Supplier Development Specialist

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Senior Supplier Recovery & Performance Improvement Manager (NORTH EAST US)

This role is based in the United States and requires frequent travel to supplier manufacturing sites across the North East.

• Contract type: 1099 for at least 9 months (renewable)
• Environment: Aerospace manufacturing
• Mobility: Frequent travel to supplier sites (North East US)

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Supplier Recovery & Performance Improvement Manager with strong, hands-on PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT experience and an engineering background to lead critical supplier recovery and performance improvement initiatives.

This is a mandatory requirement:

Candidates must have held direct responsibility for production execution on the shop floor and must hold a college/university degree in Engineering.

All other experience is considered complementary.

This is a highly execution-focused, field-based role, requiring frequent presence at supplier sites to recover at-risk deliveries, stabilize manufacturing execution, and elevate supplier operational performance to world-class standards.

Key Responsibilities

Supplier Recovery & Expediting

• Monitor supplier WIP, raw material availability, capacity, yield, and quality performance
• Identify delivery, quality, and capacity risks and deploy rapid recovery actions to protect production schedules
• Validate purchase orders, demand signals, Line of Balance (LOB), past dues (PD), and look-ahead metrics
• Travel extensively to supplier sites to accelerate recovery plans and, when required, physically hand-carry critical parts to avoid production disruptions

Supplier Performance & Process Improvement

• Assess supplier manufacturing and production processes to identify gaps impacting delivery, quality, cost, or throughput
• Deploy Supplier Recovery & Improvement Standard Work, including diagnostics, training, and operational transformations
• Lead initiatives involving Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, PDCA, lead-time reduction, and capacity improvement
• Identify tooling gaps, process inefficiencies, and sub-tier risks, and implement corrective action plans

Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis

• Conduct detailed root cause analyses on systemic supplier performance issues
• Develop, implement, and track corrective and preventive actions to closure
• Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of solutions and refine them using continuous improvement methodologies

Project & Stakeholder Management

• Lead multiple complex, cross-functional supplier recovery and improvement projects simultaneously
• Build and manage project plans, milestones, KPIs, and performance reporting
• Work closely with program management, production, planning, procurement, quality, and engineering teams
• Interface effectively with suppliers and internal stakeholders up to executive leadership, presenting recovery plans and results

Production Oversight, Tracking & Reporting

• Oversee supplier production execution to ensure adherence to delivery schedules and quality requirements
• Implement robust tracking and reporting mechanisms for supplier performance and risk mitigation
• Drive actions to stabilize demand signals and reduce volatility across the supply base

Required Qualifications (NON‑NEGOTIABLE)

• College or University Degree in Engineering
• 10+ years of hands-on PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT / MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS experience, with:
• Direct responsibility for shop floor execution
• Capacity management, throughput, yield, and quality performance
• Leadership of manufacturing teams in high-pressure environments

Typical background:

• Manufacturing Manager
• Production Manager
• Operations Manager
• Value Stream Manager
• Plant / Area Manager
• Proven experience in supplier recovery, expediting, or stabilizing manufacturing execution
• Strong ability to operate from shop floor to executive level
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills
• Ability to manage multiple critical initiatives simultaneously
• Willingness to travel extensively

Complementary / Preferred

• Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
• Supplier development, capacity analysis, yield improvement
• Advanced Excel and performance reporting tools

Key Competencies

• Production management & manufacturing execution
• Supplier recovery & expediting
• Lean & continuous improvement
• Root cause analysis & corrective action
• Cross-functional leadership & executive communication
• Results-driven execution under aggressive timelines

Pay: $35.00 - $45.00 per hour

Expected hours: 30.0 – 40.0 per week

Application Question(s):

• Have you held direct responsibility for production execution on the manufacturing shop floor (e.g. Production Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Operations Manager)?
• Do you hold a college or university degree in Engineering?
• Are you willing and able to travel frequently to supplier manufacturing sites across the North East United States?

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Boston, MA 02133