Supplier Quality Engineer

Key Responsibilities:

• Participate in Core Supplier Management teams for purchase orders to suppliers, together with the Sourcing/Fulfilment and Engineering representatives.
• Work with procurement teams to define / agree / communicate to all stakeholders a roadmap for supplier development activities, identifying the supplier quality tasks to ensure the right supply chain performance to meet business objectives.
• Track and drive progress against roadmap commitments, with regular reports to stakeholders and management.
• Execute activities to drive safety, quality and compliance excellence and support delivery and cost performance, within the supply base for the assigned product scope. These activities include:
  • Supplier on-boarding and qualification:
    • Support Supplier selection process, in cooperation with Sourcing and Engineering teams, performing technical assessment, and evaluating supplier capacity and capability (manufacturing, design, EHS, …),
    • Assess suppliers QMS and manufacturing process compliance through holistic process audits,
    • Record action plans and manage supplier approvals in the supplier database,
    • Lead and execute first piece qualification programs with suppliers in cooperation with other functions and subject matter experts including but not limited to: during fabrication audits, special processes audit, design reviews, functional tests (if applicable) and final product release.
    • Record related actions plans and approve qualification requests in the supplier database.
  • Supplier assessment and development:
    • Attend pre-award meetings with suppliers and Sourcing/Engineering,
    • Contribute to the Supplier Performance Rating process (Score Cards),
    • Review and update suppliers’ qualification status based on their performance assessment,
    • Initiate and manage supplier development actions and Q improvement plans.
• • Purchase Order Kick-off Meetings, Supplier Requirements and Design Reviews:
    • Ensure readiness for kick-off meeting with dedicated checklist,
    • Confirm supplier surveillance strategy
    • Organize the kick-off meetings with suppliers and relevant representatives,
    • Support Engineering in Execution of Supplier Requirement Reviews (SRR) and Supplier Design Reviews (SuDR)
    • Where applicable, review supplier quality documentation (Inspection and Test Plans, special process and NDT procedures, …).
  • Execution of surveillance inspections:
    • Set up inspection strategy (standard quality inspection plans and additional inspections, as applicable),
    • Schedule quality surveillance and witness inspections at suppliers,
    • Perform surveillance and witness inspections,
    • Ensure product compliance with contract requirements and applicable regulations,
    • Timely review, validate and distribute inspection reports.
  • Release material for shipment:
    • Ensure all deviations are closed,
    • Where applicable, review End of Manufacturing Reports (EoMR),
    • Authorize shipment once all quality requirements are met.
  • Manage technical deviations:
    • Continuously follow up the punch items and nonconformities resulting from the quality surveillance inspections up to their closure,
    • Lead RCAs and RCIs with suppliers as per business-defined impact thresholds, support supplier to create the corrective and preventative actions, monitor their implementation and perform the effectiveness check,
    • Analyze customer escapes and Cost of Poor Quality (CoPQ) and support vendor recovery process,
    • Initiate and execute Supplier Quality Improvement Programs with top offenders, and, preventatively, with other suppliers of critical MLIs.
  • Manage holistic process audits and other supplier development activities:
    • Organize holistic process audits,
    • Monitor the closure of corrective actions based on audit findings,
    • Record the corresponding reports in the supplier database,
    • Facilitate supplier Technical Advisor site installation and/or commissioning support and the corresponding lessons-learned dissemination,
    • Support suppliers to execute DFMEA (where applicable) and PFMEAs.
• • Other tasks:
    • Drive a strong EHS culture throughout the supply base.
    • Support cost-out opportunities identified by the suppliers.
    • Propose improvement projects to increase the effectiveness of the processes.
    • Stop work if quality or safety is at risk and define/assess the conditions to release work.

Required Professional Characteristics and Personal Skills

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Materials or Quality Engineering, or equivalent technical field from an accredited university or college.
• 5+ years working experience in quality, operations/supply chain or project management, preferably in Power Generation industry, with proficiency to understand technical drawings, specifications, and standards.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes involved in the production of the assigned equipment (e.g. welding, coating, machining, assembly, NDT, as applicable).
• Excellent written and verbal English language skills, allowing effective communication across all organizational levels, departments, and functions.
• Strong safety, compliance, quality, and lean mindset, with proven use of the industrial quality toolkit for risk assessment, root cause analysis, problem solving, and manufacturing process controls.
• Aptitude to create and deliver reports for review by key stakeholders.
• Capacity to organize working time in global team setting and willingness to adjust it based on meetings with stakeholders in different time zones.
• Capacity to read and interpret engineering drawings and standards.
• Decision maker with excellent problem-solving skills.
• Flexibility and willingness to travel to suppliers (up to 30%).
• Proven experience to define/delegate and coordinate mission-based tasks.
• Humble, open, collaborative, and continuously learning.

Desired Professional Characteristics and Personal Skills

• Knowledge in key manufacturing process for the assigned scope of commodities.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal and facilitation skills
• Good project management skills.
• Customer-focused and goal-oriented attitude.
• Multi-cultural communication skills.
• Experience interfacing with customers and senior leaders,
• Experience in preparation and delivery of executive presentations and reports.
• Lean Six Sigma certified or equivalent (demonstrated experience) is an advantage.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.