Director, Quality

About This Role

Directing Quality at Electra involves building the quality function from the ground up for the EL9 Ultra Short, a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft. This role is responsible for guiding the quality system through Part 23 type certification, production certification, and into full-rate production. It suits a leader who can establish an AS9100-aligned quality management system and ensure compliance with FAA requirements.

Responsibilities

• Build and own Electra's Quality Management System, aligned to AS9100 and FAA Part 21 requirements
• Lead the path to Production Certificate, partnering with Engineering and Certification to deliver the conformity, inspection, and quality data the FAA will require
• Define and implement quality requirements across the EL9 program, from incoming inspection through in-process and final acceptance
• Develop the EL9 inspection plan in partnership with Manufacturing Engineering, including First Article Inspection (FAI) processes and the data infrastructure to support them
• Stand up the supplier quality function, including supplier qualification, surveillance, performance management, corrective action, and the supplier portal infrastructure
• Lead implementation of an FAA Part 5 Safety Management System (SMS)
• Build the labor qualification and certification program, ensuring every operator, inspector, and technician is trained and current to the standards their work requires
• Serve as Electra's primary quality interface with the FAA, building the relationship and the credibility that supports the program's certification milestones
• Hire, develop, and lead the quality team as it scales with the program
• Establish quality metrics and the operating cadence that gives the executive team visibility into quality performance, COPQ, and risk

Requirements

• 16+ years of quality leadership experience in aerospace or another regulated, high-complexity manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated experience building or substantially transforming an AS9100-aligned quality management system - not just maintaining one
• Direct experience with FAA Part 21 and the Production Certificate process
• Working knowledge of FAA Part 5 SMS requirements and implementation
• Strong supplier quality background, including qualification, surveillance, and corrective action
• Track record building inspection plans and FAI processes for new aircraft or comparable complex products
• Experience as the primary FAA interface for a manufacturing organization
• Demonstrated ability to position quality as a business partner to Operations rather than as oversight
• Track record hiring and developing quality leaders
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, or equivalent experience