Manager, Supplier Development Engineering - EMS & Electronics

Eaton; Jackson (MI); Hybrid; USD 146,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

Eaton is seeking a Manager, Supplier Development Engineering - EMS & Electronics, to lead a team across global supplier networks. The role blends hybrid work at one of several U.S. facilities with travel up to 50% and relocation within the United States.

You will drive manufacturing excellence, supplier capability, and readiness for new product introductions, ensuring quality, cost, and timely delivery through Lean, Six Sigma, and APQP practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical field.
• Minimum of 8 years in supplier development or related field.
• At least 3 years of leadership experience.
• Experience in EMS/Electronics is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the supplier development strategy for regions or segments.
• Lead a team of Supplier Development Engineers and coach talent.
• Oversee supplier risk assessments and mitigation plans.
• Drive manufacturing excellence using Lean, Six Sigma, and process capability.
• Ensure readiness for new product introductions and launches.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align priorities.
• Establish KPIs and govern supplier development performance.

Skills

Leadership

Supplier Development

Project Management

Stakeholder Management

Manufacturing Excellence

Lean Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

APQP

PPAP

Microsoft Excel

MS Office

Job description

Eaton’s Corporate Sector division is currently seeking a Manager, Supplier Development Engineering - EMS & Electronics. This will be a hybrid remote/in-office position that can be located at one of the following facilities: Beachwood, OH – Charlotte, NC – Detroit/Jackson, MI – Menomonee Falls, WI – Moon Township, PA – Peachtree City, GA – Raleigh, NC. Relocation benefits will be provided within the United States only. Travel of up to 50% is required.The Manager, Supplier Development Engineering will lead a team of Supplier Development Engineers responsible for developing supplier manufacturing capability, capacity, scalability, and operational readiness for the EMS & Electronics category to support current and future business requirements. In this role, you will drive supplier performance improvement through structured supplier development strategies focused on manufacturing excellence, capacity readiness, operational maturity, new product introduction, supplier transfers, and business growth initiatives.Additionally, you will provide leadership for supplier capability assessments, development plans, risk mitigation, and strategic supplier improvement initiatives. Partner closely with Supplier Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, and business leadership to ensure suppliers can meet quality, delivery, cost, capacity, and growth objectives. Develop organizational capability within the Supplier Development Engineering team while establishing consistent methodologies, governance, metrics, and best practices across the supplier network.The expected annual salary range for this role is $146000 - $215000 a year. This position is also eligible for a variable incentive program.Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.What you’ll do:Supplier Development Strategy & Leadershipo Develop and execute the supplier development strategy for assigned regions, commodities, or business segments. Establish priorities, objectives, and resource allocation to address supplier capability risks and support business growth initiatives.Team Leadership & Talent Developmento Lead, coach, and develop a team of Supplier Development Engineers. Establish performance expectations, development plans, technical capability-building programs, and succession plans to strengthen organizational effectiveness and future leadership capability.Supplier Risk Managemento Provide oversight of supplier capability, manufacturing, operational, and capacity risk assessments. Ensure risks are identified proactively and appropriate mitigation plans are established, executed, and sustained.Manufacturing Excellence & Capability Improvemento Drive supplier manufacturing excellence initiatives utilizing Lean principles, Six Sigma methodologies, process capability improvement, advanced quality tools, material flow optimization, and structured problem-solving approaches.Capacity & Scalability Readinesso Lead assessment and management of supplier production capacity, scalability, and operational readiness to support forecasted demand, growth initiatives, new product introductions, localization efforts, and footprint optimization activities.New Product Introduction, Launch & Transfer Readinesso Ensure suppliers are prepared to support new product launches, capacity expansions, industrialization projects, insourcing/outsourcing activities, supplier transitions, and strategic sourcing initiatives through early engagement and readiness assessments.Supplier Assessment Governanceo Establish consistent processes and standards for supplier capability assessments, operational reviews, manufacturing audits, production readiness evaluations, and supplier development planning across the organization.APQP & Supplier Readiness Supporto Collaborate with Supplier Quality, Engineering, and Procurement teams to ensure supplier readiness throughout product development, APQP, PPAP, industrialization, and launch processes, with emphasis on manufacturing capability and operational performance.Cross-Functional Alignmento Partner with Procurement, Supplier Quality, Operations, Engineering, Materials Management, Planning, and Business Leadership teams to align supplier development priorities with strategic business objectives.Performance Management & Governanceo Establish and monitor key performance indicators for supplier development activities, team effectiveness, supplier capability improvements, risk reduction, capacity readiness, and operational performance improvements.Continuous Improvement & Best Practiceso Drive standardization, knowledge sharing, process improvements, and implementation of best practices across supplier development activities globally. Promote a culture of continuous improvement within both the supplier base and supplier development organization.Qualifications:Required (Basic) Qualifications:• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality or other related technical discipline from an accredited institution.• Minimum of eight (8) years experience in Supplier Development, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or other related field.• Minimum of three (3) years leadership experience managing technical teams and cross-functional initiatives.• Eaton will not consider applicants for employment immigration sponsorship or support for this position. This means that Eaton will not support any \"CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT plans, F-1 to H-1B, H-1B cap registration, O-1, E-3, TN status, I-485 job portability, etc.\".Preferred Qualifications:• Experience working within an EMS and Electronics category.• Experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, SPC, and structured problem-solving methodologies.• Experience with capacity planning, industrialization, and production readiness assessments.Skills:• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, operational excellence, and supplier development methodologies.• Proven experience leading supplier capability improvement and recovery initiatives.• Strong project and program management skills.• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.• Demonstrate strong business acumen and technical judgment when assessing supplier and operational risks.• Successfully balances short-term business needs with long-term supplier capability development.• Operates effectively in a highly matrixed global organization.• Influences executive stakeholders and supplier leadership without direct authority.• Leads through ambiguity while maintaining disciplined execution and accountability.• Requires domestic and international travel to supplier locations and Eaton facilities.#LI-CB3All positions may require participation in video and in-person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job-related competencies, and all candidates’ privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws.We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based upon job-related reasons regardless of an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.Eaton believes in second chance employment. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction history will be considered regardless of their arrest or conviction history, consistent with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and other local laws.You do not need to disclose your conviction history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Eaton is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report.To request a disability-related reasonable accommodation to assist you in your job search, application, or interview process, please call us at 1-800-836-6345 to discuss your specific need. Only accommodation requests will be accepted by this phone number.We know that good benefit programs are important to employees and their families. Eaton provides various Health and Welfare benefits as well as Retirement benefits, and several programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work. Click here for more detail: Eaton Benefits Overview. Please note that specific programs and options available to an employee may depend on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.