Supplier Development Engineer

About the role

The Supplier Development Engineer works collaboratively with Supply Chain (Sourcing and Purchasing) to develop, support and execute projects and initiatives that align with quality and supply chain strategic planning. The Supplier Development Engineer is responsible to assess new and prospective suppliers as well as monitor ongoing supplier performance.

This individual establishes and cultivates a wide range of business relationships both internal and external to facilitate completion of assignments and takes the initiative to collaborate and work with Supply Chain and other cross-functional teams (w/ Global Technology, Product Applications Technology, Codes and Standards, Process Engineering) to reach the best business decision for supply chain management. Establish measures and goals for purchased part or product quality and communicate them regularly to Suppliers and Commodity Managers to drive continuous improvement.

This role is considered a HYBRID position. The ideal candidate will be located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area with onsite work at our Lakeville, MN location.

What will you do?

• Actively manage and monitor supplier performance and manage COPQ of new and existing Suppliers by initiating & reviewing Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
• Responsible for the implementation, monitoring and reporting of metrics related to supplier development performance and quality per the Uponor Supplier Scorecard and take proactive measures to address any deviations from targets. This will include communication of the Verification testing results, PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) disposition, ADR (Advanced Deviation Request) disposition, SCAR (Supplier Corrective Action Report) response thoroughness and timeliness.
• Serve as the Supplier Development representative to participate and support alignment of quality and supply chain supplier strategies and tactics (K2 changes) with the cross-functional team to execute across all commodity category types. Participate in determining goals and objectives for projects while overseeing and leading various major supply chain risk based initiatives within the function or department. Influences middle management on business solutions.
• Lead SDE group as the critical liaison for New Product Development (NPD) efforts (e.g. NPD New to Uponor). Provide and solicit input to internal and external stakeholders for design, manufacturing, material specifications, drawings, inspection procedures, and manufacturing procedures, etc. to ensure that the resulting products can be adequately manufactured and tested to Uponor requirements.
• Assess new and prospective suppliers to support Business needs.

Responsible for Uponor Supplier Quality Onboarding / Refresher training of all new Suppliers or current supplier new personnel. Monitor the performance per the key training areas and provide supplier feedback to assure the supplier is meeting Uponor expectations.

• Actively participate, manage and/or assist product quality group with Major/Critical SCARs and quality investigations/alerts regarding supplier related issues.
• Seeks out opportunities to contribute to the business success through proactive involvement in team initiatives
• Collaborate with suppliers to identify areas for improvement and implement process enhancements to drive quality, cost, and delivery improvements.

What will you need?

• Bachelors degree in Engineering, Supply Chain
• 0 to 3 years experience
• Experience in manufacturing processes such as machining and/or injection molding preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Ability to coordinate and lead cross-functional project team activities effectively and efficiently.
• Exposure to various quality tools and methodologies. Including but not limited to Production Part Approval Process (PPAP); Production Control Plans; 8D Problem Solving; Capability Analysis (Cpk & Ppk).
• Demonstrated skills in decision making.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience with supplier auditing, root cause analysis, and corrective action processes.
• Project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and drive them to successful completion.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Preferred

• Exposure to Supplier Quality Management
• Project Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Total Quality Management
• LEAN Six Sigma - Green or Black Belt Certification preferred

What will you get?

• Best-in-class health benefits (medical, dental, vision)
• 160 hours paid time off (combination of PTO and Employee Safe and Sick Time accruals- MN Based Employees)