Supplier Quality Engineer Team Lead

Corin Group; Cirencester; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Annual bonus

Pension 6-9.7%

Life assurance

Private medical insurance

Eye tests & flu shots

Employee referral bonus

Job summary

Corin Group in Cirencester is seeking a Supplier Quality Assurance Team Lead to own supplier quality performance, drive defect prevention, and ensure materials meet manufacturing specs and regulatory requirements.

You will lead a team, partner with suppliers, conduct supplier audits, review CAPAs, and maintain QMS with ISO13485. Strong leadership and communication are essential to reduce quality issues and sustain production.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or Science with significant Quality Engineering experience in manufacturing.
• Experience in Supplier Quality Engineering and supplier development.
• Experience conducting supplier audits and leading supplier improvement activities.
• Strong understanding of quality management systems and QA principles.
• Root cause analysis, problem solving, and corrective action management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Supplier Quality Assurance team with day-to-day direction and coaching.
• Partner with suppliers to implement best practices focused on defect prevention and process improvement.
• Use supplier performance metrics to support risk-based decisions on incoming inspections.
• Drive supplier quality improvement programmes for high-risk suppliers.
• Ensure supplier non-conformances are investigated and resolved in the QMS.
• Review root cause analyses and corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Collaborate with Quality Control to identify recurring supplier issues and trends.
• Lead supplier quality review meetings and report to senior management.
• Establish and monitor supplier improvement plans for performance gaps.
• Plan and conduct supplier audits aligned to risk and performance.
• Support supplier selection, qualification, approval, and change management.
• Support New Product Introduction by ensuring supplier capability and quality controls.
• Maintain compliance with ISO 13485 and medical device regulatory requirements.

Skills

Quality Engineering experience

Supplier Quality Engineering

Supplier audits

Root cause analysis

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Regulatory compliance understanding

Education

Degree in Engineering, Science

Tools

ISO 13485 knowledge

QMS

Job description

Are you an experienced Supplier Quality professional looking for an opportunity to lead a high-performing team and drive supplier excellence within a highly regulated manufacturing environment?

We are seeking a Supplier Quality Assurance Team Lead to take ownership of supplier quality performance, ensuring that products and materials supplied meet manufacturing specifications, regulatory requirements, and company standards. Working cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Quality Control, Operations, and key suppliers, you will play a critical role in reducing quality issues, improving supplier performance, and ensuring robust controls are maintained throughout the supply chain.

The Role

As Supplier Quality Assurance Team Lead, you will be responsible for leading a team of Supplier Quality professionals while driving supplier quality improvement initiatives across the business. You will work closely with strategic suppliers to promote best practices, minimise defects, and ensure effective corrective and preventive actions are implemented.

This is an excellent opportunity for a quality leader who enjoys combining technical expertise, supplier engagement, and people leadership to deliver measurable quality improvements.

What you’ll do

• Lead and develop the Supplier Quality Assurance team, providing day-to-day direction, coaching, and performance management.


• Partner with suppliers to develop and implement best practices focused on defect prevention and process improvement.


• Use supplier performance metrics and inspection data to support risk-based decisions regarding incoming inspection requirements.


• Drive supplier quality improvement programmes, focusing on suppliers presenting the highest quality or supply risks.


• Ensure supplier non-conformances are investigated and progressed effectively through the Quality Management System (QMS).


• Review supplier root cause analyses and corrective actions to ensure issues are fully addressed and recurrence risk is minimised.


• Collaborate closely with Quality Control teams to identify recurring supplier-related issues and trends and elevate supplier quality concerns that could impact production continuity or product availability.


• Lead supplier quality review meetings and provide updates to senior management.


• Establish and monitor supplier improvement plans where performance falls below required standards.


• Plan and conduct supplier audits aligned to supplier risk and performance profiles.


• Support supplier selection, qualification, approval, and change management activities.


• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) activities by ensuring supplier capability and quality controls are established prior to production.


• Maintain compliance with ISO 13485 requirements and applicable regulatory standards.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Degree in Engineering, Science, with significant Quality Engineering experience within a manufacturing environment.


• Previous Supplier Quality Engineering and supplier development experience.


• Proven experience conducting supplier audits and leading supplier improvement activities.


• Strong understanding of quality management systems and quality assurance principles.


• Demonstrated expertise in root cause analysis, problem solving, and corrective action management.


• Experience using supplier performance data to drive continuous improvement.


• Ability to prioritise and manage multiple suppliers, projects, and quality issues simultaneously.


• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with confidence engaging senior supplier representatives.


• Experience within the Medical Device industry or another highly regulated sector.


• Good working knowledge of ISO 13485 and medical device regulatory requirements.


• Previous people management or team leadership experience.

Why Join Us?

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a significant impact on supplier quality performance while leading a dedicated team in a collaborative and innovative environment. You'll have the opportunity to influence supplier strategy, drive continuous improvement, and contribute directly to the delivery of high-quality products that make a real difference.

• A competitive salary circa £48,000 and a discretionary annual bonus


• Excellent pension – starts at 6%, going up to 9.7% after 18 months.


• Life assurance – Six times your basic salary


• Private medical insurance with BUPA for you and your family


• Free annual eye tests and flu vaccinations


• Employee referral program where you can earn from £1,000 for each successful hire you recommend