Role & responsibilities :

1. Supplier Development & Capability Enhancement

- Identify supplier capability gaps and drive improvement plans.
- Develop suppliers to achieve world-class manufacturing and quality standards.
- Support existing and new suppliers in process optimization, productivity improvement, and defect reduction.
- Conduct supplier maturity assessments and competency evaluations.

2. New Supplier Assessment & Approval

- Lead supplier feasibility studies and source evaluations.
- Conduct technical assessments covering capacity, process capability, quality systems, and manufacturing infrastructure.
- Drive supplier onboarding and approval process.
- Support procurement team during sourcing and nomination decisions.

3. New Product Development (NPD) Support

- Lead supplier APQP implementation for recent projects.
- Ensure timely completion of PPAP, tooling trials, capability studies, and process validations.
- Monitor supplier readiness for SOP (Start of Production).
- Coordinate product development activities among Engineering, Purchasing, Quality, and Suppliers.

4. Manufacturing Process Improvement

- Drive supplier process capability improvement through SPC, MSA, Lean Manufacturing, and Kaizen.
- Support implementation of automation, Poka-Yoke, and mistake-proofing systems.
- Improve supplier OEE, productivity, and manufacturing efficiency.




- Monitor critical process controls and process discipline.

5. Supplier Audit & Compliance

- Conduct technical, process, and capability audits.
- Verify compliance to IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and customer-specific requirements.
- Monitor closure of audit findings and effectiveness of improvements.
- Lead CQI assessment implementation at suppliers.

6. Cost Reduction & Localization

- Identify Value Engineering (VE) and Value Analysis (VA) opportunities.
- Drive cost reduction projects through process improvements and waste elimination.
- Support localization initiatives and supplier capacity expansion projects.
- Participate in supplier negotiations from a technical feasibility perspective.

7. Risk Management & Supply Continuity

- Assess risks related to supplier capacity, technology, quality, and financial stability.
- Develop contingency and risk mitigation plans.
- Support business continuity planning and dual sourcing strategy.
- Lead supplier recovery activities during critical supply disruptions.

8. Cross-Functional Coordination

- Work closely with Purchasing, Engineering, SQA, Production, Logistics, and Program Management teams.
- Act as the technical interface between supplier and organization.
- Support customer audits and supplier visits.
- Escalate critical supplier risks and drive timely resolutions.

📌 Manager-STA (Pune)
🏢 Tata AutoComp
📍 Pune