Supplier Quality Engineer

Help grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day.

Key Responsibilities

SUPPLIER METRICS AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

• Design, implement and maintain a supplier-performance framework combining quality, delivery, responsiveness, cost and risk measures.
• Develop supplier scorecards and dashboards using clear definitions, validated data sources, targets, ownership and review cadence.
• Track and analyse measures including supplier defect and escape rates, incoming acceptance, first-pass yield, concession and deviation frequency, SCAR closure, repeat issues, on-time delivery, lead-time adherence and cost of poor quality.
• Segment suppliers by business criticality, performance and risk to prioritise audits, development activity and escalation.

SUPPLIER ASSURANCE AND IMPROVEMENT

• Lead supplier qualification, onboarding and approval using risk-based assessments, audits, capability reviews and evidence of effective quality controls.
• Establish supplier quality requirements within contracts, drawings, specifications, control plans, inspection standards and change-notification agreements.
• Lead supplier audits and process assessments, evaluating process capability, measurement systems, traceability, capacity, special processes, change control and business-continuity controls.
• Manage supplier nonconformities and corrective actions using structured methods such as 8D, 5 Why, Ishikawa and fault-tree analysis; verify containment, root cause, corrective action and sustained effectiveness.
• Develop and deliver supplier improvement plans focused on defect prevention, process capability, right-first-time manufacture and stable delivery performance.
• Escalate persistent or high-risk performance issues and support commercial decisions including development, controlled exit, dual sourcing or replacement.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCE AND CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT

• Assess supplier technical capability and identify gaps in process control, inspection, testing, metrology, drawing interpretation, problem-solving and quality-system execution.
• Develop internal competence within Procurement, Engineering, Operations and Quality so supplier decisions are technically informed and requirements are consistently applied.
• Build reusable standards, checklists, lessons learned and training materials for supplier selection, industrialisation, auditing and issue resolution.
• Verify competence through practical application and measurable improvement, rather than training completion alone.

NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION AND CHANGE CONTROL

• Define supplier quality deliverables and approval gates, ensuring specifications, critical characteristics, process controls, capacity and validation evidence are complete before launch.
• Coordinate first-article inspection, run-at-rate and production-readiness reviews.
• Evaluate supplier-requested changes to materials, processes, tooling, location or sub-tier sources and ensure risks are controlled before implementation.

Qualifications and Experience

• Essential: Degree, HNC/HND, technical apprenticeship or equivalent experience in engineering, manufacturing, quality or a relevant technical discipline.
• Essential: Demonstrable supplier-quality experience in a manufacturing, engineering or regulated environment.
• Essential: Strong working knowledge of supplier qualification, auditing, capability studies, 8D and root-cause methods.
• Essential: Ability to develop robust metrics, analyse complex data and convert findings into prioritised actions and measurable business benefits.
• Essential: Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, tolerances, inspection results and manufacturing-process controls.
• Essential: Track record of influencing supplier leadership and delivering sustained improvements in quality and delivery.
• Desirable: Internal or lead auditor qualification, Lean Six Sigma certification, recognised quality-body membership or experience with sector-specific standards.
• Desirable: Experience working with international suppliers and conducting on-site assessments across different cultures and regions.

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical judgement and disciplined use of data.
• Manufacturing-process knowledge and technical curiosity.
• Structured problem-solving with a prevention-focused mindset.
• Supplier development, coaching and constructive challenge.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of total business impact.
• Clear communication, influencing and stakeholder management.
• Ability to prioritise risk, manage multiple actions and deliver results.
• Willingness to travel to supplier sites as required.

Key Performance Measures

• Supplier scorecards established, accurate and reviewed to schedule for all priority suppliers.
• Reduction in supplier repeat defects, concessions, incoming rejects and quality escapes.
• Improvement in supplier on-time delivery, schedule adherence and lead-time performance.
• Reduction in supplier-related production disruptions, premium freight, rework, scrap and total cost of poor quality.
• Supplier audits and development plans completed according to risk-based priorities.
• Improvement in supplier process capability and successful first-pass approval of new or changed parts.
• Demonstrable growth in supplier and internal technical competence against defined capability assessments.

Not the right fit?Let us know you're interested in a future opportunity by clicking Introduce Yourself in the top-right corner of the page or create an account to set up email alerts as new job postings become available that meet your interest!