Service (Warranty) Manager in Birmingham

Ensure production related defects and warranty claims are resolved within agreed timescales. To effectively manage and develop HydraForce business relationships with all customers across European locations.

Duties & responsibilities

• Provide management and guidance to the Warranty Department to ensure the RMA response targets are achieved.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with Manufacturing & Production Engineers, Supply Management personnel, Quality and Warranty claims departments.
• Carry out regular visits to customer production facilities for discussions with Manufacturing & Production engineers; provide prompt and effective resolution to recurring production issues.
• Provide suggestions and steps involved for solutions to ongoing production issues including possible design modifications and cost reduction opportunities as appropriate.
• Define priority of claims to be handled to satisfy customers in the best possible way.
• Assist with transition of parts between prototype and production phase at the customer as required.
• Participate, as required, in customer print reviews and approval.
• Participate in Production Readiness Reviews.
• Support PMI activities for Service (Warranty) harmonization.
• Review quality and delivery non-conformances. Monitor and negotiate various quality metrics, for supplier performance.
• Develop and submit cost reduction ideas/suggestions to maximize margins while reducing customer overall cost.
• Understanding and communicating quality requirements in accordance with the customer supplier quality manual.
• Assist in resolving PPAP/ISIR questions.
• Assist with returns and RGA reports to customer for line rejects, ensuring root cause analysis has been completed, using appropriate OEM problem solving techniques and/or HydraForce 8D process (TOPS), to eliminate reoccurrences.
• Work with internal departments to develop accurate, timely resolution and closure of quality issues identified by the customer.
• Provide timely identification of warranty trends and prioritize efforts into reducing warranty costs.
• Participate in creating design solutions to address warranty issues.
• Perform warranty reviews with OEM SQA Engineer’s where required.
• Ensure a timely and effective financial closure of claims.
• Act as a champion for warranty projects initiated by the customer that require Application or Design Engineering support.
• Work with both the OEM customer and HydraForce Sales departments in coordinating and supporting warranty agreements.

Qualifications & experience

• A minimum HNC / HND in a mechanical engineering discipline is essential, with proven experience in a similar role.
• Comprehensive understanding of lean manufacturing and quality tools such as 8D, TOPS, RCA.
• Experienced in QMS and fully conversant with ISO 14001 & ISO 9001.
• Demonstrable experience in a similar position.
• Computer literate, with sound knowledge of Microsoft packages, experienced in use of MRP and Quality Control systems.
• Manage, co-ordinate and oversee effective implementation of the departmental quality, environmental, health & safety needs to ensure compliance to the documented management system.

Skills

• Customer focused, able to build quality related relationships at senior levels.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to express ideas, share technical information and communicate at all levels, both verbally and in writing.
• A high degree of self-motivation, commitment and the ability to work unsupervised.
• Ability to tackle problems creatively and achieve desired outcome in an efficient and cost effective manner.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise a number of activities, be able to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Able to apply sound judgment and decision-making skills in dealing with a variety of routine and non-routine issues.