Quality Assurance Manager

We are passionate Toy Creators! We’ve been coming up with new ideas that bring kids and families together for over 40 years! This passion leads us to attack the day ahead like there is no tomorrow. Above all we are a Creative Company where positivity, fun and great ideas are at the core of who we are! This includes an impeccable quality and safety record with our Strottman and LUKi LAB products!

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Quality Assurance Manager in our Irvine office to work on both Strottman and LUKi LAB toy products.

The role of Quality Assurance Manage
r is a hands-on position that manages all aspects of product integrity and compliance for Strottman and LUKi LAB relative to applicable guidelines and standards established by the company and its clients, as well as the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations), and voluntary ASTM (American Standards for Test and Materials), and international regulations and standards. Ensures products produced by the company comply to applicable regulations and other agreed upon standards for Quality and Safety.

MUST HAVE TOY EXPERIENCE
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• Reviews all assigned product concepts that are being proposed for potential presentation to clients. Provides initial verbal input to the client team at the program’s initial meeting and follows these up with the written equivalent to ensure that these initial product Quality & Safety requirements are documented and available to the whole team at any time.
• Issues Design and Concept Evaluations for assigned products.
• Communicates directly with Strottman Asia Product Integrity Team and internally within Strottman U.S. Client Team (Account, Creative, Project Management, etc.) and assigned Client Product Integrity counterpart on all issues relating to the Quality & Safety.
• Analyzes any changes or revisions to products due to client or internal input and provides any required new PI direction. Assists in the decision-making process on product selection and approval prior to presenting to the client.
• Provides input related to the Quality & Safety of Works-Like/Looks-Like models, prototypes, engineering, production and pre-production samples and provides Product Integrity approval for these at each step.
• Reviews Quality Assurance Plans (QAP) from third party labs, for accuracy and pricing.
• Monitors activity in applicable regulatory changes and evaluates for application.
• Troubleshoots program activities and performs related Quality & Safety functions as required by Client Teams, Asia and third-party labs. Tracks and manages all tasks and milestones related to quality & safety.
• Conducts in-house testing to perform mechanical testing on first shots and engineering samples for assigned products/projects.

• Must have Toy Industry Experience
• Bachelors in Statistics, Quality Management, or Engineering AND at-least 7+ years total experience in TOYS; 5+ years of QA/QC experience in retail and premium toys.
• Must have experience in variety of material substrates – plastic, paper and electronics; experience with wood is a plus
• Knowledgeable in all current ASTM, CFR, EN-71 standards for toys and children’s products
• Ability to translate and communicate complex issues
• Strong people skills, team player, able to perform well under pressure, and put in extra time as required
• Proactive and solution-oriented
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public
• Must be able to effectively communicate/interface with assigned clients
• Must have the ability to communicate a strong position via verbal or written communication that supports the safety or quality of products
• Experience with ICTI or similar certification process for factories
• Good network with Safety and Quality professionals within the Toy Industry