Supplier Quality Manager

How you’ll make an impact 

• Partners with Supply Chain Management (SCM) to develop standardized supply base management and quality training materials for localized deployment. 

• Drives the deployment of and adherence to the supplier qualification process, ensuring active suppliers maintain full qualification and compliance.  

• Provides transparent, regular quality and compliance status updates to the Supply Chain Management (SCM) leadership team. 

• Guarantees corporate quality processes are thoroughly understood and effectively implemented across the organization 

• Represents the “Voice of Supplier”, sharing strategic supplier perspectives and constraints when collaborating with internal functions, safeguarding long-term supply base sustainability and operational health. 

• Coordinates with R&D, Engineering, Project Management, and SCM leadership to ensure SQEs receive timely input for an effective execution of critical product qualifications (APQP, PPAP, FAI, FAT).  

• Supports Supplier Quality Engineers (SQEs) during the planning and execution of product qualifications, ensuring a rigorous evaluation of critical risk-assessment documentation, including supplier PFMEAs, Control Plans, and Process Flow Diagrams. 

• Oversees the prompt resolution of supplier Non-Conformances (NCs), ensuring suppliers identify and execute robust process improvements. 

• Co-defines supplier quality Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with global SCM, ensuring regular performance reporting aligned with overall SCM strategy. 

• Defines targeted supplier site inspections driven by specific risk profiles - such as underperforming vendors, new critical product introductions, or novel product developments - and collaborates with PQMs to formally integrate these requirements into Quality Control Plans (QCPs) or Inspection & Test Plans (ITPs). 

• Minimum of 7+ years of progressive experience within Quality Assurance, Supplier Quality, or Operations, including a proven track record of at least 3 years in a leadership or team management role within a matrixed, large-scale organizational structure. 

• Certified Lead Auditor (ISO9001 or similar). 

• Six Sigma Green Belt. 

• Demonstrates expert-level proficiency in leveraging structured methodologies (e.g., 8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa, Six Sigma DMAIC) to rapidly diagnose, contain, and remediate systemic supplier quality anomalies 

• Mastery of advanced quality planning methodologies, including APQP/PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, MSA (Gage R&R), and SPC (Statistical Process Control). 

• Demonstrated capability to direct, mentor, motivate, and balance the workloads of geographically dispersed and multi-cultural Supplier Quality Engineers (SQEs) across different time zones. 

• Demonstrates exceptional communication skills, synthesizing dense technical data into streamlined, high-impact reports and presentations tailored for SCM leadership and key business stakeholders. 

• Proven ability to cultivate strong, collaborative networks with internal engineering, global category management, and project quality teams, fostering an environment of shared accountability for supply base success.