About the position
Volvo Cars is on an exciting journey, redefining the automotive experience by innovating to make people's lives less complicated. We are seeking a Supplier Performance Engineer for our team in Charleston, SC to help lead launch activities for the new vehicle platforms. The purpose of this role is to proactively evaluate and manage the supplier manufacturing and logistics systems and related processes to eliminate all variability issues from suppliers, focusing on both quality and delivery. This position involves collaboration with other professionals to refine product and process designs, aiming to increase feasibility and flow, thereby improving quality and decreasing costs. As a Supplier Performance Engineer, you will collaborate with the Global Category Team for respective commodities and lead the planning and execution of audit activities across the global organization. This includes ensuring that the level of audit intervention is commensurate with business risk and that key areas of risk are prioritized. You will identify organization-wide issues and secure appropriate business process or system improvements, ensuring that relevant governance committees are informed of significant issues and the actions being taken to resolve these. Additionally, you will identify and manage stakeholders up to management level, understanding their needs, issues, and concerns, and leading the development of stakeholder engagement plans to support the communication of business information and decisions. Your responsibilities will also include developing and writing materials that are highly visible, such as sensitive presentations to critical audiences, driving program launches with Volvo stakeholders and the supplier team, and monitoring a wide range of activities to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. You will contribute to the development of procedures and apply policy for your area of expertise to achieve specified outputs, advising the wider business on the application of policy and monitoring implementation within the organization. Furthermore, you will provide internal and external training or coaching to others in your area of expertise to enable performance improvement, support Commodity Business Plans, and perform supplier evaluations prior to sourcing decisions. In the program and launch phase, you will lead APQP reviews, drive resolution of supplier-related actions, communicate risks with the Program Management team, and secure PPAP delivery to required timing. During running operations, you will perform regular systemic assessments, drive deviation resolution, and continuously improve suppliers, including managing quality incidents and delivery issues. This role requires a strong focus on collaboration, accountability, and customer-centric solutions, as well as the ability to manage complexity and optimize work processes.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with Global Category Team for respective Commodities
- Lead the planning and execution of audit activities across the global organization
- Identify organization-wide issues and secure appropriate business process or system improvements
- Ensure relevant governance committees are informed of significant issues and actions being taken to resolve them
- Identify and manage stakeholders up to management level
- Develop and write materials that are highly visible, such as sensitive presentations to critical audiences
- Drive Program Launch with Volvo Stakeholders and Supplier Team
- Monitor and manage a wide range of activities ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements
- Contribute to development for procedures and apply policy for area of expertise
- Provide internal and external training or coaching to others in own area of expertise
- Support Commodity Business Plans and perform supplier evaluations prior to sourcing decisions
- Lead APQP reviews and drive resolution of supplier related actions
- Communicate risks with Program Management team and secure PPAP delivery to required timing
- Perform regular systemic assessments and drive deviation resolution
- Drive continuous improvement of suppliers and resolution of quality incidents and delivery issues
Requirements
- Technical university degree or equivalent
- Minimum 5 years of relevant experience with an emphasis in quality, new product launches, and process development in the automotive industry
- High school degree or GED required
- Strong applied knowledge in APQP, PPAP, problem-solving methodologies, and lean principles
- Project management experience strongly preferred
- Experience in supplier Greensite start-ups preferred
- Experience in functional plastics or BIW commodities
- 8D corrective action process knowledge
- Computer skills (MS Office and especially Excel)
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 50% - 70% of working time
- Fluent in written and oral English
Nice-to-haves
- Project management experience
- Experience in supplier Greensite start-ups
- Experience in functional plastics or BIW commodities
Benefits
- Collaborative and inclusive working environment
- Opportunities for personal and professional growth
- Access to advanced mobility innovations
- Commitment to diversity and inclusion
- Support for employee development and training
