Senior Manager, Supplier Development & Readiness

About the role

Executes supplier readiness, recovery, and improvement initiatives across assigned suppliers. This role works directly on-site with suppliers to eliminate constraints, validate capacity, drive corrective actions, and build the operational capability needed for sustained performance.

This is a senior technical role focused on execution excellence, hands-on assessment, and transformation of supplier processes

Job Description:

Supplier Assessment & Diagnostics

• Conduct supplier capacity, capability, and readiness assessments across staffing, equipment, tooling, process stability, layout, flow, and quality systems.
• Validate production capacity, real throughput vs. quoted capacity, bottlenecks, and production allocation.
  

Readiness & Recovery Execution

• Execute structured RCA, 5-Why, fishbone, PFMEA reviews, and corrective action implementation.
• Lead on-site activities to support capacity expansion, process optimization, and throughput improvements.
• Track and verify closure of recovery actions and readiness deliverables.
• Support readiness for NPI milestones, volume ramps, and technology changes.

Operational Improvement & Capability Building

• Deploy Lean tools (5S, flow optimization, standard work, visual management) at supplier sites.
• Support dual sourcing, alternate supplier qualification, and footprint diversification.
• Partner with supplier leadership to establish sustainable systems and controls preventing issue recurrence.
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Supplier Analytics/Performance teams to interpret early warning signals and capacity risk indicators.
• Collaborate with Quality, Engineering, Materials, and Strategic Sourcing to ensure alignment between readiness work and supplier performance goals.
• Provide technical insights into sourcing decisions and supplier onboarding.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree
• 8+ years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Supplier Development, Supplier Quality, or Operations
• 4+ years of experience in production processes, capacity modeling, process flow, and operational diagnostics
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree
• Engineering or Supply Chain degree preferred (Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Systems) or equivalent experience.
• Experience working directly on the supplier shop floor and leading change in difficult environments.
• Skilled in RCA, Lean tools, process improvement, and readiness criteria execution.
• Strong execution discipline, resilience, and the ability to drive sustained change.