• ISO 10393 “Consumer product recall – Guidelines for suppliers”

Process Development & Evolution:

• Maintains business process documentation (Quality Management System Level 2 – ISO9001:2015) and the business procedure documentation (Quality Management System Level 3 – ISO9001:2015) for:
  • Product safety, priority investigation and field action decision-making.
  • Special product investigation, including vehicle fire origin & cause, accident investigation and reconstruction.
• Owns CFI documentation systems and tools necessary for successful process delivery, including:
  • Product Condition Report (PCR) web-based tools and document repositories.
  • Ceer Priority Investigation Reporting System (CPIRS) database.
• Ensures standardised work tools (examples: QMS Level 4 work instructions and templates) are continuously evolved to reflect relevant international standards and industry best practice.
• Actively identifies opportunities to improve process and take on new learnings.

Process Delivery:

• Review all new Product Condition Reports, ensuring the appropriate internal stakeholders (example: Legal, C-Suite, Public Relations, Operations Quality and Supplier Quality) are notified without undue delay.
• Identify initial (probable) severity for each new PCR.
• Assign new investigations to direct reports, considering technical skillset, capacity, and potential development opportunity.
• Drives timely resolution of critical issues.
• Assumes the role of Secretariat within the Preliminary Analysis Review (PAR) and Ceer Priority Investigation Review Committee (CPIRC).
• Draws upon cross-functional network and powers of negotiation to remove any roadblocks within investigations.
• Ensures an appropriate level of cross-functional awareness of investigations is always maintained.
• Supports Procurement and Finance with respect to Field Action cost estimation and recovery.
• Supports development of department budget.

Key Managerial Accountabilities:

Investigation & Reporting:

• Ensure there are no gaps in investigation chronologies and that all investigations are executed to a clear plan, So Far as Reasonably Practicable (SFARP).
• Responsible to meet all mandatory reporting requirements set out by relevant Government Regulatory Authorities (GRAs), pertaining to:
  • Consumer injuries arising from the use, or foreseeable misuse of Ceer-branded products.
  • Motor vehicle accidents involving Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) or Autonomous Driving Systems (ADS).
  • External investigations conducted at the request of GRAs.
• Ensure requirements for Port of Entry hold and retrofit activities are executed only after approval from the Ceer Investigation Decision Authority (CIDA).
• Responsible to obtain CIDA approval prior to execution of any Stop Sale / Stop Delivery activity.
• Ensures the CFI function provides the information needed to Aftersales following a Field Action decision, in a timely manner.

People Leadership:

• Ensure direct reports have the technical and professional competence to complete assigned analyses and investigations to the required standard.
• Actively engage with direct reports to ensure they remain motivated, driven and customer-focused in their day-to-day work.
• Actively listen to direct reports and act appropriately when valid operational and / or workplace concern is raised.
• Identify professional development opportunities to increase the competence and confidence of direct reports where appropriate, allowing for career progression throughout the organization.
• Provide clear line of sight from organizational objectives to individual contributions; direct and prioritize work accordingly.
• Function as a consultant by providing advice, guidance, direction, and share information to build knowledge in others.
• Provide candid, specific performance and behaviour feedback, address areas of concern in a timely manner.
• Strive to create a workplace where direct reports are excited to work, and which promotes customer focus as a primary core value.
• Models and fosters desired core values and behaviours.

Job Requirements

• Master or Bachelor of Engineering Degree in an equivalent major
• Specialisation in Mechanical, Aerospace, Automotive or Electrical

3+ years in any of the following internal leadership roles:

• Product Development Engineering:
• Module Group Lead or Senior Manager
• Test & Validation Senior Manager
• Safety Integration Senior Manager
• Quality:
• Plant Quality Manager
• Program Quality Senior Manager
• Supplier Quality Senior Manager
• Customer Experience – Aftersales Service Operations
• Brand Quality – Senior Manager
• Technical Assistance Center – Senior Manager

10+ years of experience in any of the following technical roles / functional areas:

• Field Quality Engineer – CFI or CFIT
• Operations Quality Engineering
• Test & Validation Engineering
• Or 5+ years in any of the following external leadership roles:
• Automotive: Senior Quality Management (Manufacturing, Product Development or Field)
• Product Safety Management