Looking for a job

Tobias Schwalm

@tobiasalexander

International leader driving quality, customer excellence and operational improvement, trained in leading remote global teams.

Germany

Message

What I'm looking for

I'm looking for a senior international leadership role where I can combine people and functional leadership with operational excellence, customer focus and quality management. I want to build effective organizations, develop teams, improve processes and performance, and lead complex environments across functions, countries and locations.

I am an international leader with more than 20 years of professional experience, combining people leadership, operational excellence, customer focus and quality management in complex global organizations.

At MAHLE, I built and led Customer Quality and Warranty structures across Europe, combining direct people leadership with functional leadership across an international matrix of 16 production plants. My work has focused on developing organizations, improving processes, managing complex customer situations and creating clear structures across functions and locations.

I reduced quality costs by more than 20 percent and warranty costs by over 25 percent through process standardization, systematic problem solving and stronger cross functional collaboration. In a major OEM escalation, I coordinated technical analysis, international taskforces and commercial negotiations, helping reduce financial risk from approximately €230 million to below €100 million.

My broader experience includes Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, program management and industrial operations. I have led people, functions and stakeholders across Europe and gained additional international project experience through extended on site assignments in China.

I am experienced in both direct and functional leadership within international matrix organizations and specifically trained in remote leadership. I am interested in senior international roles across Operations, Operational Excellence, Customer Excellence and Quality Management.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Head of Customer Quality & Warranty

Current

MAHLE GmbH & Co. KG

Aug 2018 - Present (8 years)

Leads European Customer Quality and Warranty with direct leadership of 7 employees and functional leadership across 16 plants. Built and standardized international structures, reducing quality costs by over 20% and warranty costs by over 25%. Led a major OEM escalation, combining technical analysis, cross functional coordination and commercial negotiations to reduce risk from €230M to below €100M.

Customer Quality Warranty Management KPI Reporting Process Optimization Standardization Escalation Management Budget Management

Team Lead Customer Quality & Warranty EU

MAHLE GmbH & Co. KG

May 2015 - Aug 2018 (3 years 3 months)

Led three direct reports and coordinated APQP, PPAP, FMEA, production launches and customer audits, while shaping negotiation strategies with OEMs and suppliers.

Project Management Specialist

MAHLE GmbH & Co. KG

Jun 2014 - Apr 2015 (10 months)

Developed and standardized project management methods across business units and introduced SAP Project Management, creating a more consistent framework for cross functional project execution.

Senior Project Manager Mechatronics

MAHLE GmbH & Co. KG

Jul 2011 - May 2014 (2 years 10 months)

Led international mechatronics projects for VW, Audi, Chrysler and Hyundai, with functional leadership of cross functional teams. Planned, relocated and implemented a production line in China, coordinating international stakeholders from planning through implementation.

Project Manager Overall Responsibility

Eisenmann GmbH & Co. KG

Apr 2009 - Jun 2011 (2 years 2 months)

Managed end to end planning and implementation of carbon fiber production plants in China, covering industrialization, engineering and customer coordination, with project volumes of €5.8M and €3.9M.