Role Context: Operating within an international environment, this role requires close collaboration with crossfunctional stakeholders and suppliers of varying size and maturity. A strong on-site presence at supplier locations across India is key aspect of the role. The position combines strategic supplier development with operational quality management and therefore requires strong leadership, technical expertise and a hands-on, implementation-focused approach.

The Head of Quality Management - Supply Chain is responsible for developing, achieving and sustainably ensuring supplier quality across the Indian supply chain.
A key focus of the role is to actively support the purchasing organization in the identification, evaluation, qualification, and systematic development of high-performing suppliers.
The role acts as a hands-on quality and development partner for suppliers. It provides direct, on-site support to suppliers in implementing effective measures to achieve quality objectives, prevent defects and stabilise processes. Through this practical approach, it ensures that defined quality standards, technical specifications, delivery requirements and applicable compliance guidelines are met on a sustainable basis.
As a key interface between purchasing, internal departments, and suppliers, this role plays a pivotal role in building a reliable, efficient, localized, and quality-driven supply chain.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Supplier Identification, Evaluation and Development

- Support Purchasing department in identifying and pre-selecting suitable suppliers for existing and new material groups, localisation projects and alternative sourcing options.
- Evaluate potential suppliers against manufacturing processes, process capability, quality management systems, technical competence, production capacity, infrastructure, risk exposure and compliance.
- Plan and manage the quality qualification of new suppliers through to production release.
- Establish structured development plans with clearly defined actions, responsibilities, milestones and effectiveness criteria.
- Support and oversee sample submissions, initial deliveries, process approvals and production ramp-ups from a quality perspective.

Supplier Quality and Operational Stabilization

- Monitor, analyse and regularly evaluate the quality performance of existing suppliers.
- Identify quality and process risks at an early stage and implement appropriate preventive and stabilisation measures.
- Actively support suppliers on site in defect analysis, root cause elimination, process optimization and the sustainable assurance of product quality.
- Consistent follow-up of corrective and preventative actions, including verification of their timely implementation and sustained effectiveness.
- Provide hands-on support in resolving critical quality issues, managing escalations, and mitigating supply risks to minimise the impact on customers and production.
- Ensure that quality improvements are permanently embedded in processes, inspection plans, work instructions, and responsibilities.

Supplier Audits and Compliance

- Plan, conduct and document system, process and potential audits at suppliers’ sites.
- Identify and assess non-conformities, agree on effective action plans, and follow up on their implementation.
- Verify compliance with agreed technical specifications, quality standards and applicable legal or regulatory requirements.




- Define audit frequencies and supplier development priorities based on identified risks.

Continuous Improvement and Performance Management

- Initiate and facilitate structured improvement programs to enhance quality, reliability, delivery performance and process capability.
- Apply appropriate methods for problem-solving, root cause analysis, defect prevention and process control.
- Establish transparent KPIs, scorecards, and regular management reports on supplier quality performance.
- Identify areas for improvement and define escalation measures based on quality, audit and performance data.
- Promote knowledge sharing and quality competence among suppliers and internal stakeholders.

Interface and Relationship Management

- Work closely with purchasing, production, goods receipt, logistics, and internal stakeholders.
- Translate internal and customer requirements into explicit, actionable quality requirements for suppliers.
- Facilitate quality discussions, escalations and improvement reviews with suppliers.
- Build professional, reliable, and performance-focused supplier relationships while maintaining clear quality expectations.
- Ensure timely, fact-based and transparent communication between Asia and suppliers.

Key Objectives of the Role

- Build an efficient and quality-focused supplier base in India.
- Reduce lead time from supplier identification to quality approval for series production.
- Reduce supplier defects, complaints, rework and quality-related delivery disruptions.
- Stabilise critical supplier processes through a visible presence and hands-on support on site.
- Support localisation and second-source initiatives through effective quality qualification.
- Strengthen supplier maturity and ownership of quality planning, process control and continuous improvement.
- Provide transparent decision support for Purchasing and Management through reliable.

Competencies and Responsibilities

- Lead all supplier qualification and development activities.
- Recommend supplier approval, conditional approval, suspension or escalation from a quality perspective.
- Define appropriate quality measures and evidence requirements in coordination with purchasing and internal departments.
- Escalate significant quality, capacity or compliance risks to the relevant decisionmakers.
- Prioritise supplier development activities based on risk, business relevance and quality performance.

Required:

Education and Professional Experience

- Degree in (mechanical) Engineering, Production Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Management, or a comparable technical qualification.
- 10+ years of experience in Supplier Quality Management, Supplier Development, Quality Management, Purchasing of technical components, or a comparable industrial role.
- Demonstrated experience in Supplier Evaluation, Qualification and Development, preferably within a manufacturing environment.
- Experience with start of Production activities, Localisation Projects and the Sustainable Stabilisation of critical supplier processes.
- Experience within an International Business Environment,



ideally in a German or European industrial company.
- Initial Leadership or Functional Leadership experience is desirable Supplier Evaluations and Quality Metrics.

Technical Competencies

- Sound knowledge of Quality Management Systems, Supplier Audits, Process Evaluation and Risk-based Supplier development.
- Proficient in the application of structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and corrective and preventive actions.
- Good understanding of industrial manufacturing processes, technical drawings, specifications, inspection methods and process capability assessments.
- Experience with supplier performance metrics, quality costs, complaint management and management reporting.
- Ability to translate quality requirements into practical measures for suppliers at various maturity levels.
- Proficient in use of standard Microsoft Office applications and digital quality and ERP systems.
- Excellent written and spoken English; German language skills are an advantage.

Personal and Methodological Competencies

- Strong hands-on approach and willingness to resolve quality issues directly at source in collaboration with suppliers.
- Analytical, structured and results-oriented working style with strong implementation capability.
- Strong quality focus, assertiveness and sound decision-making, combined with a collaborative approach.
- Excellent communication, facilitation and conflict resolution skills in an intercultural environment.
- Ability to develop suppliers, foster accountability and embed sustainable improvements.
- Strong initiative, resilience, flexibility and ownership.
- Willingness to travel extensively within India.

Measures of Success

- Supplier quality performance, particularly defect rates, complaints and recurring defects.
- Timely and effective implementation of agreed corrective actions and supplier development measures.
- Number and success rate of qualified new suppliers.
- Lead time from supplier identification to quality approval for series production.
- Audit results and maturity progression of strategic and critical suppliers.
- Reduction of quality-related supply disruptions, rework, sorting activities and additional costs.
- Contribution to localisation and alternative sourcing initiatives from a quality perspective.

. Skillset Required: Supplier Quality Management, Supplier Development, Quality Management, Purchasing of technical components, Supplier Evaluation, Qualification and Development, Manufacturing environment, Start of Production activities, Localisation Projects, Sustainable Stabilisation of supplier processes, International Business Environment, Supplier Audits, Process Evaluation, Risk-based Supplier development, Structured problem-solving, Root cause analysis, Corrective and preventive actions, Industrial manufacturing processes, Technical drawings, Specifications, Inspection methods, Process capability assessments, Supplier performance metrics, Quality costs, Complaint management, Management reporting, Translating quality requirements, Microsoft Office, Digital quality systems, ERP systems, English communication, German language skills, Hands-on approach, Analytical working style, Results-oriented, Quality focus, Assertiveness, Decision-making, Collaborative approach, Communication skills, Facilitation, Conflict resolution, Intercultural environment, Supplier development, Accountability, Sustainable improvements, Initiative, Resilience, Flexibility, Ownership, Extensive travel

📌 Head of Quality Management (Sheet Metal / Fabrication / Machining) (India)
🏢 Antal International
📍 India