Director, Enterprise Quality & Configuration Management

Company Overview

We are a world-class team of professionals who deliver next generation technology and products in robotic and autonomous platforms, ground, soldier, and maritime systems in 50+ locations world-wide. Much of our work contributes to innovative research in the fields of sensor science, signal processing, data fusion, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and augmented reality (AR).

QinetiQ US’s dedicated experts in defense, aerospace, security, and related fields all work together to explore new ways of protecting the American Warfighter, Security Forces, and Allies. Being a part of QinetiQ US means being central to the safety and security of the world around us. Partnering with our customers, we help save lives; reduce risks to society; and maintain the global infrastructure on which we all depend.

Why Join QinetiQ US?

If you have the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges, then you will experience a unique working environment where innovative teams blend different perspectives, disciplines, and technologies to discover new ways of solving complex problems.  In our diverse and inclusive environment, you can be authentic, feel valued, be respected, and realize your full potential. QinetiQ US will support you with workplace flexibility, a commitment to the health and well-being of you and your family and provide opportunities to work with a purpose. We are committed to supporting your success in both your professional and personal lives.

Position Overview

The Director of Enterprise Quality & Configuration Management will lead the quality and configuration management functions across all QinetiQ U.S. entities, spanning both hardware production and services businesses. Reporting to the Vice President of Contracts, Supply Chain and Quality, this strategic leadership role ensures compliance with product quality, certification, contractual requirements, and configuration management across all programs. The near-term priority is two major defense hardware programs at our Franklin, MA site, serving the U.S. Army directly and the U.S. Navy through a prime contractor partner, as they advance from first article and production readiness into sustained rate delivery. The role requires exceptional collaboration across internal teams, suppliers, and customers, working as a peer to Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Program Management, and is accountable for developing the people, processes, and systems that raise quality maturity across the enterprise. It is a strong fit for a leader with both program and operational quality experience who can deliver on priority programs while building an enterprise function that scales.

Responsibilities

• Enterprise leadership. Lead a team of approximately 25 quality engineering professionals and execute the enterprise-wide strategy for Quality & Configuration Management, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and driving measurable improvements in product quality, compliance, and delivery performance.
• Production quality. Own product quality on production programs through first article inspection, production readiness reviews, first article and acceptance testing, and rate delivery, including readiness for Government acceptance. Drive process control, first-pass yield, and rolled throughput yield in partnership with Operations.
• Nonconformance and corrective action. Lead material review, nonconformance, and root cause and corrective action to verified closure, with evidence that stands up to customer review. Prevent escapes and reduce the cost of poor quality.
• Customer quality interface. Serve as the primary quality interface with customers, Government quality representatives, and DCMA, leading engagement on audits, corrective action requests, and requests for deviation and waiver.
• Continuous improvement. Establish and drive continuous improvement initiatives, leveraging Lean, Six Sigma, or other methodologies to improve yield, escape rate, cycle time, and cost of poor quality, with performance reviewed at program and executive level.
• Enterprise QMS and certifications. Manage compliance across all U.S. entities, ensuring adherence to all contractual, regulatory, and quality standards, including certifications such as AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, and CMMI-SVC ML3, and mature the enterprise quality management system across operating entities.
• Configuration management. Ensure robust configuration management practices across the product lifecycle, including baselines, configuration control boards, engineering change proposals, deviations and waivers, and as designed to as-built traceability, with a focus on data integrity and contractual compliance. Maintain configuration discipline while engineering change activity is high and production continues.
• Supplier quality. Set supplier quality requirements and flow-downs, and lead source inspection, supplier first article, and corrective action on critical subcontractors and build items, including counterfeit parts prevention in line with DFARS requirements.
• Developing the function. Develop and empower a geographically dispersed, high-performing team, focusing on mentorship, development, and performance management. Build depth in critical skills, establish scalable processes and systems, and move the organization from inspection and reaction toward prevention and predictable performance.
• Cross-functional integration. Work across functional boundaries with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Program Management to build quality and configuration gates into the integrated master schedule, the engineering change process, and material flow, so issues are caught at the gate rather than at test or delivery. Drive decisions without relying on formal authority, and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Executive leadership. Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team, briefing quality and configuration risk, performance, and maturity, and facilitating cross-functional solutions on decisions that affect product quality and delivery.
• This role will be on-site and based in Franklin, MA, with occasional travel to QinetiQ facilities in MA, VA, NC, FL, and PA and various customer/supplier locations.
• Up to 25% domestic travel, with occasional international travel as required

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field with 12+ years of relevant experience in Aerospace & Defense Quality and Configuration Management in hardware manufacturing environments, including at least 5 years leading quality managers and engineers.
• Program quality. Proven track record in functional or business leadership roles, with direct responsibility for driving quality outcomes and program compliance on at least one DoD or federal program of record carried from first article or qualification testing into production delivery and Government acceptance.
• Executive communication. Experience preparing and delivering executive-level briefings, clearly articulating quality and configuration management risk, performance, and strategy, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Cross-functional leadership. Expertise in leading cross-functional, matrix teams to achieve business objectives, with demonstrated success driving outcomes across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Program Management without direct authority.
• Building organizations. Demonstrated success in leading geographically dispersed teams, with a focus on team growth and professional development, and a record of building or substantially maturing a quality organization by adding capability, establishing processes and systems, and measurably raising performance.
• Operational quality. Strong background in manufacturing and production, including site- or plant-level quality leadership over material review, nonconformance management, corrective action closure, and process control, with in-depth knowledge of Quality Management Systems (QMS), supplier management, and requirements flow-down processes.
• Configuration management. Hands-on ownership of configuration and change control on hardware programs, including engineering change proposals, deviations and waivers, and configuration control boards.
• Standards and customer interface. Proficient in Root Cause Analysis, Corrective Action, and the application of industry-leading quality tools, with working command of AS9100D and AS9102 and direct experience working alongside Government quality representatives or DCMA.
• Self-starter, critical thinker, and results-driven leader who thrives in dynamic environments.
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined under ITAR and EAR.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Management, or a related field.
• ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), Six Sigma Black Belt, or configuration management certification (e.g., CMII, EIA-649).
• Extensive knowledge of Quality & Configuration Management disciplines, including ISO 9001:2015, CMMI, and EIA-649, with experience harmonizing quality systems across multiple sites or operating entities.
• Proven ability to drive quality performance to achieve key organizational objectives (KPIs and AOP).
• Experience working directly with U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and other DoD customers, with a deep understanding of government contract requirements and compliance (e.g., DFARS quality clauses, DCMA).
• Supplier quality leadership over critical subcontractors on defense hardware programs.
• Strong leadership skills and a proactive, positive attitude, with the ability to motivate teams, drive change, and implement transformational initiatives.
• Expertise in strategic visioning and the execution of long-term, company-wide objectives.
• Experience with Costpoint or a comparable ERP system and PLM-based configuration management tools.
• Eligibility for a U.S. security clearance.

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this role is $189,000- $238,000 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. QinetiQ US considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

Company EEO Statement

Accessibility/Accommodation:

If because of a medical condition or disability you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call (540) 658-2720 Opt. 4 and let us know the nature of your request and contact information.

QinetiQ US is an Equal Opportunity employer. All Qualified Applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.