Clark Associates

Job Summary

Clark Associates is looking for a strong leader in product safety and quality to lead the Company’s large-scale effort to centralize our quality assurance program for our private label products sold through various distribution channels including industry leading Ecommerce platform WebstaurantStore.com, The Restaurant Store, and Clark National Accounts. Qualified candidates will bring deep leadership experience to the role and be ready to continue building a robust team and system. Must be the type of leader who can build a culture of product and supplier integrity, navigate complexities, and drive organizational change without imposing unnecessary and overburdensome process on our highly agile organization. This is an exciting opportunity to combine your strategic vision and technical product expertise to design a critical program for Clark. The Director of Global Product Safety and Quality must be a strong and humble leader who is deeply invested in the success of others and Clark. This position is full-time and located in Lancaster, PA, but is hybrid-friendly for those within a 1-hour driving radius.

As a senior leader at Clark, this position is responsible and accountable for ensuring that all products adhere to safety standards, codes, regulations, and internal requirements; and that all private label suppliers are responsible and competent to produce safe and reliable products.

Job Location

Hybrid: Some in-person work required.

2205 Old Philadelphia Pike, Lancaster, PA 17602

We only accept W-2 candidates, H-1B sponsorship is not available.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a comprehensive quality and safety strategy that ensures the integrity of high-risk products, including electrical and gas-powered commercial appliances and food-service equipment, industrial and janitorial equipment, furniture, chemicals, and lithium battery-powered products.
• Drive organizational change by establishing quality and safety as a core function embedded within the organization.
• Provide strategic leadership to the quality assurance function, setting clear direction and priorities that are aligned with the Company’s values.
• Design and implement an enterprise-wide organizational quality and safety management system.
• Lead a quality and safety team, and provide strategic direction to performance and safety testing, product engineering, and quality control within our large warehouse and distribution center network.
• Build a comprehensive global supplier quality program focusing on high-risk products, assessing supplier network, and ensuring competent and responsible suppliers for private-label products.
• Provide strategic leadership on all quality and safety-related matters to inform strategic product and sourcing decision-making, improve risk management, and drive quality enhancements throughout the organization.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure quality and safety considerations are integrated into all stages of the product lifecycle, from development through post-market surveillance.
• Provide leadership and guidance for all standards and codes related to commercial equipment and appliances, including UL, ETL, NSF, Energy Star, and CSA.
• Refine and improve post-market surveillance system, ensuring all customer complaints and reviews are monitored for safety and quality. Manage safety metrics and reports and integrate safety monitoring into quality management system.
• Stay apprised of industry-related safety reports, including monitoring CPSC recall list, product liability litigation, and trade organization updates.
• Interface with regulatory authorities, third party certification authorities, testing labs, and suppliers.

Physical Requirements

• Work is performed while sitting/standing and interfacing with a personal computer.
• Requires the ability to communicate effectively using speech, vision, and hearing.
• Requires the regular use of hands for simple grasping and fine manipulations.
• Requires occasional bending, squatting, crawling, climbing, and reaching.
• Requires the ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull medium weights, up to 50lbs.

Qualifications

Experience

• Ten years of related experience, with at least 5 years of leadership experience. Should have experience leading teams, designing programs, evaluating safety and regulatory standards, reviewing and ensuring products meet standards, and closely working with a legal department on safety and product liability matters.

Education

This role does not require a degree. We value relevant skills and experience and alignment with our core values above all else.

Desired Traits & Skills

• Humble Leader
• Strong Work Ethic
• Collaborative
• Strategic and Critical Thinker