This role is established to elevate the Company's Supplier Quality Engineering (SQE) and Customer Quality Engineering (CQE) capabilities as the business expands globally. Reporting directly to the Head of Quality, the selected candidate acts as a strategic thought partner and trusted executor — co-creating the SQE and CQE advancement agenda and driving its implementation across Business Units (BUs) and Operation Centers globally.
The execution scope is deliberately focused: direct quality management applies to key suppliers and high-risk customers only, where quality performance carries the highest business consequence. For the broader base, this role sets the standards and frameworks that site and BU quality teams follow.
The right candidate brings deep SQE and CQE expertise, a track record of strengthening quality systems at scale, and the stakeholder maturity to drive accountability across a matrixed, multicultural organization spanning Singapore, China (Mainland), and Europe.
Job Responsibilities
- SQE & CQE Capability Advancement
- Partner with the Head of Quality to assess SQE and CQE capabilities across the Company, identify high-priority improvement opportunities, and translate strategic intent into actionable frameworks for BUs and Operation Centers.
- Strengthen and standardize core SQE and CQE processes — supplier qualification, SCAR management, customer complaint handling, CSR management, PPAP, and corrective action tracking — ensuring consistency across all global sites.
- Develop and enhance the unified SQE and CQE performance management framework, including KPI architecture, consolidated dashboards, reporting cadence, and governance structure for senior leadership visibility.
- Advance the corporate supplier segmentation and classification framework to ensure quality governance and resources are appropriately allocated across the global supply base.
- Define and deploy quality method and tool standards (8D, APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA, VDA 6.3) across BUs and Operation Centers; build internal capability through structured guidance and coaching.
- Identify opportunities to leverage digital and AI-driven quality tools — automated SPC, predictive analytics, integrated scorecards — and develop the business case and adoption roadmap.
- Key Supplier Quality Management
- Lead supplier selection and approval for key and critical suppliers — conducting quality assessments, executing process audits and system audits, and issuing formal recommendations independent of commercial considerations.
- Own the full SCAR lifecycle for key suppliers to verified closure; manage scorecards and quality business reviews; drive structured improvement plans where performance falls below threshold.
- Review and approve PPAP submissions from key suppliers; manage supplier APQP quality deliverables for NPI programmes.
- Key Supplier Quality Management
- Serve as the single accountable quality interface for key and high-risk customers — covering complaints, escalations, CSRs, PPAP submissions, and customer audit management.
- Lead 8D investigations for significant customer complaints, coordinating cross-functional teams across Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain; deliver formal reports within agreed timelines.
- Own CSR management for key customers — maintain a live register, ensure requirements are accurately cascaded to BUs and Operation Centers, and embedded into control plans and work instructions.
- Track and report customer quality KPIs (DPPM, RMA rate, scorecard ratings) for key accounts; identify systemic trends and drive corrective programmes to verified closure.
- High-Risk Quality Issue — Programme Management
- For high-risk quality events — potential line-stop, material financial exposure, or confirmed systemic failure — assume the role of Quality Programme Manager with full ownership of cross-functional response and resolution.
- Convene and chair response teams; establish structured plans with clear ownership and milestones; escalate organizational barriers to the Global Head of Quality promptly for unblocking.
- Drive post-resolution effectiveness verification and embed learnings into quality standards to prevent recurrence.
Basic Requirements
Education & Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Optical/ Photonics / Electrical / Electronics Engineering, Physics, or related discipline.
Work Experience
- Minimum 10 years of progressive SQE and CQE experience — genuine depth in both domains is required. Experience in a corporate, regional, or Center of Excellence quality function with a standards-setting or cross-site governance mandate is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated track record of advancing or transforming SQE or CQE systems and processes — not only operating within an established framework.
- Industry background in optics, photonics, optoelectronics, or semiconductor manufacturing strongly preferred.
Knowledge and Preferred Skills
- Hands-on expertise in ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949