Global Supplier Quality Manager

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead the global supplier quality strategy to ensure suppliers consistently meet quality, reliability, regulatory, and customer requirements across all regions.
• Develop, implement, and maintain supplier quality management processes, standards, and performance metrics that support a customer-centric culture and operational excellence.
• Build collaborative partnerships with suppliers to drive continuous improvement initiatives, defect reduction, process capability improvements, and cost-of-quality reductions.
• Establish supplier qualification, onboarding, auditing, and performance management programs for new and existing suppliers.
• Lead supplier quality audits, assessments, and corrective action activities using structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D, Root Cause Analysis, CAPA, and FMEA.
• Monitor supplier quality performance through KPIs, scorecards, and data analytics, ensuring accountability for quality, delivery, and compliance expectations.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Customer Success teams to resolve supplier-related quality issues and mitigate business risks.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) programs by ensuring supply base readiness, qualification requirements, validation activities, and production launch quality standards are achieved.
• Drive containment, corrective, and preventive actions for supplier nonconformances while ensuring timely resolution and sustainable improvements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, industry, customer, and company requirements, including ISO 9001 and other relevant quality management standards.
• Lead global supplier quality reviews, executive reporting, and risk assessments to proactively identify and address emerging supplier risks.
• Foster an authentic, accountable, agile, collaborative, and innovative culture within supplier quality operations and across cross-functional teams.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for supplier quality systems, processes, and industry best practices in the Utilities & Energy technology sector.
• Mentor and develop supplier quality engineers and quality professionals, driving capability growth and succession planning across global teams.

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality Management, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in Supplier Quality, Quality Assurance, Manufacturing Quality, or a related field.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing supplier quality teams, global suppliers, or cross-functional quality initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of quality systems, supplier development methodologies, and continuous improvement practices.
• Experience conducting supplier audits and managing supplier corrective action programs.
• Demonstrated expertise in quality tools and methodologies including:
• APQP
• PPAP
• FMEA
• Control Plans
• SPC
• MSA
• 8D Problem Solving
• Root Cause Analysis
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 and relevant regulatory and quality standards.
• Strong analytical, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence internal and external stakeholders while maintaining a customer-centric focus.
• Proven track record of leading global, cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced and agile business environment.
• Experience using quality metrics, reporting systems, and data-driven decision making to improve supplier performance.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Master's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Professional certifications such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), Six Sigma Green Belt, or Six Sigma Black Belt.
• Experience working within the Utilities, Energy, Industrial Technology, Smart Grid, Renewable Energy, or Critical Infrastructure sectors.
• Experience managing global supplier networks across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
• Knowledge of advanced supplier risk management, sustainability programs, and supplier performance governance.
• Experience supporting digital transformation initiatives, quality analytics platforms, and enterprise quality management systems.
• Strong background in driving innovative supplier development programs that improve quality, delivery, and total cost of ownership.
• Demonstrated success building collaborative relationships with strategic suppliers and executive stakeholders.
• Experience supporting customer quality requirements for highly regulated, mission-critical technologies.

Benefits Info

• This position also includes a competitive benefit package including; financial, social, health and wellbeing programs, paid vacation, 401k matching, employee stock purchase program, hybrid work schedule, and more!
• #LI-MD1

• Itron is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce and providing an authentic workplace experience for all employees.
• If you are excited about this role but your past experiences don't perfectly align with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway.
• In the end, you may be just who we are looking for!

The successful candidate's starting wage will be determined based on permissible, non-discriminatory factors such as skills and experience.

• Itron is transforming how the world manages energy, water and city services.
• Our trusted intelligent infrastructure solutions help utilities and cities improve efficiency, build resilience and deliver safe, reliable and affordable service.
• With edge intelligence, we connect people, data insights and devices so communities can better manage the essential resources they rely on to live.
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