Senior Supplier Quality Staff Engineer - (req72501)

Sterling Kohler; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kohler Mira Ltd. in the UK is seeking a Senior Supplier Quality Staff Engineer to shape product design and supplier manufacturing processes for Mira Showers, Rada Controls and Recoup.

The role is hybrid, with at least three days on-site in Cheltenham. You will own supplier quality across programs, influence design decisions, mentor others, and drive APQP, PFMEA and control plans to ensure robust, scalable quality.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in supplier quality, product quality or manufacturing engineering.
• Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality or related discipline.
• Proven track record of influencing product design for quality and manufacturability.
• Experience with strategic suppliers and developing long-term capability.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and materials (plastics, metals, elastomers, electronics).
• Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI).
• Solid grounding in APQP, PPAP, FMEA and structured problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Act as a key design partner, shaping architecture, materials, tolerances to ensure quality and manufacturability.
• Build strategic relationships with critical suppliers, developing their capability in manufacturing and quality systems.
• Own supplier quality readiness across multiple programmes from concept to production.
• Drive APQP disciplines, ensure PFMEAs, control plans, validation activities are robust.
• Lead resolution of complex issues with structured root-cause analysis.
• Identify risks early in design and supplier processes and balance business needs.
• Provide informal leadership and coach associates to raise capability.
• Lead initiatives to improve supplier performance and quality practices.

Skills

Supplier quality

Product quality

Manufacturing engineering

Influence design decisions

Quality planning

Root cause analysis

Mentoring and coaching

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Senior Supplier Quality Staff Engineer

Hybrid-with at least 3 days out of 5 per week onsite in Cheltenham Salary to be discussed on application + company bonus, private health care and generous pension scheme.

Designing award‑winning products for our market‑leading brands – Mira Showers, Rada and Recoup – is our lifeblood. We focus on investment; investing in the best technology and resources available and investing in each and every individual. Whether you arrive at our facilities in Cheltenham, Worcester or Hull, have a visit from a Service Engineer or pick up the phone to our Customer Service team, you’ll instantly see that, no matter our department or location, we all share the same cultural values at Kohler Mira.

From day one you’re part of the Kohler Mira community – a collaborative, forward focused team with a shared pride in our work and commitment to delight our customers, develop innovative products and services and inspire our people.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Staff Supplier Quality Engineer to play a strategic role in shaping both product design and supplier manufacturing processes for Mira’s showering products. Find out more below!

This is a senior individual contributor position focused on owning quality outcomes across multiple programmes and key suppliers, operating with a high degree of independence. You will actively influence design decisions (materials, tolerances, interfaces) and work closely with a focused set of critical suppliers to ensure manufacturing processes and controls are robust, scalable, and aligned to design intent.

Alongside delivery, you will act as a coach and mentor to other associates, helping to strengthen capability in both product quality and supplier management, while influencing decisions across engineering, supply chain, and suppliers.

This role is well suited to someone who:

• Manages competing priorities with consistency and sound judgement
• Takes ownership for practical, high‑quality outcomes
• Influences effectively across functions
• Is committed to developing others and improving team capability

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Design Influence (DfX Leadership)

Act as a key design partner within NPD, actively shaping product architecture, materials selection, tolerancing, and interfaces to ensure designs are optimised for quality and manufacturability.

Critical Supplier Partnership & Development

Build deep, strategic relationships with a focused set of critical suppliers, developing their capability in manufacturing processes, quality systems, and technical problem solving. Identify and cultivate new suppliers early in projects when new solutions are required.

Integrated NPI Delivery

Own supplier quality readiness across multiple programmes, ensuring alignment between product design and manufacturing capability from concept through to production.

Advanced Quality Planning Excellence

Drive effective application of APQP disciplines, ensuring PFMEAs, control plans, and validation activities are technically robust and add real value. Maintains a leading edge understanding of tools and processes while teaching internal and supplier associates as appropriate.

Technical Leadership in Problem Solving

Lead resolution of complex or high‑impact issues, ensuring structured root cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions.

Risk Identification & Early Intervention

Proactively identify risks in product design and supplier processes, addressing them early to avoid downstream impact. Use creativity and structured problem solving to identify novel solutions that balance the business and the customer.

Organisational Influence & Mentoring

Provide informal leadership across the organisation, influencing stakeholders and coaching other associates to raise overall capability.

Continuous Improvement & Capability Building

Lead initiatives to improve supplier performance, internal processes, and quality practices across the organisation.

Skills / Requirements

• Significant experience (10 years plus) in supplier quality, product quality, or manufacturing engineering, ideally within mechanical or electromechanical products
• A degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, or a related discipline, or equivalent knowledge and expertise gained through significant relevant experience.
• Proven track record of influencing product design to improve quality and manufacturability
• Experience working with strategic suppliers, developing long‑term capability and performance
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and materials (e.g. plastics, metals, elastomers, electronics)
• Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI) activities
• Solid grounding in quality methodologies (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, structured problem solving)

Personal Attributes

• Strong technical judgement and ability to balance detail with system‑level thinking
• Ability to influence without authority, including senior stakeholders and suppliers
• Effective prioritisation and ability to manage a high volume of work independently
• Clear communication and ability to simplify complex topics
• Proactive and outcome‑focused, with resilience a solutions bias
• Commitment to coaching and developing others

We can offer you a lot in return!

We empower each associate to #BecomeMoreAtKohler with a competitive total rewards package to support your health and wellbeing, access to career growth and development opportunities, a diverse and inclusive workplace, and a strong culture of innovation. With a genuine commitment to creating better tomorrows, we’re driving meaningful change in our mission to help people live gracious, healthy, and sustainable lives.

About Us

In the UK, Kohler Mira Ltd. is made up of three market‑leading brands: Mira Showers, Rada Controls, and Recoup. Where our brands differ in market position, they are equal in their commitment to design, innovation, and providing a single level of quality regardless of price.

Kohler Mira is committed to diversity and inclusion to drive our business results and create a better future every day for our diverse associates, consumers, partners, and global communities. As an equal opportunities employer, it is Kohler Mira’s policy to recruit, hire, and promote qualified people in all job classifications without prejudice. If, as an individual with a disability, you require adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail].

Note for Recruitment Agencies: The Kohler Talent Acquisition team is responsible for managing all current vacancies through direct hiring and referrals wherever possible. We do work with recruitment agencies, and where we require external support, we will formally release those vacancies to the agencies on our Preferred Supplier List deemed best placed to assist us. Speculative CVs sent by any agency to Kohler Co. without a specific request by our Talent Acquisition Team will not be accepted and with no introduction fee applicable.

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