What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director – Operational Quality, PBL position at FLSmidth?
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
Education & Experience
FLSmidth is the leading supplier of engineering, equipment and service solutions to customers in the mining and minerals industries – for more information please visit FLSmidth.com/careers
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and lead the company’s Operational Quality Vision aligned with business objectives for safety, delivery, cost, and performance.
- Define and implement a Quality Excellence Roadmap to transition from inspection-based quality to process-integrated quality.
- Build a continuous improvement culture using Lean Six Sigma, root cause analysis, and risk-based thinking.
- Collaborate with global leadership to ensure alignment between operations, engineering, supply chain, and service teams.
- Lead the deployment and continuous improvement of FLSmidth’s Quality Management System (QMS) across global manufacturing facilities, ensuring compliance with ISO 9001 and customer-specific standards.
- Implement in-process quality systems that use data analytics, process capability studies, and real-time feedback to prevent nonconformance.
- Drive supplier quality performance through audits, scorecards, and partnerships that improve reliability and cost efficiency.
- Oversee nonconformance management, ensuring robust root cause analysis, corrective actions (CAPA), and lessons-learned integration.
- Lead manufacturing readiness and First Article Inspection (FAI) programs to ensure successful product launches.
- Build and mentor a global operational quality organization that supports FLSmidth’s high standards of performance, safety, and sustainability.
- Build capability in operational quality engineering, metrology, and data-driven process control.
- Foster collaboration between quality, engineering, operations, and service teams to embed quality into every stage of the product lifecycle.
- Establish and maintain quality KPIs and dashboards (e.g., FPY, COPQ, supplier PPM, warranty claims, audit results).
- Use digital quality tools and analytics to measure, visualize, and drive improvement across production lines and facilities.
- Present quality performance and improvement initiatives to executive leadership and customers.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related technical field (Master’s preferred).
- 10–15 years of quality or operational leadership experience in capital equipment, heavy industrial, or mining OEM environments.
- Proven experience transforming global quality systems and implementing preventive quality practices in multi-site global operations.
- Certification in Lean Six Sigma (Black Belt or higher) strongly preferred.
- Experience with ISO 9001, APQP, PPAP, FMEA, and process capability studies.
- Strong knowledge of machining, fabrication, welding, and heavy assembly processes relevant to mining equipment manufacturing.
- Proficiency with digital quality tools, data analytics, and QMS/ERP systems integration.
- Deep experience in supplier development and customer quality assurance for engineered-to-order products.
- Strategic thinker with a passion for operational excellence and change leadership.
- Strong communication and influencing skills across all organizational levels.
- Demonstrated ability to build high-performing, collaborative teams that drive results.
FLSmidth is the leading supplier of engineering, equipment and service solutions to customers in the mining and minerals industries – for more information please visit FLSmidth.com/careers