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Caterpillar

Makes heavy machinery, engines and gas turbines

Quality Manager

Validation, Compliance & Quality SystemsPosted on Nov 11
Full-timeKiel, Germany€89.8k

About the Job

Requirements

  • Several years of professional experience in quality management at a manufacturing company.
  • Initial or several years of leadership experience, with demonstrated success developing and supporting high-performing teams.
  • Strong knowledge of quality management systems, auditing, root-cause analysis, and structured problem-solving methods.
  • Experience conducting and supporting ISO certification and surveillance audits.
  • Experience with quality-management methods, tools, and techniques, and the ability to create and develop an environment that supports company quality goals.
  • Demonstrated success implementing continuous-improvement initiatives and sustainably improving quality metrics.
  • Experience developing, stabilizing, and continuously improving quality processes in a dynamic production, transformation, or ramp-up environment.
  • Strong understanding of manufacturing standards, processes, and policies, and the ability to ensure compliance.
  • Strong root-cause analysis skills and ability to sustainably prevent recurrence of defects.
  • Ability to actively manage change and successfully support employees through growth and change phases.
  • Strong communication, coaching, and collaboration skills when working with local and international teams.
  • Very good German and English language skills.
  • Completed technical degree or an equivalent qualification.
  • A valid work permit or citizenship of an EU-25/EFTA country is required.

Responsibilities

  • Lead, coach, and develop the Quality Team, including disciplinary leadership.
  • Build, develop, and strategically align the quality organization to ensure high quality standards in production, the supply chain, and customer processes.
  • Support production ramp-up and establish robust, sustainable quality processes in a growing manufacturing environment.
  • Develop and implement a quality strategy focused on defect prevention, process stability, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence.
  • Promote a zero-defect culture through structured problem-solving, root-cause analysis, standardization, and preventive quality assurance.
  • Ensure the effectiveness and continuous development of the quality management system in accordance with Caterpillar standards and relevant ISO requirements.
  • Plan, prepare for, and support certification, surveillance, customer, and internal audits, and ensure corrective actions are implemented sustainably.
  • Analyze quality metrics and implement sustainable improvements to reduce defects, rework, and waste.
  • Define clear quality objectives, priorities, and actions, and consistently track progress toward them.
  • Work with manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, and other functions to achieve shared quality and business goals.
  • Collaborate with Caterpillar teams nationally and internationally to introduce best practices, standardize processes, and improve quality performance.
  • Support and coordinate quality-related activities across multiple sites to establish consistent understanding of quality and shared standards.
  • Develop a strong quality culture that enables employees and leaders to take responsibility for quality and drive continuous improvement.
  • Support the site in becoming a best-in-class organization through a consistent focus on quality, customer orientation, and sustainable process improvement.

Desired Qualifications

  • Experience building or developing quality organizations during production ramp-ups, site expansions, or transformation phases.
  • Experience collaborating across sites within international organizations.
  • Knowledge of modern lean, continuous-improvement, and operational-excellence methods.
  • Experience establishing a zero-defect culture and developing high-performing quality standards.
  • Demonstrated success improving customer, process, and product quality in a complex manufacturing environment.
  • Experience working with global functions and international stakeholders in a corporate environment.

About the Company

Caterpillar

Makes heavy machinery, engines and gas turbines

Caterpillar makes construction and mining machines, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and locomotives for contractors, mines, energy companies and data center builders. It is the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, and its yellow Cat bulldozers and excavators work in nearly every country. Customers buy or rent machines through independent Cat dealers, while its engines and turbines generate electricity and push natural gas through pipelines. Caterpillar earns money from equipment sales and from the parts and repairs that dealers supply over a machine's working life. It was formed in 1925 when California's Holt and Best tractor companies merged, and it is based in Irving, Texas.

Company size
10,001+
Company stage
IPO
Headquarters
Irving, TX
Founded
1925

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