WORK HAPPY:

Whether the cook is a future Emeril or a toddler helping to make chocolate chip cookies (licking the spoon, of course!), chances are Pampered Chef has a better, faster, and more delicious way of getting things done in the kitchen. We sell our superior-quality, innovative collection of prepping, cooking, and serving products through a network of more than 40,000 direct sales consultants throughout the US, Canada, and Germany. Millions of customers use our products every day. Each of our 450 HQ coworkers—from product designers and supply chain specialists to ecommerce developers—is committed to bringing the best to our customers. And we have fun doing it!

Established in 1980 by Doris Christopher, Pampered Chef was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2002, a sure sign of our growth potential. In 2014, Tracy Britt Cool, a key member of Warren Buffett’s team, joined as our CEO to lead our transformation into a progressive, open door, cutting-edge workplace. We believe happy coworkers are the best coworkers and are committed to keeping creativity, innovative solutions and customer engagement top of mind. Pampered Chef is pushing the boundaries for our customers, consultants, and coworkers.

MAIN COURSE (Job Responsibilities):

Within an agile and team based product development environment, the Senior Performance Excellence Manager is responsible for leading the quality functional area of new product development and as the engineering lead on existing products, covering root cause analysis and identification using appropriate critiquing methods, establishing corrective actions, implementing improvements to ensure design robustness for performance and manufacturability.

• Develops, manages and orchestrates a comprehensive cost of quality system, driving prioritized continuous improvement projects to significantly improve our performance to best in class.
• Significant responsibility in measuring and addressing Product Quality Performance (PQP) data and addressing trending quality issues, managing the existing product improvements & maintenance needs, management of engineering change requests and product resourcing initiatives.  
• Support new product development by ensuring all production documentation (quality control plans, product inspection plans) are complete prior to new product pre-production.
• Lead to confirm new product performance to the agreed product specifications. 
• Lead value engineering and value analysis exercise to improve product performance and reduce costs.
• Conduct total cost of quality evaluation on products including inspections, warranty, returns and customer solution calls resulting in cost reductions.
• Provide supplier development and product leadership and support by initiating supplier audits and, when necessary, performing on-site supplier audits. Domestic and International travel may be required.
• Ensure product quality meets the organization’s expectations by managing the containment, root cause analysis and corrective action for active products identified as nonconforming.  This function includes handling supplier charge backs (SCB’s), offsite rework and formal corrective actions (CARs). 
• Responsible for Supplier Quality Management documents, process and communication and maintenance of same. 
• Significant contributor to the management and update of the Conflict Minerals identification procedure. 
• Significant contributor to Continuous Improvement efforts for the business.
• Work with China based team on supplier and product issues. Help direct QA manager and inspectors as required to establish root cause understanding on issues and implement corrective actions and drive solutions.
• Work with Category Management, Product Development and Technical Program Managers to leverage and utilize new technologies applicable to the business new product portfolio.

KEY INGREDIENTS (Position Requirements):

• BS in Mechanical, Quality or Manufacturing Engineering or Technology (ME, MET) or equivalent experience. Advanced technical degree or MBA a plus.
• Minimum 10 years of industry experience as a Supplier Quality Engineer/Manager, Quality or Process Engineer/Manager
• Experience with manufacturing processes and materials akin to Consumer Based Products
• Demonstrated skills in effective planning, analysis, problem solving, judgment and decision making.
• Demonstrable skills in communicating (written and oral) with peers, team members, executive management, suppliers and with others in the industry.
• Demonstrated aptitude in advanced design (3D modeling / SolidWorks) & knowledgeable in variety of related manufacturing processes such as stamped metal, molded plastic parts etc.
• Experience working with Asia teams and manufacturing partners preferred.
• Hands on and proven leadership in engineering management involving cross-functional teams.
• Familiar with 2D/3D CAD program – preferably Solidworks
• Six Sigma Experience, Certification preferred.

DESSERT! (The Sweet Rewards of Working at Pampered Chef!):

Our core values are respect, humility, accountability, meritocracy, integrity, authenticity, passion, and innovation (in no particular order!).  We embody those values in our work, but also in the great desserts we offer to our coworkers.

• Each and every coworker makes a difference every day by asking tough questions, finding the answers and then making it happen – our entrepreneurial employees are key to our success! Pampered Chef is big enough to implement cutting edge technology, small enough for all ideas to be heard and challenged.
• We are a learning focused environment – We want you to learn from us and we expect to learn from you and what you are passionate about! We even provide training and development for added brain power.
• We collaborate every day in a high-tech space with writable walls, open collaboration zones, quiet “I need to contemplate” zones, and fun zones with ping pong, basketball and bags, of course. No boring cubicle farms here!
• We are concerned about your physical and financial well-being and offer BC/BS PPO or HMO health plans, dental, disability, matched 401K, life insurance and Onsite fitness center, comfy chairs, onsite cafeteria, dry cleaning valet service
• Most Importantly, Pampered Chef has a strong, proven history of bringing fun to cooking, creativity to recipes, and sharing to family and friends around their table.