Vice President, Quality

About the Team

It's no surprise people are passionate about the health and happiness of their pet and our Merchandising (buying) team is no different. When it comes to the products and solutions in our stores, our incredible teams of merchandising associates have everything covered – from head to tail! From keeping up with the top trends to developing new, innovative solutions, our buyers help ensure every pet parent can find exactly what their pet needs n our team and show your love for pets by creating products as special as pets themselves!

Collaborative Work Environment: At Pet Smart, teamwork and connection are core to how we thrive. This role is based at our Phoenix Home Office, with an expectation of working a minimum of four days in the office each week. In a standard work week, associates may work up to one remote “flex day” (with leader approval). Our hybrid approach is designed to foster strong collaboration while also supporting flexibility and individual success.

The Vice President of Quality is responsible for leading the organization that oversees quality and social compliance for all proprietary brand products, as well as regulatory compliance for all Pet Smart products. This role is essential to delivering the quality standards our customers expect and is accountable for driving the strategic quality roadmap to ensure Pet Smart’s quality program evolves in line with industry trends and customer expectations.

As a subject matter expert, this leader serves as a critical business partner to Brand, Sourcing, Buying, Supply Chain, and Legal, helping to shape and deliver enterprise-wide quality and compliance initiatives. The VP of Quality provides strategic guidance by understanding business priorities and translating them into quality strategies and initiatives aligned with organizational goals.

• Hold ultimate accountability for Pet Smart’s product quality and compliance performance, ensuring standards align with customer expectations, maintaining customer review ratings above 4.0, and reducing product recalls and withdrawals.
• Provide leadership, vision, and direction in collaboration with Brand, Sourcing, Buying, and MP&A leadership to deliver operational and financial plans that meet or exceed company objectives.
• Lead a multi-location team across the Phoenix Home Office (PHO) and Distribution Centers (DCs), ensuring teams operate efficiently, effectively, and in alignment with Pet Smart’s culture.
• Manage all quality activities, including setting product quality standards, overseeing external quality partners, evolving the supplier inspection program, driving product regulatory compliance, and managing the DC food safety program.
• Serve as the escalation point for quality concerns from Store Operations, Internal Audit, Legal, and Customer Care, ensuring issues are resolved quickly in partnership with cross‑functional teams.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

• Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible sourcing/vendor management experience within a retail environment.
• Minimum 5 years of management experience.

• Extensive experience in establishing product quality, social compliance, and regulatory compliance standards.
• Proven planning, organizational, and business judgment skills, with the ability to anticipate operational impacts.
• Proven project management capability with the ability to build consensus and influence leaders across regions and functions.
• Extensive experience managing complex quality relationships, ideally with international and regional team exposure.
• Demonstrated ability to build, develop, and lead high‑performing teams that partner effectively with business owners.
• Superior analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Flexible, innovative thinker with the ability to evaluate trade‑offs, generate creative solutions, and manage uncertainty.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including executive presence and the ability to influence and present effectively.
• Familiarity with relevant regulatory requirements and the ability to collaborate with…