Quality and Operational Excellence Manager

**** ********* **, **** ******* *****

CELL 716-***-**** • E-MAIL ***********@*****.***

REHANA NAFEES

OBJECTIVE

To utilize my knowledge and background to acquire new skills and experience by pursuing challenging opportunities. Overall goal is to exceed all expectations while focusing on providing value to the growth and profitability of the organization.

SKILLS

ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)

Certified Six Sigma green belt (caterpillar)

Supplier Quality management (SQM)

IRCA certified ISO 9000 Internal Auditor

APQP/FMEA/PPAP/Control Plan Subject Matter Expert

Lean, Agile, Technical Process Analysis and Process Improvement

Staff Supervision, Employee Recruitment, Team Building

Excellent verbal and written communications skills

Business Software Capabilities – SAP, Arena, Minitab, Microsoft Access, Excel, Outlook, Project, PowerPoint, and Word

WORK EXPERIENCE

Manufacturing Engineering/Quality Manager

Sumitomo Rubber USA, LLC March 2023-Present

Led the manufacturing engineering department, setting strategic direction and overseeing 80+ engineers and floor staff across multiple business centers (BCs) with 24/7 operations, ensuring alignment of department goals with organizational objectives, seamless production, and continuous process improvement.

Introduced new manufacturing processes that increased operational efficiency by 20% and reduced production costs by 15%.

Managed a cross-functional team, ensuring collaboration between engineering, production, and quality control, and consistently met project deadlines with 100% on-time delivery.

Oversaw operations of the test lab, chemical lab, and die making processes, while managing incoming material assessments to ensure compliance with quality standards, regulatory requirements, and production specifications

Applied lean manufacturing principles to streamline workflows, resulting in a 20% reduction in waste and a 15% improvement in productivity.

Managed a departmental budget of $6M, optimizing resource allocation and implementing cost-saving initiatives that helped meet or exceed financial goals.

Developed and implemented robust quality control procedures, reducing product defects (<20PPM) and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

Strengthened interdepartmental collaboration, enhancing communication between engineering, production, and R&D teams, leading to smoother project execution and 10% faster time-to-market for new products.

Led the successful acquisition and installation of $4M in new capital equipment, boosting production capacity and minimizing downtime.

Developed and implemented a web-based system to consolidate and analyze data from multiple sources—including manufacturing errors, freezes, shutdowns, supplier issues, test labs, and regulatory testing—creating a comprehensive dashboard to enable informed decision-making and drive operational improvements across the company.

Integrated advanced manufacturing technologies, increasing production efficiency by 20% and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

Manager, Product Assurance

ITT Enidine Inc, Orchard Park NY Aug 2022- March 2023

(Defense and Aerospace parts assembly plant)

Oversee Quality Control and Testing Lab operations, ensuring adherence to industry standards and continuous improvement in testing methodologies and lab performance.

Developed and deployed a SharePoint-based system to streamline incoming material testing and in-process testing, significantly improving visibility, communication, and operational velocity. The system facilitated real-time data tracking, capacity analysis, and informed decision-making, driving faster response times and enhanced operational efficiency.

Formulated and executed strategies to optimize organizational profitability by aligning quality control processes with overall business goals, ensuring cost-effective resource utilization and continuous improvement.

Led the successful relocation of the test lab to a new location, redesigning the lab layout to meet all customer requirements. Conducted a comprehensive analysis of inspection criteria and procured state-of-the-art equipment, enhancing inspection capabilities and ensuring compliance with stringent quality standards.

Ensured full compliance with legal and regulatory standards, overseeing routine audits and reviews to maintain operational integrity and meet all legal requirements.

Identified and addressed training needs, implementing tailored training programs to elevate team proficiency, ensure compliance with quality standards, and improve performance across all levels.

Developed and monitored corrective actions for quality control issues, driving continuous improvement initiatives and ensuring consistent product quality and process optimization

Quality and Operational Excellence Manager

Komatsu Mining, Canada Jan 2017 – July 2022

(Oversee 2 plants, one assembly plant Trucks/loaders/ Jumbo /drills, other manufacturing plant producing consumable raisbore/blast hole drills and heavy steel fabrication)

Responsible for defining overall Hard Rock quality and operational excellence strategies for Canada region.

Led Facility layout and design which increase the assembly capacity from 4 units to 12 units per month

Led projects which reduced the production time to half by employing value stream mapping, kaizen, 5 S, Kanban

Managed global supplier relationships, overseeing supplier performance audits, risk assessments, and the development of supplier cards to ensure consistent quality, compliance, and cost efficiency across international markets

Works with Global Leaders to implement Continuous Process Improvement initiatives, strategies, KPIs, processes and best practices

Improve the COPQ from 4.2 % of sales to 1.7% by implementing quick quality control, root cause corrective action and Gemba methodology.

Supported 5 NPD projects for loaders and Jumbos by conducting PFMEA, developing process sheets, test plans/controls.

Redesigned the drilling feed plant by employing lean principal, spaghetti diagrams, material flow and increased the assembly bays from 2 to 4 bays

Responsible for developing, maintaining, promoting, and overseeing compliance of the company quality system and operational excellence programs.

Leading a team of specialists (Quality Inspectors, SQM, Analyst, Manufacturing engineers and Process engineers).

Initiate all business case for capital equipment acquisitions, lead high visibility projects, report project status and business impact

Mentoring, coaching, training, evaluating and leading team members to accomplish the Global goals and objectives of the business.

Point of contact for both QMS, Supplier Management and Customer concerns for Canada region.

Lead the warranty adjudication & product reliability review board.

Quality Manager

Caterpillar Inc. Canada July 2011 – Dec 2016

Responsible for implementing and maintaining a quality management system compliant with ISO 9000 and Caterpillar Quality Management System (CQMS) specifications.

Involved in new product introduction working with cross function team in various countries/sites in resolving design and manufacturing issues proactively

Lead or acted as Subject Matter Expert in various Six Sigma projects related to supply chain management, inventory control, value stream cost analysis, implementing new systems, with net value proposition of over $2M (before taxes)

Employed statistical methods to monitor quality performance and isolate major problems for immediate resolution, bringing down the externally identified parts per million (PPM)from 20,000 to zero

Implemented a learning plan with emphasis on cross functional training which resulted in 33% reduction in headcount.

Developed quality control plans, material inspection plans upon receipt, quality gates and in- process validation in the manufacturing process which reduced scrap cost by $591K for 2013.

Worked with suppliers to resolve paint quality and supplier packaging issues which reduces number of touches and increases committed ship date efficiency; COPQ savings $35 K yearly

Identified key areas for Operations and drive continuous improvement initiatives (Process Improvement / Transformation / Automation etc.) to attain business excellence

Increased operational throughput capability and quality by creating flow, value stream maps and improved root cause corrective action (RCCA) process.

Documented new quality procedures which ensured that products conformed within specifications and standards necessary to meet customer requirements

Managed end-to-end supplier relationships, including performance audits, risk assessments, and the development and implementation of supplier cards to ensure compliance, quality standards, and cost-effectiveness

Monitoring customer complaints to perform trend analysis and proactively resolve issues.

Leading all Caterpillar CPS, CQMS and lean activities for Cat Canada facility

Initiated and integrated the APQP/PFMEA/PPAP/MSA processes into existing procedures for Caterpillar Canada

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, Research Assistant

Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 2002 - 2005

Assisted in developing proposals related to risk analysis and management for the National Sciences Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Homeland Security, US.

Planned, organized, implemented, and continuously improved the processes for administration of the Asynchronous Master of Engineering Management degree program developed for US Navy deployed Nuclear Engineers (more than 1,000 students worldwide)

Point of contact for the correspondence & communication to identify and resolve programmatic issues from customers (students & faculty)

Project Manager /Design Control Manager

Kohinoor Textile Mills Ltd. Rawalpindi, Pakistan 1999 – 2002

Participated in development of a range of products for the Heimtextile International Trade Fair.

Oversaw design control processes which reduced scrap and rework cost which exceeded cost reduction targets

Led detailed design projects enabling the company to bring a wider range of products to the market which reduced costs by 10 %.

Served as ISO 9000 representative, internal trainer, and auditor; implemented all available clauses of ISO 9001 within the processing departments leading to ISO 9001 certification.

EDUCATION

University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 2010-2014

Master’s Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering

Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 2002-2003

Master’s Degree in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering

National College of Textile Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan 1994-1999

Bachelor’s Degree in Textile Engineering (Textile Chemistry)

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