Position Mission:

Responsible for delivering all aspects of the Supplier Quality Assurance function on an on-going basis in line with the Quality goals to ensure that the business’ products and services meet customer expectations. Responsible for ensuring that suppliers continue to develop and implement best practice that emphasize defect prevention, reduction in variation and waste and provide for continuous improvements and continue to meet quality standards required to minimize quality costs and maximize customer satisfaction while ensuring that procedures and processes are adhered to. Responsible for providing leadership, outstanding people skills and management in organization, including partners in Global Sourcing team.

Position Performance Measures:

• Deliver quality improvements to product portfolio measured by warranty dollars savings and customer satisfaction

• Develop and Execute Supplier Quality process including cadence of required Quality policies, and Quality & Social audits, product testing and supplier documentation

• Lead the resolution of field quality issues working with customer, sales team, customer service, engineering and suppliers

Strategy and Development

• Contribute to the creation and implementation of best practice quality vision, strategy, policies, processes, and procedures to aid and improve operational performance.
• Contribute to new business initiatives and projects and review and communicate the impact on Supplier Quality activities
• Lead supplier development strategy, designing the metrics for the function and supplier performance.

Warranty & CILOW Program management

• Own and manage the CILOW program (Credit in Lieu of Warranty) to ensure success for customers.
• Own and manage NAPA’s CILOW P&L to ensure program success.
• Manage the warranty metrics, including but not limited to defect rates and defect dollars, driving actions to reduce warranty costs.

Execution of Quality improvement actions

• Manage the root cause analysis and corrective actions process of supplier quality issues.
• Perform on-site supplier visits for root cause analysis and verification of corrective actions of supplier quality issues, if required
• Review and evaluate supplier quality data to identify process improvement opportunities within the supply chain.
• Where appropriate work with the supplier directly, create corrective action plans to address process failures
• Review supplier manufacturing processes, collaborate with suppliers on process improvement and value enhancement opportunities
• Promote the use of customer preferred techniques for continuous improvement such as Lean, Six-Sigma, Poka-Yoke (Error Proofing), Measurement System Analysis and FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)
• Manage the development and refinement of Design and Process FMEA’s (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), if required

Procurement and NPI Support

• Coordinate supplier validation audits, with support from supplier and global sourcing organization.
• Work with Engineering team to define process parameters and criteria to ensure supplier process capability is effective to meet product and process requirements.
• Support Purchasing with the supplier approval process by assessing manufacturing/technology capabilities and Health, Safety and Environmental risks
• Support new product launches to ensure suppliers can deliver to the required quality standards.
• Review documentation of inspection results across all areas. In appropriate functional areas, this refers to supporting inspection and test status requirements defined by regulations, engineering product specifications or Control Plans, PPAP approval or product warrant submission.

Supplier management

• Monitor and report on supplier product quality and performance understanding any commercial issues and impacts.
• Manage the Supplier Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Keep up with current and developing manufacturing and engineering trends that concern product quality.
• Conduct benchmarking studies to determine best practices/designs and future trends

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or similar
• 5+ years automotive experience preferred
• Membership of an appropriate professional body would be advantageous
• Experience of working in Quality Assurance
• Six Sigma/Lean skills
• Experience of dealing with customers and suppliers
• Understanding & knowledge of automotive systems
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Experience using various computer applications including Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and other applications in the Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to work across all internal departments to drive projects to on-time completion
• Highly motivated individual that has a strong drive for results; communicates effectively both in written and verbal communication formats
• Consumer centric thinking and close attention to detail

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