Supplier Development Specialist

Blackline Safety Corp.; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental benefits

Hybrid work model

Paid vacation, personal and sick days

Professional development opportunities

Education funding

Inclusive culture and collaboration

Perks and discounts

Dress for Your Day

Job summary

Blackline Safety Corp. is seeking a Supplier Development Specialist to optimize supplier performance across manufacturing processes including injection molding, die casting, stamping, and coating.

You will lead Lean and Six Sigma initiatives, run rate validations, supplier audits, and corrective actions to boost quality, capacity, and throughput. Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, and suppliers to ensure alignment with quality standards and long-term performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years in process improvement and troubleshooting in manufacturing environments (injection molding, die casting, stamping/sheet metal fabrication, coatings).
• Minimum 5 years in supplier management, supplier development, or supplier quality engineering.
• Experience implementing process improvement initiatives within manufacturing environments.
• Proven ability to resolve complex tooling, process, and mechanical compatibility issues in supplier operations.
• Strong root-cause analysis and corrective action skills.
• Ability to travel to supplier facilities ~10–20% of time.
• Preferred: Lean certification, Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, supplier audits experience.

Responsibilities

• Monitor supplier quality performance, process capability, yield, and defect trends.
• Drive supplier process capability improvements via SPC, monitoring, and continuous improvement.
• Lead complex supplier quality investigations using 8D, root cause analysis, and Lean methods.
• Drive closure and verification of supplier corrective actions.
• Support supplier scorecard development and performance reviews.
• Lead Run-at-Rate validations to ensure capacity and throughput.
• Verify readiness to support production demand and growth.
• Assess bottlenecks, constraints, and risk areas; recommend improvements.
• Lead yield improvement initiatives and Kaizen events.
• Coordinate containment, corrective action, and preventive action with suppliers.
• Perform supplier audits focusing on production controls and quality systems.
• Develop supplier improvement plans based on audits and data.
• Build collaborative supplier relationships and dock-to-stock program development.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations to improve internal yield and supplier-driven quality.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Kaizen

Root cause analysis

Six Sigma

Process improvement

Supplier management

Travel capability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Industrial/Quality

Tools

SPC

8D

Kaizen events

Job description

Our team at Blackline Safety is growing! As a people-driven technology company, with a mission to make sure every worker returns home safely, we drive innovation, practice resiliency, demonstrate leadership, go the extra mile for our customers, and empower our people to be their best.

The Supplier Development Specialist is responsible for optimizing supplier manufacturing performance following product qualification and production release. This role focuses on supplier process capability, production readiness, capacity validation, yield improvement, and ongoing supplier quality performance.

Working closely with suppliers and internal operations teams, the Supplier Development Specialist drives continuous improvement initiatives through Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen activities, root-cause analysis, and process optimization. The role serves as the primary escalation point for complex incoming quality issues and supports long-term supplier quality and operational excellence.

Reporting to the Supplier Quality Manager, the Supplier Development Specialist ensures suppliers consistently meet Blackline Safety expectations for quality, delivery, capacity, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Supplier Performance Management
  • Monitor supplier quality performance, process capability, yield, and defect trends.
  • Drive supplier process capability improvements through the implementation of SPC, process monitoring, and continuous improvement methodologies, increasing Cpk performance and reducing process variation.
  • Lead complex supplier quality investigations using 8D, root cause analysis, and Lean methodologies, implementing sustainable process improvements that eliminate recurring defects and improve manufacturing performance.
  • Drive closure and effectiveness verification of supplier corrective actions.
  • Support supplier scorecard development and performance reviews.
• Production Readiness & Capacity Validation
  • Lead supplier Run-at-Rate validations to ensure manufacturing capacity and throughput can support current and future Blackline Safety demand requirements.
  • Verify supplier readiness to support production demand and future growth requirements.
  • Assess manufacturing bottlenecks, process constraints, and risk areas.
  • Recommend improvements to increase supplier throughput and stability.
• Yield Improvement & Process Optimization
  • Lead yield improvement initiatives at supplier facilities.
  • Conduct on-site and virtual process reviews and Kaizen events to eliminate waste and improve efficiency.
  • Apply Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to improve supplier performance.
  • Drive reduction of defects, scrap, rework, and process variation.
• Incoming Quality Escalations
  • Serve as the escalation point for complex incoming quality control (IQC) issues.
  • Support root cause investigations involving suppliers, Operations, and Engineering teams.
  • Lead containment, corrective action, and preventive action implementation.
  • Coordinate with suppliers to rapidly resolve production-impacting quality concerns.
• Supplier Audits & Development
  • Perform supplier audits focused on production controls, quality systems, process capability, and operational effectiveness.
  • Develop supplier improvement plans based on audit findings and performance data.
  • Build collaborative supplier relationships focused on continuous improvement.
  • Drive the development of our dock-to-stock program
• Operational Quality Support
  • Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations teams to improve internal yield and supplier-driven quality performance.
  • Analyze quality data to identify recurring issues and improvement opportunities.
  • Drive sustainable process improvements across the supply base.

About You

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience driving process improvement and troubleshooting in manufacturing environments, including injection molding, die casting, stamping/sheet metal fabrication, and coating processes.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in supplier management, supplier development, or supplier quality engineering.
• Demonstrated experience implementing process improvement initiatives within manufacturing environments.
• Proven ability to resolve complex tooling, process, and mechanical compatibility issues directly within supplier manufacturing operations.
• Strong root-cause analysis and corrective action skills.
• Ability to travel to supplier facilities approximately 10–20% of the time.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Lean Manufacturing certification.
  • Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
  • Experience conducting supplier audits.
  • Experience with PCBA, SMT/SMD assembly, LCD display technologies (front-lit/backlit), RF systems, battery-powered products, and electro-mechanical devices is considered a strong asset.
  • Experience utilizing manufacturing data for process capability and yield analysis.

Total Rewards

At Blackline Safety, we offer more than just a job—we offer a career with purpose. Our Total Rewardsofferings are designed to supportthe diverse needs of our global workforce and vary based onemployment type and location.They mayinclude:

• Competitive base salary and annual compensation review
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits*
• Mental health and wellness support
• Flexible work arrangements and hybrid work model for eligible positions
• Paid vacation, personal and sick days*
• Professional development opportunities
• Education funding
• A collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven culture
• Exclusive access toperksand discounts
• Aflexible ‘DressforYour Day’ environment

*Eligibility and coverage vary by employment type and region.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Blackline Safety is powered by the diversity of our talented employees. We are an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants, regardless of age, religion, race, color, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin, race, or sexual orientation. We enthusiastically encourage all individuals to apply for positions that fit their passions.

If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, pleasecontact us [e-mail]. We are committed to ensuring an accessible and equitable experience for all candidates.