Director, Mission Assurance

The Role:

As the complexity and criticality of MDA Space product offering increases, the benefits of having a Product and Mission Assurance group to perform independent risk assessments and mitigations is increasing. 

Director, Mission Assurance is responsible for the integrity of all Product Assurance, Quality and Mission Assurance activities in the division.  They also interface with the other Business Area Product & Mission Assurance Directors to collaborate and share best practices.   

This role will establish a Mission Assurance approach to mitigate threats to the mission success by applying a full life-cycle engineering process to identify and mitigate design, production, test, and operational issues early. 

They will lead the Product Assurance assigned to product development or programs teams to identify and mitigate risks through a comprehensive design approach to ensure that each product meets functional and performance expectations, customer requirements and industry standards.  

They will continue to improve the overall Quality Assurance systematic efforts to validate that products are delivered to customers meet Mission Assurance requirements and therefore contractual requirements.  

Job Responsibilities:    

Mission Assurance Planning  

• Manage Product Assurance Leads who establish and manage product and program plans created to ensure mission and product objectives are achieved. 
• Failure-proof the mission by identifying and designing in the current requirements for : 
• System reliability 
• Product configuration management 
• Product security 
• Product material and special processes 
• Parts quality and reliability 
• Quality checks, reviews and inspections 
• Safety and risk analysis for products and mission objectives 
• Software quality checks, reviews and inspections 
• Develop requirements that are a risk-based compilation of customer, industry standards and MDA Space process requirements for the specific mission and/or product 
• Engage with all disciplines across the enterprise and supply chain to enable mission success and operational readiness 
• Create an environment and culture that is focused on early mission, product and business risk identification and mitigation 
• Emerging cross functional discipline  
• Support Chief Architect Office and New Business to ensure the right Mission Assurance requirements are built into every proposal 

Product Assurance Execution  

• Establish, manage and verify implementation of mission assurance requirements in all products and programs  
• Independently review execution to increase early risk identification and mitigation 
• Support the product development or program teams with mitigation responses or workarounds. 
• Initiate action to prevent the occurrence of product nonconformities 

Quality Assurance Execution: 

• Maintain a Quality Management System that maintains cost-effective, compliant processes to meet external requirements and standards 
• Monitors and audits the implementation, execution and conformance of the Quality Management System procedures, standards, policies and practices 
• Lead internal audits to verify compliance and generate ideas for improvement. 
• Implementing corrective actions and improvements. 
• Acting as the primary interface for external audits by customers or regulatory certification boards 
• Maintain and authorize a Workmanship Certification program 
• Champion continuous improvement and knowledge of MDA Space’s Quality Management  System while maintaining compliance to industry external standards (AS9100, ISO 9001)  
• Define and document best practices and continual improvement within the PA department to be competitive and better respond to market needs. 
• Support the Operational Excellence group in process improvements and in maintaining best practices exchange within MDA.  
• Identifying and recording product quality problems and establish business and enterprise corrective actions 

Independent Product Security and Safety    

• Lead a team of skilled security, safety and reliability staff who will define, execute and validate the safety aspects during the design and development of products 

People Management  

• Establish the budget and proper infrastructure of managers, staff and organization to ensure effective department and enterprise Mission Assurance group. 
• Responsibility for the overall hiring and maintaining of skilled resources and managing their training and skills development, including career development, ensuring alignment with individual, departmental and corporate objectives. 
• Coaches direct reports in setting personal achievement goals, supporting relevant learning and development and performance management. 

Leadership Manager  

• Acting as point of contact for quality matters to customer representatives to maintain effective relationships and enhance the customer’s confidence in MDA’s quality systems and products. 
• Promoting positive customer relationship and high confidence with MDA 
• Provides direction, guidance and support to major suppliers and subcontractors. 
• Verifying the implementation of solutions; and controlling further processing, delivery or installation of nonconforming items until the unsatisfactory conditions have been corrected. 

Job Requirements:  

• Minimum 12 years of experience and currency in relevant technical and business fields. 
• Minimum 8 years in management  
• Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Good financial, budgeting and planning skills. 
• Working knowledge in Systems reliability 
• Configuration management 
• Product security 
• Product material and special processes 
• Parts quality and reliability 
• Quality checks, reviews and inspections 
• Safety and risk analysis for products and mission objectives 
• Software quality checks, reviews and inspections 
• Working knowledge of industry standards like ISO 9001 and AS9100 

Successful candidates must obtain and hold security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR. 

MDA provides competitive compensation and benefits packages for its employees at all locations. As a team member of MDA, you and your qualified dependents are eligible to participate in a benefit plan that ensures a comprehensive level of protection through competitive health care including; extended healthcare and flexible drug plans, dental and vision benefits, disability income protection, life insurance, group retirement savings plans; and an employee and family assistance program. 

MDA is an equal opportunity employer prizing diversity and inclusion. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity. If you require assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please feel free to notify us.