Head of Quality – Energy Systems

Join the world leader in advanced energy storage solutions and be part of the success story of VARTA®!

Your contribution

The Head of Quality – Energy Systems is a senior leadership role with end-to-end accountability for product, process, system, and manufacturing quality across the Energy Systems Business Unit. The role covers low voltage systems, batteries, supercapacitors, electronics, and Battery Management Systems (BMS), spanning development centers, suppliers, and multiple production plants.

The position combines strategic BU-level quality governance with hands-on product, plant, and customer quality execution, ensuring full compliance with automotive standards (IATF 16949, ASPICE, VDA 6.3, ISO 26262) and meeting the highest OEM expectations for safety, reliability, and series production performance. The role will be based in our Plymouth location.

What you will do

• Establish, govern, and continuously improve a robust Quality Management System across all Energy Systems plants and development organizations.
• Ensure flawless industrialization, launches, and series production quality for automotive battery and energy storage products.
• Achieve and sustain required quality maturity levels (ASPICE, customer-specific requirements, certifications).
• Prevent quality escapes and drive zero-defect manufacturing performance.
• Embed a strong, prevention-first quality culture across engineering, plants, and suppliers.

Core Responsibilities

Quality Strategy & Governance:

• Define and deploy the BU Quality vision, strategy, and governance model aligned with corporate standards.
• Serve as Quality leader within the BU leadership team and represent Quality in enterprise-level decisions.

Quality Management System & Standards:

• Own and maintain an IATF 16949-compliant QMS across all manufacturing sites.
• Ensure deployment and consistent use of APQP, DFMEA, PFMEA, Control Plans, PPAP, SPC, and MSA.
• Lead internal, customer, and certification audits.

Development & ASPICE Quality:

• Build and sustain ASPICE capability across system, software, and hardware development.
• Ensure full traceability from requirements to validation, manufacturing, and test.
• Drive quality gates from development through SOP.

Manufacturing & Plant Quality:

• Define plant quality strategies and governance aligned with OEM and BU requirements.
• Own plant-level quality KPIs (PPM, FPY, scrap, rework, COPQ).
• Lead launch quality, layered process audits, and management reviews.

Product & Customer Quality:

• Act as primary quality interface for OEM and Tier-1 customers.
• Lead customer audits, quality escalations, and structured problem-solving (8D, 5 Why, Ishikawa).
• Ensure compliance with product safety and regulatory requirements (UN 38.3, IEC 62660, ECE R100, EU Battery Regulation).

Supplier Quality:

• Define supplier quality requirements and approval criteria.
• Ensure APQP/PPAP deployment and supplier audits (VDA 6.3).
• Drive supplier development and escalation management.

Organization & Leadership:

• Build, lead, and develop a strong Quality organization across plants and regions.
• Develop quality leaders and product-specific expertise within the team.
• Promote a data-driven, continuous improvement culture (Lean, Six Sigma).

What we look for

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or comparable technical discipline.
• 10+ years of automotive quality experience, including manufacturing and product quality leadership.
• Strong expertise in IATF 16949, ASPICE, VDA 6.3, and automotive core quality tools.
• Deep understanding of low voltage systems, electronics, BMS, and manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience managing OEM customer interfaces and multi-site quality organizations.
• Strategic and operational leadership credibility.
• Strong customer orientation and communication skills.
• Structured, data-driven problem-solving mindset.
• Ability to balance hands-on involvement with scalable system development.
• Comfortable operating in complex, matrix, and fast-evolving environments.
• Up to 25–30% across production sites, customers, and suppliers.

#LI-TD1

What you get:

• Medical, dental and vision care coverage and a 401(k) savings plan with company matching – all starting on date of hire

• Tuition reimbursement, perks, and discounts

• Parental and caregiver leave programs

• All the usual benefits such as paid time off, flexible spending, short-and long-term disability, basic life insurance, business travel insurance, and Employee Assistance Program

• Global market strength and worldwide market share leadership

• HQ location earns LEED certification for sustainability plus a full-service cafeteria and workout facility

• Clarios has been recognized as one of 2026's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere. This prestigious recognition marks the fourth consecutive year Clarios has received this distinction.

Who we are:
Clarios is the force behind the world’s most recognizable car battery brands, powering vehicles from leading automakers like Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. With 18,000 employees worldwide, we develop, manufacture, and distribute energy storage solutions while recovering, recycling, and reusing up to 99% of battery materials—setting the standard for sustainability in our industry. At Clarios, we’re not just making batteries; we’re shaping the future of sustainable transportation. Join our mission to innovate, push boundaries, and make a real impact. Discover your potential at Clarios—where your power meets endless possibilities.

Veterans/Military Spouses:
We value the leadership, adaptability, and technical expertise developed through military service. At Clarios, those capabilities thrive in an environment built on grit, ingenuity, and passion—where you can grow your career while helping to power progress worldwide. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to protected characteristics.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please apply. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is key to challenging the status quo. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, status as a protected veteran or other protected characteristics protected by law. As a federal contractor, we are committed to not discriminating against any applicant or employee based on these protected statuses. We will also take affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunities. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process by emailing [email protected]. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and value diversity in our teams in terms of work experience, area of expertise, and all characteristics protected by laws in the countries where we operate. For more information on our commitment to sustainability, diversity, and equal opportunity, please read our latest report. We want you to know your rights because EEO is the law.

A Note to Job Applicants: please be aware of scams being perpetrated through the Internet and social media platforms. Clarios will never require a job applicant to pay money as part of the application or hiring process.

To All Recruitment Agencies: Clarios does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to our careers email addresses, Clarios employees or any other company location. Clarios is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.