QC & Lab Manager
Castrol
QC & Lab Manager
Castrol
Global producer of high-performance lubricants
Castrol is one of the world’s leading lubricant brands, serving customers and consumers in the automotive, marine, industrial and energy sectors. Castrol brands are recognised globally for their premium quality and high performance, shaped by the company’s commitment to innovation and cutting-edge technology. With products sold in more than 150 countries, Castrol has helped keep things moving on roads and racetracks, air, sea, and space for over 125 years.
Whether you're just starting out or ready for your next big move, you're in the right place to explore an exciting career with Castrol.
Job Purpose
• Lead the plant QC & Laboratory function to ensure product quality, laboratory safety, testing accuracy and compliance, supporting safe, reliable and efficient plant operations.
• Establish, maintain and continuously improve plant quality control procedures, laboratory management processes and quality management systems, ensuring alignment with applicable quality standards, product specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Enbed quality culture, provide quality leadership and technical expertise across raw material, finished products, packaging, formulation management and new product introduction, ensuring quality risks are effectively identified, assessed and controlled.
• Lead plant quality performance and continuous improvement, including customer complaint management, root cause analysis, quality risk management, supplier quality and cost/efficiency improvement.
• Own and maintain the plant ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 quality management systems, supporting internal, external, customer and certification audits and driving timely closure of identified gaps.
• Lead and develop the QC & Lab team, including third-party workforce where applicable, building technical capability, accountability and a strong quality culture.
Key Accountabilities
1. Laboratory Safety & Operations Management
• As lab safety SPA, establish, maintain and continuously improve laboratory safety management procedures and drive effective implementation.
• Supervise daily laboratory operations to ensure safety management procedures and requirements are consistently followed.
• Monitor laboratory safety performance, identify gaps and continuously improve laboratory safety management and operating practices.
2. Plant Quality Control Management
• Establish and maintain plant QC procedures based on applicable lubricants quality requirements and GSC quality standards.
• Supervise and drive effective implementation of QC procedures to ensure product quality and support business requirements.
• Monitor internal and external quality performance, identify gaps and continuously review and drive QC procedure improvement.
3. Laboratory Testing, Work Instructions & Equipment Management
• Establish and maintain mandatory QC test methods, work instructions and test record forms for applicable raw materials and finished products, based on Fusion raw material specifications, product specifications and applicable China lubricant GB standards.
• Supervise and ensure laboratory staff strictly follow approved test methods and work instructions during daily operations and maintain complete test records to ensure traceability.
• Develop and implement the laboratory equipment calibration plan and ensure timely execution.
• Monitor and drive laboratory equipment performance and maintain testing accuracy, equipment reliability and compliance.
4. Plant Formulation, Enterprise Standards & New Product Introduction
• Establish and maintain plant formulation management procedures and supervise effective implementation.
• Lead plant activities for New Product Introduction (NPI), working with relevant functional teams to identify, assess and mitigate potential quality risks and support successful product introduction.
• Work cross-functionally on new products and projects to maintain and update plant formulations in line with business requirements.
• Support technology development team in enterprise standard review and maintenance, including maintaining applicable standards on the public enterprise standard website.
5. Packaging Quality Management
• Establish and maintain packaging quality inspection and control procedures and supervise effective implementation.
• Manage packaging supplier quality performance and conduct appropriate supplier quality control and on-site monitoring.
• Work closely with Marketing and Procurement on packaging artwork development and launch to ensure applicable quality requirements are met.
6. Customer Feedback & Complaint Management
• Lead or support the handling and resolution of customer feedback and quality complaints.
• Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for relevant customer quality issues and drive corrective and preventive actions to eliminate recurrence.
• Engage directly with customers on-site where required to support quality issue investigation, communication and resolution.
• Monitor follow-up actions and ensure identified quality issues are appropriately addressed and closed.
7. Operational Efficiency & Cost Competitiveness
• Establish laboratory efficiency and cost-saving targets and lead the QC & Lab team to achieve agreed objectives.
• Actively engage with GLT on plant SLOB inventory, shelf-life extension, appropriate waivers, supplier quality stability and other quality-related opportunities to support end-to-end cost competitiveness.
• Provide QC Subject Matter Expert (SME) expertise to support production process optimization and operational efficiency.
• Lead or deliver assigned projects and improvement activities to support business performance and continuous improvement.
8. Quality Risk Management & Quality Capability
• Act as the plant SPA for the New Product Introduction process, leading and working with internal plant functions to identify, assess, mitigate and, where practicable, eliminate quality risks to support business objectives.
• Embed quality awareness across the plant and continuously develop quality knowledge, skills and capabilities of plant employees.
• Track and drive improvement of relevant quality performance indicators, including applicable lagging indicators.
• Drive effective RCA for quality incidents and ensure appropriate corrective and preventive actions are implemented on time and their effectiveness is verified
• Promote and support effective application of key quality tools, including APQP, PPAP, MSA, FMEA and SPC.
9. Quality Management System, Certification & Assurance
• Own and maintain the plant IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems, including certification and regular surveillance audits, to meet applicable Supply Chain requirements and business needs.
• Develop the plant annual Quality Management System internal audit plan and ensure effective implementation.
• Lead or coordinate OEM/customer audits and ensure findings and follow-up actions are appropriately managed and closed in accordance with IATF 16949 and applicable OEM customer-specific requirements.
• Prepare and coordinate customer-requested QMS documentation for bidding, potential supplier evaluation, PPAP and other applicable business requirements.
• Monitor QMS effectiveness, identify improvement opportunities and drive continuous improvement based on audit results, performance trends and business requirements.
10. QC & Lab Team Performance & Development
• Lead and manage the QC & Lab team, including applicable third-party (3P) workforce, to deliver agreed safety, quality, efficiency and business objectives.
• Conduct annual and quarterly performance reviews and provide appropriate motivation, coaching, feedback and recognition to drive continuous improvement in individual and team performance.
• Take appropriate performance management or disciplinary actions where necessary in accordance with company requirements.
• Develop and implement training plans to continuously strengthen the team's technical knowledge, competency and capability.
• Support individual career development and establish appropriate development plans to build sustainable QC & Lab capability.
11. Ethics & Compliance Commitments
• Demonstrate personal compliance with company values, Code of Conduct, Ethics & Compliance requirements, and applicable internal and external compliance requirements.
• Promote integrity, compliance and accountability across the QC & Lab team.
• Supervise and monitor team members' compliance with applicable requirements and provide timely intervention or escalation where necessary.
Job Holder Requirements
(Minimum education, experience & capabilities)
Education
• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related technical field, advanced degree preferred.
Experience
• Minimum 8 years QC experience in manufacturing operations including 5 years management position in a multinational business environment.
Skills & Competencies
• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001 and IATF 16949; familiarity with ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 50001, as well as OEM customer-specific requirements such as VDA 6.3, VQE and Formel Q, is preferred.
• Good knowledge and practical application of quality problem-solving and root cause analysis tools, including 8D, Fishbone Diagram and 5 Whys.
• Good knowledge and practical application of the five Core Quality Tools: APQP, PPAP, FMEA, MSA and SPC.
• Good knowledge of lubricant products and related quality requirements.
• Strong planning, organizing, problem-solving, communication and coaching skills.
• Good written and spoken English.
• Strong logical thinking, analytical capabilities, teamwork and cross-functional collaboration skills.
The Castrol entity recruiting for this role is the data controller for the personal information you provide. We use it to assess your application and to manage the recruitment and onboarding process. We may share it with service providers who support our recruitment, and it may be transferred to other Castrol entities internationally under appropriate safeguards. We keep it only for as long as necessary. For details of how we use your information and your data protection rights, contact [email protected].
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to Castrol recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.).
If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.
Castrol is a global leader in high performance lubricants used in cars, industrial applications, ships, and aircraft. It manufactures lubricants and related products and sells them worldwide, serving customers in more than 150 countries. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of BP PLC, Castrol leverages BP’s resources for research, development, and distribution. Its products work by reducing engine and equipment wear, minimizing friction, and protecting components under different operating conditions. Castrol’s breadth of product lines across automotive, industrial, marine, and aerospace markets, along with its global manufacturing and distribution network, differentiates it from competitors that lack the same scale and backing. The company aims to provide reliable, high-performance lubricants worldwide to help customers keep engines and machinery running smoothly and efficiently.
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