Key Roles & Responsibilities
- Own end-to-end supplier quality performance, including qualification, onboarding, monitoring, and continuous improvement across assigned commodity or suppliers.
- Act as the primary quality interface between suppliers and internal teams including Engineering, Procurement, Operations, and R&D.
- Define and deploy robust supplier quality strategies aligned with business goals, focusing on risk mitigation, cost of poor quality (COPQ) reduction, and supply continuity.
- Establish, track, and continuously improve supplier KPIs (e.g., defect rate, yield impact, responsiveness, audit scores), and drive accountability through regular business reviews (QBRs/MBRs).
- Lead supplier qualification activities, including technical capability assessment, process audits, and quality system evaluation
- Define and optimize incoming inspection strategies based on risk assessment and supplier performance.
- Drive continuous improvement in incoming quality control processes to reduce inspection cost while maintaining quality standards.
- Drive structured problem-solving with suppliers using methodologies such as 8D, DMAIC, and root cause analysis (RCA), ensuring effectiveness and prevention of recurrence.
- Manage Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCAR), including issuance, follow-up, verification of root cause, and validation of corrective/preventive actions
- Conduct regular on-site and remote audits (process, system, layered process audits), identifying gaps and driving closure of findings.
- Evaluate and approve supplier change requests (process, material, location, sub-tier suppliers) and ensure proper change control, risk assessment, and validation prior to implementation.
- Partner with suppliers to improve process capability (Cp/Cpk), yield, and overall manufacturing robustness through data-driven improvement initiatives.
- Drive early detection and containment of quality issues through implementation of effective incoming quality controls, supplier self-inspection, and FMEA .
- Lead escalation management for critical supplier issues impacting production, ensuring rapid containment, cross-functional alignment, and executive-level communication when needed.
- Develop supplier capability through training, technical coaching, and joint improvement projects to elevate maturity in quality systems and manufacturing processes.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory, environmental, and customer-specific quality requirements across the supply base.
- Drive digitalization and automation of supplier quality processes, leveraging data analytics tools (e.g., Minitab, Spotfire, Power BI) to enhance visibility, predictive insights, and decision-making.
- Translate complex data into actionable insights for both internal stakeholders and suppliers
- Drive IMS activities within department
Contamination Control & Cleanliness Management
- Define and enforce contamination control requirements across the supply base, particularly for critical components
- Assess and qualify supplier cleanroom environments, including classification, airflow design, gowning protocols, and material handling practices.
- Conduct contamination-focused audits at supplier sites, covering:
- Cleanroom discipline and behavior
- Equipment cleanliness and maintenance
- Packaging and transportation controls
- Drive implementation of contamination prevention controls such as:
- Poka-yoke for handling and storage
- Controlled packaging (vacuum, nitrogen, double-bagging)
- Cleaning and bake processes validation
- Drive supplier capability improvement in contamination control through training, benchmarking, and joint improvement programs.
- Establish data-driven monitoring using analytics tools (Minitab, Spotfire, Power BI) to identify trends in contamination-related defects and proactively mitigate risks.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards and internal specifications related to cleanliness and environmental control.
