QAagency is delighted to be working with a manufacturer and distributer of children’s toys with a diversified portfolio of award-winning brands. We are assisting them in recruiting a Quality Assurance Director for the UK and European markets. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuing that all products manufactured for sale in the European Union (EU) and UK markets meet both internal as well as industry quality standards. You will use your expertise to make judgment calls that support the best interest of the company as well as customer and consumer base. This will also include mitigating all safety related issues with authorities in the European Union.
On a daily basis, you will work to promote quality and performance improvements across the organisation and ensure that working practices are in-line with global company practices and procedures. This will included monitoring relevant (products safety, environmental protection and social responsibility) legal environment and technical standards in order to identify the changes which may have an impact on the company operations.
A key aspect to the role will also include Quality/Safety Liaison between all EU Sales team members, and UK offices. You will need to ensure all processes are in compliance with relevant regulatory legislation regarding manufacturing practices, and proactively stay aware of upcoming/draft EN/EU standards and communicate back to quality teams and management information as to what new standards are in development and their impact to our products.
Finally, you will review social responsibility requirements of stakeholders (mainly licensors and clients) and to ensure conformity to the requirements. Ensure all test failures and rejections are thoroughly investigated, root causes identified, and corrective actions implemented. Lead resolution of critical quality issues both internally and externally. This may also involve interfacing directly with the 3rd party testing labs to ensure our products are processed smoothly, and engage the laboratory experts to identify and provide favourable solutions for “grey area” interpretations.
Other tasks will include
- Participate in understanding all new planned product launches for the EU, and provide development insight via Primary Concerns Documentation to ensure product is developed from concept incorporating specifications in line with EU regulations and guidelines.
- Acts as liaison with Packaging and Copywriting teams to ensure that copy and IM meets all applicable EU legal standards and requirements.
- Maintain EU QA Database that houses all QA documentation including testing reports, IMs, failure status reports, required certs, Regulatory Compliance Docs, Corrective Action Memos, and the like.
- Work closely with in-house Legal Counsel on an as needed basis to consult on quality assurance matters that require reporting to the Directorate General within the European Commission.
- Communicate with major EU retail accounts and inadeptly understand their own specific requirements on different product categories.
For this role, you will be required to have knowledge in both domestic and international safety and quality standards for toys and children’s consumer products. You will need knowledge of RoHS & WEEE procedures and a degree in Engineering / Technical / Science / Chemical would be highly advantageous.
You should have 5-10 years experience in QA Management or a related field preferably gained from toy companies
Other preferable skills include
- Six Sigma and/or professional certification preferred
- Excellent communication and leadership skills
- Strong understanding of regulatory requirements for the manufacture of European products
- Strong in regulatory compliance knowledge and the ability to negotiate position with local authorities.