Customer Quality Specialist - OEM

The Customer Quality Specialist - OEM is primarily responsible for a consistent quality system and communication across Yakima’s automotive OEM customers. The role will act as a main point of contact for OEM quality team members in pre and post development in key activities such as RFQ support, warranty feedback, and manufacturing transitions. An expert in the OEM qualification +requirements, this role acts as the primary quality interface between OEM customers, internal teams, and global manufacturing partners, with a strong emphasis on prevention, compliance, and continuity. The Specialist will work closely with the Senior Manager – OEM to standardize RFQ quality requirements, clarify program validation scope, and ensure long-term compliance status with each account. 

Scope & Responsibilities:

• Translate OEM RFQ, specification, and DVP requirements into internal engineering expectations and supplier validation plans. Ensure requirements are understood before commitments are made.
• Lead the manufacturing team and third-party suppliers to quote validation plans and test setup costs (with QE customer specification support)
• Collaborate with Quality Engineers in-project to assist in the rescope of validation plans
• Maintain customer compliance by completing quality system surveys, working with the manufacturing team to keep up-to-date labor right records, and capacity studies
• Manage an OEM-specific register of production part testing requirements, retest cadence, and customer-specific validation obligations 
• Coordinate with Quality, Test, and Engineering to confirm technical standards and compliance evidence
• Facilitate OEM factory audits.
• Own and lead follow-up actions for all OEM supplier score cards
• Central conduit for warranty feedback, field quality issues, and production non-conformities impacting delivery schedules and/or requiring corrective actions
• Coordinate, track, and communicate corrective action status to OEM customers
• Key team member of the OEM Sustaining team, working closely with the internal team and act as the main point of contact with customer quality representatives
• Quality lead for all OEM manufacturing transitions and supplier changes
• Identify and assess production risks when quality issues threaten PO fulfillment 
• Create and maintain an OEM customer requirements register covering RFQ quality obligations, validation requirements, production testing, audit expectations, scorecard metrics, warranty reporting, documentation requirements, and customer-specific approval gates

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in the quality field (quality engineering, supplier quality, or manufacturing quality)
• Education: BS or BA Degree from an accredited college/university in Engineering or related field required 
• OEM, automotive, consumer durables, or similarly regulated environment experience strongly preferred

• Highly effective communication skills with outstanding writing and presentation abilities.
• Strong understanding of RFQ and DVP processes, quality systems and product testing and validation

• Proven ability to influence without authority across internal teams and external partners
• Ability to adapt and learn quickly in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Self-motivated orientation: proactive, innovative, forward thinking, and output driven
• Solid knowledge of how to get things done within all Management levels of the organization while considering their value and motivation 

• Excellent organizational skills, analytical ability and attention to detail

• Ability to cooperatively interact and communicate well with various internal groups and external customers.
• Demonstrate the ability to be flexible, accept new ideas and input positively, and be open to new work approaches and processes
• Advanced level with P.C.: Microsoft Office Suite; Outlook; PowerPoint, Smartsheet
• U.S. citizen or must possess valid INS Green Card
• Previous knowledge and understanding of automotive accessory industry preferred
• Bilingual fluency: Mandarin Chinese desirable

Technical Skills:

• Demonstrated proficiency with core quality tools and methodologies such as SPC, DFMEA, RCA, etc.
• Advanced proficiency with PCs, including Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Preferred experience: Understanding manufacturing processes, test methods, and basic machine shop practices, (e.g., injection molding, vacuum forming, metal fabrication, die casting, extrusions, finished good assembly)
• Preferred experience: Lean manufacturing, working with local and offshore manufacturers.