Supplier Development Manager - North America

Eaton; Southfield (MI); Hybrid; USD 146,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote home office

Travel opportunities

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Eaton is seeking a Supplier Development Manager for North America, based in Southfield, MI or a remote U.S. home office, with up to 50–75% travel across the US, Mexico and Canada.

The role leads a regional team to ensure supplier capability, capacity, quality systems and performance meet business needs, and drives risk mitigation, continuity and competitive improvement. Responsibilities include supplier lifecycle ownership before launch, during launch, and after launch, plus governance and

Qualifications

• Must have experience leading supplier development initiatives.
• Strong ability to manage regional supplier governance and reviews.
• Proven ability to collaborate across Supply Chain, Purchasing, Engineering, and Manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead the regional team in ensuring suppliers have the technical capability, capacity, quality systems, and operational excellence to meet requirements.
• Develop supplier improvement strategies that strengthen pre-launch performance, launch stability and long-term competitiveness.
• Ensure suppliers maintain continuity, capacity planning, workforce development and operational excellence programs.
• Establish regional supplier development governance and conduct regular supplier business and development reviews.
• Monitor performance trends and elevate critical issues; support regional escalation management and executive supplier reviews.

Skills

Supplier development

Leadership

APQP

Cross-functional collaboration

Risk assessment

Tools

PPAP

APQP

Job description

Eaton’s IS VEH Functions division is currently seeking a Supplier Development Manager - North America. The position will be based at our facility in Southfield, MI or from a remote home office within the U.S.

Important: This role does require up to 50-75% travel within US, Mexico and Canada.

The expected annual salary range for this role is $146000 - $185,000 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.

Eaton announced, on June 11, 2026, the intent to combine its Mobility Group (including both the Vehicle and eMobility segments) with a new company. We expect to complete this process by the end of the first half of 2027. The compensation and benefits that will initially be offered for this position are based on Eaton's plans, programs and practices. If you are offered and accept this position and are actively employed by the Mobility Group when the transaction closes, the new company will provide further details to employees concerning compensation and benefits at that time.

The Supplier Development Manager leads a regional team responsible for ensuring suppliers have the capability, capacity, quality systems, and performance needed to meet business needs throughout the supplier lifecycle.

This role serves as the key technical and operational link to suppliers, supporting qualification, sourcing, risk assessment, APQP, launch readiness, capacity validation, and ongoing improvement. The manager also reduces supplier risk, improves performance, and supports supply continuity through cross-functional collaboration.

Supplier Lifecycle Ownership

The Supplier Development Manager ensures supplier readiness and performance across all lifecycle phases:

Before Launch

• Evaluate and qualify supplier capabilities during sourcing activities.
• Assess manufacturing readiness, capacity, quality systems, and project management.
• Lead supplier risk assessments and mitigation activities.
• Ensure APQP and production readiness requirements are completed.
• Validate supplier capacity and scalability to meet forecasted demand.

During Launch

• Monitor supplier launch readiness and execution.
• Lead escalation management and recovery activities for at-risk suppliers.
• Support production trials, Run-at-Rate, PPAP approval, and launch containment.
• Ensure suppliers meet quality, delivery, capacity and stability targets.

After Launch

• Drive continuous improvement and supplier development initiatives.
• Monitor supplier performance, capacity utilization and operational effectiveness.
• Ensure capacity supports demand changes, growth and continuity needs.
• Lead improvement plans focused on quality, delivery, productivity and risk reduction.
• Support resiliency, localisation and strategic supplier growth initiatives.

What You’ll Do

Supplier Development and Capability Improvement

• Lead the regional team in ensuring suppliers have the technical capability, capacity, quality systems, and operational excellence to meet requirements.
• Develop supplier improvement strategies that strengthen pre-launch performance, launch stability and long-term competitiveness.
• Ensure suppliers maintain continuity, capacity planning, workforce development and operational excellence programs.

Regional Supplier Governance

• Establish regional supplier development governance.
• Conduct regular supplier business and development reviews.
• Ensure timely closure of corrective actions and development plans.
• Monitor performance trends and elevate critical issues.
• Support regional escalation management and executive supplier reviews.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner Closely With

• Supply Chain Management
• Purchasing
• Engineering
• Manufacturing
• Supplier Quality
• Program Management