Regional Commercial Quality Manager

1. Commercial contracts: Quality and claims sections: Support the commercial teams in the creation of quality, complaints and claims sections in new commercial contracts. Pro-actively reviewing major contracts which carry high risk in the way they are currently formulated and propose improvements, including insurance and risk management for claims.

2. Claims negotiation and coordination: Coordinate significant customer negotiations focussing on quality related claims, in support of the (global) key account and regional sales teams. And follow up on resulting actions such as dealing with insurances and working with relevant functions on root cause problem solving

3. Customer facing complaints process and root cause problem solving: Implement a customer facing complaints management process including the interface with the ISC team and process, but excluding the ISC processes itself. Ensure abnormal and faulty situations triggered by customer complaints are prioritized, investigated and resolved by responsible personnel in a timely and effective manner, utilising a wide range of root cause problem solving methodologies.

4. Customer triggered quality assessment and auditing: Manage the customer triggered quality assessments, surveys etc as well audits triggered by key customers. Ensure that issues highlighted are addressed promptly and efficiently, so that the right disciplines are maintained on a consistent basis.

5. Manage Quality and Complaints System (part of CRM): Manage and develop commercial side of the quality, complains and claims system as part of CRM, in line with external standards and internal management requirements, so that AkzoNobel becomes and sustains itself as a quality company.

6. Quality related project management: Lead or support quality related improvement projects with customers and/or internal functions. Provide the customer quality perspective in production transfers and reallocation as well as new product launches and significant product modifications

7. Business quality reporting: Manage monthly reporting, analysis and action tracking involving key department managers, so that quality activities are completed in acceptable timeframes and accountabilities are well understood. Work with RCD and the regional controller to quantify likely financial impact and improve accurate modelling of impact on the P/L and balance sheet.

8. Continuous Improvement: Drive the continuous improvement activities, with the support and endorsement of the commercial and ISC stakeholders, and develop protocols and metrics to measure progress against agreed goals and timelines.

9. Training: Identify deficiencies in existing skills and coordinate and/or deliver training to increase competence and effectiveness of the commercial and technical teams

10. Scope: The position focuses on a geographic region supporting both Metal and Wood, while also leveraging existing global best practices and proposing new practices where relevant