Director, US Quality Operations

Relocation Assistance Offered Within Country
Job Number #169864 - Topeka, Kansas, United States

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.
 

The Director, Regional Quality Operations is responsible for leading the execution and continuous improvement of Corporate Quality Assurance and Food Safety programs at designated U.S. manufacturing sites. This role involves building strong relationships with Plant Quality Managers, Plant Managers, Science & Technology (S&T) Managers, and other cross-functional leaders. The Director oversees U.S. Technology Transfer and/or Quality Excellence programs, and ensures compliance with Hill’s/Colgate Quality Standards through various initiatives, including regulatory compliance, technology transfer, supplier management, contract manufacturing, product and ingredient non-conformance, microbiology & food safety, training, and product and process quality. Furthermore, the position reviews and helps resolve consumer and pre-consumer complaints related to products manufactured at these sites.

Responsibilities:

• Help create and drive the execution of the Colgate Quality Standards, Hill’s Food Safety Programs and Regulatory requirements in countries of product use.
• Oversees select US Sites as well as co-lead Technology Transfer process and/or Hill’s Quality Excellence program.
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement for product quality across manufacturing sites.
• Monitor and improve Plant Quality Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by providing regular feedback and guidance to manufacturing facilities.
• Collaborate with S&T, Supply Chain, and other cross-functional teams to ensure Right First Time (RFT) design and execution in new and existing processes.
• Lead and implement quality improvement initiatives, aligning global standards with regional needs.
• Execute audits of Hill’s facilities and ensures 3rd party compliance readiness at each site.
• Develops employee skills in support of succession planning.
• Manage investigative process for consumer complaints, ensure completion of and report back to management on corrective and preventative actions concerning sensitive issues, production run alerts and trend alerts.
• Build strong cross-functional collaborative relationships with key stakeholders such as operations, procurement, and R&D.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific or related field.
• 10+ years experience in quality, manufacturing, regulatory, or food safety within the food or pet food industry.
• 7+ years experience managing teams across various disciplines.
• Thorough understanding of regulatory environment in the region (FDA and USDA).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or related field.
• Experience with Google, Excel, Word SAP, and plant floor systems.
• Ability to leverage data analytics and drive business outcomes.
• Extensive understanding of plant process systems, quality and food safety programs and controls.
• Comprehensive understanding and ability to execute audit schemes (GFSI, SQF, ISO, etc).
• Experience with Thermal Processing, Microbiology, and FSVP.
• Experience using continuous improvement tools (LEAN, Six Sigma, etc.) to impact positive change.

Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range $151,000.00 - $189,000.00 USD

Pay is determined based on experience, qualifications, and location. Salaried employees may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing, and long-term incentives for Executive-level roles.

Benefits: Salaried employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid parental leave, disability coverage, and participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements. Additional benefits include a minimum of 15 vacation/PTO days (hourly employees receive a minimum of 120 hours) and 13 paid holidays (vacation days are prorated based on the employee's hire date within the calendar year). Paid sick leave is adjusted based on role and location in accordance with local laws. Detailed information regarding paid sick leave entitlements will be provided to employees upon hiring and may be subject to adjustments based on changes in legislation or company policies.

Our Commitment to Inclusion
Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives  to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.

For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here.

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