Project Quality Manager

We are currently looking for a Project Quality Manager to join our dynamic team in Zagreb, Croatia!

The Project Quality Manager provides end-to-end project quality governance for one major or complex customer project, or a portfolio of smaller projects, from RFI/RFQ and contract review through engineering, procurement, manufacturing, delivery, site installation, commissioning, customer acceptance, handover, and project closeout. The role serves as the primary Project Quality focal point for assigned projects and is responsible for defining and maintaining the project quality framework, including project-specific Project Quality Plan (PQP) and Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) requirements. The role provides project-level governance, risk management, interface coordination, independent quality verification, performance monitoring, issue escalation, and continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle, without assuming operational ownership of activities performed by the responsible functions. The role reports to the Project Quality Head. 

Responsibilities:

• Lead project-level quality governance for assigned projects throughout the complete lifecycle, from RFI/RFQ and contract review through customer handover and project closeout and serve as the primary Project Quality focal point for Project Management and the customer.
• Define and maintain the project-specific Project Quality Plan (PQP) and Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) requirements based on customer, contractual, regulatory, and Vertiv quality requirements and proportionate to project complexity and identified risks. Define the applicable project controls, deliverables, inspection strategies, checklists, acceptance criteria, quality-record requirements, hold and witness points, handover requirements, and quality closeout requirements, with input from the responsible functions, and monitor implementation across the project lifecycle.
• Manage project-level quality risks by identifying risks from the early project stages, coordinating mitigation plans and periodic reviews, and escalating significant or unresolved risks that may affect project commitments, milestones, customer acceptance, handover, or closeout.
• Coordinate project quality interfaces and required inputs across Factory Quality, Site Supplier Quality, Site Quality, Engineering, Operations, Commissioning, Service, contractors, integrators, and Project Management. Monitor alignment of responsibilities, deliverables, status, and objective evidence without assuming operational ownership of activities performed by the responsible functions.
• Perform risk-based Project Quality verification activities at relevant lifecycle milestones. 
• Monitor end-to-end project quality performance, including Project Cost of Poor Quality, customer acceptance, quality-driven delays, commissioning defects, non-conformances, inspection and Hold/Witness Point status, open issues, punch items, resource constraints, and closure effectiveness. Provide timely status reports and dashboards for project and portfolio reviews.
• Coordinate project-level visibility, interfaces, and escalation of quality issues, containment, investigations, and corrective actions across the responsible functions. Track closure status and effectiveness, and escalate overdue or ineffective actions, unmet acceptance criteria, missing objective evidence, or unauthorized progression beyond defined Hold Points, without replacing the formal issue or action owner.
• Lead project-level lessons learned activities during project execution and at project closeout. Ensure relevant lessons, recurring risks, and improvement opportunities are documented and transferred to BU Quality and Project Quality Governance, and support updates to methods, verification criteria, templates, and training.
• Build effective working relationships with customers and project stakeholders, promote prevention, transparency, accountability, customer focus, and continuous improvement, and comply with company health and safety requirements, Vertiv Strategic Priorities, and the Vertiv Operating System.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Engineering, Quality, Project Management, or another relevant technical field.
• At least 7 years of progressive experience in Project Quality, Quality Engineering, Project Management, Engineering, Operations, or a related project environment.
• Experience leading quality activities for complex, engineered-to-order, infrastructure, industrial, construction, or customer projects.
• Practical experience with Project Quality Plans, Inspection and Test Plans, lifecycle verification activities, risk management, FAT/SAT, installation, commissioning, and handover interfaces.
• Working knowledge of Quality Management Systems, customer and contractual quality requirements, non-conformance management, RCA, 8D, and corrective action methods.
• Ability to coordinate cross-functional and cross-organizational teams in a matrix environment without relying on direct authority.
• Strong customer focus, communication, facilitation, negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to assess objective evidence, make risk-based recommendations, and escalate significant concerns with clarity and independence.
• Ability to manage one major or complex project or several smaller projects simultaneously.
• Fluent English and willingness to travel internationally.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent continuous improvement qualification.
• Experience with digital quality systems, project collaboration platforms, dashboards, and reporting tools.
• Ability to work in office, factory, supplier, and active construction-site environments, subject to local safety requirements.
• Valid driving license and ability to travel to customer, factory, supplier, and project-site locations.
• Approximately 25% of travel, depending on assigned project locations and phases. 

What do we offer?

• Access to internal training and external development opportunities
• Coverage of public transportation costs
• UNIQA supplementary health insurance for added security
• Special occasion bonuses (Easter, Christmas, performance-based rewards, and child-related bonuses)
• Free annual health check-up to support your well-being (Croatia Osiguranje)
• Opportunity to sign up for a Multisport card for an active lifestyle
• Fresh fruit delivered 2 times per week for a healthy start to the week
• Referral bonuses as a thank-you for helping us grow our team
• Financial support for new parents with a non-taxable baby bonus
• Assistance in difficult times with a non-taxable allowance for the loss of an immediate family member
• Professional development through mentorship and training
• International teams and dynamic environment
• Contribution to projects of high technical complexity with modern technical challenges
• Full creative and professional freedom
• Flexible working hours
• Positive, casual, friendly, team-based working atmosphere
• Focus on competence development

If YOU are the person we are looking for, feel free to apply and let's start drafting your future career into a healthy and growing environment!

The successful candidate will embrace Vertiv’s Core Principals & Behaviors to help execute our Strategic Priorities.  

OUR CORE PRINCIPALS: Safety.  Integrity. Respect.  Teamwork.  Diversity & Inclusion.

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• Customer Focus
• Operational Excellence
• High-Performance Culture
• Innovation
• Financial Strength

OUR BEHAVIORS

• Own It
• Act With Urgency
• Foster a Customer-First Mindset
• Think Big and Execute
• Lead by Example
• Drive Continuous Improvement
• Learn and Seek Out Development

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