Supplier Quality Manager

Position Overview:

supplier quality management within the rubber moulding industry

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead supplier quality assurance programs, including audits, performance evaluations, and corrective action plans to ensure suppliers meet or exceed quality, delivery, and cost targets.
• Develop and implement supplier development strategies, with a focus on uplifting tier-2 and tier-3 suppliers (such as small MSME manufacturers) to higher performance levels through training, process improvements, and technology transfers.
• Oversee the entire

  rubber moulding supply chain quality

  , from tooling design and process optimization to compound formulation and full product development, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with high-level Japanese OEMs and partners to integrate Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma principles into supplier operations, fostering continuous improvement and defect prevention.
• Conduct root cause analysis for quality issues, implement preventive measures, and track supplier performance metrics using tools like PPAP (Production Part Approval Process), APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning), and FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis).
• Manage supplier qualification processes, including on-site assessments, capability reviews, and risk mitigation plans for new and existing vendors.
• Prepare and present quality reports, dashboards, and improvement roadmaps to senior leadership, highlighting achievements in supplier upliftment and overall supply chain resilience.
• Ensure compliance with international standards such as ISO 9001, IATF 16949, and environmental regulations relevant to rubber moulding.
• Mentor junior quality engineers and cross-train teams on supplier management best practices.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Materials Science, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• 10-14 years of progressive experience in supplier quality management, specifically within the rubber moulding or related manufacturing sectors.
• Extensive hands-on experience in rubber moulding processes, including tooling design, moulding process optimization, compound development (e.g., formulation of elastomers, fillers, and curing agents), and end-to-end product development from concept to production.
• Proven track record of working with high-level Japanese companies (e.g., automotive or electronics OEMs like Toyota, Honda, or Sony), demonstrating familiarity with Japanese quality philosophies such as TQM (Total Quality Management) and JIT (Just-In-Time) systems.
• Demonstrated success in uplifting tier-2 to tier-3 suppliers, particularly small MSME manufacturers, through targeted development programs that improved quality ratings, reduced defects by measurable percentages, and enabled them to achieve tier-1 supplier status.