Senior Supplier Development Lead, Machining & Mechanical Fabrication in Solihull

Responsibilities

• Lead internal and supplier containment actions in collaboration with Operations and Quality.
• Facilitate supplier kick‑off meetings to align expectations and establish rapid response actions.
• Conduct Root Cause and Corrective Action (RRCA) investigations to resolve critical quality or delivery issues.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to develop and implement improvement plans and ensure clear communication through plan review checkpoints.
• Monitor leading and lagging Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess progress.
• Evaluate whether exit criteria have been achieved for containment efforts.
• Escalate persistent issues to crisis mode or tiger teams when warranted.
• Partner with Commodity Teams and SBUs to ensure closed‑loop feedback and transition to sustainable operations.
• Lead supplier site identification and prioritise development efforts aligned with risk, impact, and strategic commodity needs.
• Conduct supplier assessments using OCRA (Operational Capability & Risk Assessment) tool.
• Engage suppliers with development roadmaps, training, and targeted actions tied to maturity models and long‑term growth.
• Align with Commodity Managers and Engineering teams on supplier readiness for new programs or volume ramp‑ups.
• Facilitate structured improvement plan development, KPI tracking, and gate reviews.
• Monitor progress toward achieving target maturity levels and initiate sustainment planning once development objectives are met.
• Support long‑term monitoring and re‑engagement cycles to ensure supplier performance remains stable.
• Develop and build manufacturing process technology tools and standardisation includes FMEA and Control Plans.
• Provide leadership and/or support for supplier transitions, ensuring a smooth handover of work scope with minimal disruption.
• Support the sustainment phase by monitoring supplier maturity post‑transition and ensuring long‑term capability.
• Align with internal business units and suppliers to reinforce performance expectations and continuous improvement efforts.
• Execute APQP for new product launch and work transition projects.

Key Interfaces

• Commodity Managers
• Quality Assurance & Engineering
• Operations and Planning
• Supplier Business Units (SBUs)
• Supplier Site Leadership
• Crisis Response and Tiger Teams

Qualifications

• Strong communication skills, ability to develop a network of relationships with the various Collins Aerospace business units.
• High energy level, highly organized and strong work orientation.
• Ability to apply CORE principles/tools to manage processes, ensuring continuous improvement in the systems and benchmarking best practices enhancing customer satisfaction at all levels.
• Experience in Machining & Mechanical Fabrication.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite Applications (MS Project, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Access).
• Ability to travel to supplier sites as needed – minimum 50% of time.
• Typically requires a University Degree and prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and relevant experience.

Benefits

• We offer a highly competitive salary, annual bonus, and many other benefits to include:
• 25 days Annual Leave + Public Holidays
• Attractive Compensation Package
• Health & Wellbeing Cash Plan (dental/optical/therapy/chiropody/health screening)
• Generous Employer Contribution Pension Scheme with matched contributions up to 10%
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Assurance & Group Income protection scheme participation
• Employee Discounts & Flexible benefits platform
• Professional Development + Growth
• Staff Discounts
• Employee Recognition
• Support with professional fees
• EAP (Employee Assistance Programme)