Who We Are:
At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line.
Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.
Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:
· Runner First
We act in the best interest of the runner
· Word is Bond
We do what we say we’ll do
· Champion Heart
We give our all in everything we do
· There is no “I” in Run
We stay generous with our humanity
· Keep Moving
We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!
We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement — because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.
Your Job:
As the Associate Manager, Footwear QA, Asia you will be responsible for driving and leading a team of QA Engineers that interface with factory staff to ensure product quality excellence at our Tier 1 factories. You will support the Manager, Footwear QA, Asia in ensuring our factories meet Brooks quality standards, You will identify opportunities to improve our processes and grow the capabilities of your team.
Your Responsibilities:
QA Team OperationsOwn Quality measurables and targets for assigned Tier 1 factory locations, including factory Quality Rework Rate, In-Station Quality implementation rate, and QA Fit Test pass rate. Drive and own completion of corrective action activities, lessons learned and vendor scorecard reporting.Build and maintain close relationships with production engineers, development, and innovation teams to ensure adequate quality support and involvement on new development. Actively participation participate in key Commercialization trials & meetings. Contribute ideas and suggestions in the Commercialization process to ensure product readiness and manufacturability concerns are identified and effectively resolved prior to initial productionOwn Plan-Do-Check-Act issue resolution rate for assigned Tier 1 factory location(s). Actively mentor direct reports in using the standard corrective action template and system to provide status update and resolution path quality issues.Oversee Tier 2 and Tier 3 vendor on-boarding activities in assigned region. Own Tier 2 and Tier 3 vendor audit schedule including follow through to ensure completion of corrective action activities, lessons learned and vendor scorecard reporting.Lead execution of tactical plans to deliver upon QA department objectives.Manage the day-to-day activity of the team, priorities, and timelines. Create and implement standard work documentation for each team member.Resolve conflicting work requests and prioritize team projects and daily work.Ensure policies and procedures are understood and followed by team and cross- functional and/or external stakeholders.Contribute to automation, standardization, and documentation of processes for the QA team.Identify and escalate roadblocks or challenges to QA operations; propose solutions to streamline processes.Leverage your experience to provide mentorship and training to the team with troubleshooting, problem-solving and best practices.
People ManagementManage 2 or more direct report QA Team in the assigned location(s).Travel is required between assigned T-1 vendors in region. Travel is also required to and from T-2 and T-3 vendor locations. International travel 3-4 times per year to Asia region head office. International (within Asia) travel required 10-20%.Grow your ability to manage employees effectively by building a solid foundation in Connect (Brooks management program) principles and basing decisions on company values.Provide coaching and mentorship to team members to build their skill sets and guide plans to help them develop opportunities to grow their career.Guide employees on decisions related to day-to-day operations and partner with your management team on HR related matters such as Sprints, Performance Management, and Giving Feedback.Manage teamwork assignments and timelines.
QA Team PlanningImplement QA team operational plans to ensure successful execution and achievement of desired results, and verification of long-term solution for assigned Tier1 factory location(s)Contribute to Sourcing and Manufacturing organization planning to advocate and prioritize headcount needs to scale with business growth.Contribute to the department staffing/resource plan required to meet department deliverables.Develop a strong understanding of how the QA team fits into the Sourcing and Manufacturing objectives and build the tools and processes to successfully execute.
Cross-Functional CollaborationAct as a conduit between QA manager and staff to ensure consistent understanding and alignment on QA priorities.Actively partner with T-1 factory quality management and staff to implement Brooks quality programs, processes and practices down to the production floor level.Guide and educate Sourcing and Manufacturing and cross-functional teams and partners on QA operations and processes.Participate in cross functional team meetings and content brainstorms to identify ways to continue to improve team operations. Effectively communicate up, down and across Brooks organization, elevating to HQ as needed.
InnovationInnovate current team processes to continuously evolve, automate and minimize risk/errors.Identify opportunities to optimize QA team excellence using technology and standardization of processes to improve workflow.
AccountabilityHold team accountable for deliverables by positively influencing and regularly communicating “by=when’s” and expectations.Cascade team priorities from your manager, manage and prioritize employee workloads and set clear “by-whens” to maintain accountability to established calendar dates and ensure a high standard of execution.Ensure that documentation is developed and maintained to verify validation for QA processes and programs.Your Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree (B. A. or B.S.) from four-year University, preferably in Engineering or related subject. Equivalent years of experience can be considered in lieu of degree(s).5+ years of brand experience Footwear/Apparel QA.2+ years of management experience.Strong teammate, successful collaborator, ability to influence, motivate and mentor others.Ability to prioritize workload and manage short-term and long-range projects.Curious and open-minded; always up for a challenge, inventive and creative. Ability to challenge the status quo- always looking at improving our people, products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details.Detail oriented. Strong organizational and time management skills are a must.Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to work in a fast-paced, changing environment, anticipating and resolving problems promptly.Strong verbal and written communication skills, with an advanced ability to communicate a point of view concisely and functional expertise within project teams and to external stakeholders.Proficient in MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.Embraces and lives the Brooks values!At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two-spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non-merit based factors.
