Supplier Development Specialist

Role overview

Supplier development and performance

• Develop supplier-development strategies aligned with procurement and business objectives; identify, evaluate, and develop new and existing suppliers.
• Assess supplier capabilities, capacity, quality systems, production processes, and operational performance.
• Monitor quality, cost, delivery, responsiveness, and service levels; develop metrics, scorecards, KPIs, and improvement plans.
• Identify performance gaps and work with suppliers on corrective and preventive actions; conduct assessments, audits, reviews, and capability evaluations.
• Build collaborative relationships with strategic suppliers and support negotiations on cost, quality, capacity, lead times, and commercial requirements.

Improvement and cross-functional work

• Identify cost-reduction, process-improvement, productivity, and supply-chain-optimization opportunities.
• Work with suppliers to improve manufacturing processes, quality standards, production efficiency, and delivery performance.
• Support supplier onboarding, qualification, development, and approval processes.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Engineering, Quality, Operations, Logistics, and Finance on supplier initiatives.
• Support supplier risk management, business continuity, capacity planning, and supply-chain resilience.
• Analyze supplier data, market trends, pricing movements, and industry developments to identify opportunities and risks.
• Develop improvement plans, reports, presentations, and management updates; track initiatives and measure benefits.
• Support continuous-improvement programs and promote best practices across the supplier network.

Requirements

• Proven experience in supplier development, procurement, strategic sourcing, supply chain management, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of supplier performance management, sourcing, procurement, supply-chain operations, procurement processes, supplier contracts, and commercial negotiations.
• Experience evaluating supplier capabilities, quality, cost, capacity, and delivery performance.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, problem-solving, decision-making, communication, relationship-management, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Supplier audits, corrective actions, performance improvement, or supplier qualification experience is preferred.
• ERP, SRM, procurement, or supply-chain management systems experience is advantageous.
• Strong Microsoft Excel proficiency and data-analysis skills.
• Lean, Six Sigma, quality management, or continuous-improvement knowledge is preferred.
• Strong organization; ability to manage multiple suppliers and improvement projects; willingness to travel to supplier locations when required.
• A bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field is preferred.
• CIPS, CPSM, CSCP, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent certifications are advantageous.

What the employer offers

• Opportunity to develop strategic supplier networks and gain exposure to procurement, sourcing, supply-chain optimization, supplier quality, and cost improvement.
• Work directly with suppliers and cross-functional teams on high-impact initiatives; potential career progression into senior specialist, manager, or procurement and supply-chain leadership roles.
• Collaborative, performance-driven environment with training, mentorship, and professional development.
• Competitive compensation, performance incentives, and benefits package.