Supplier Development / Manufacturing Consultant

GlobalSource IT, Inc.; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 96,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel expenses reimbursed

Job summary

GlobalSource IT, Inc. is seeking an experienced Supplier Development / Manufacturing Consultant for a Wisconsin-based client.

This role requires hands-on work at supplier facilities to improve production processes, capacity, quality, and on-time delivery. The ideal candidate brings 10+ years in manufacturing leadership, a strong background in supplier development, and expertise in Lean, production planning, and continuous improvement methodologies.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in manufacturing operations or supplier development.
• Hands-on shop floor experience with production processes.
• Strong scheduling and capacity planning background.
• Experience with Lean, continuous improvement and problem solving methodologies (8D, A3, DMAIC).

Responsibilities

• Work directly with manufacturing suppliers to assess production performance, identify operational challenges, and implement improvement plans.
• Evaluate manufacturing processes, production schedules, capacity constraints, and bottlenecks to improve throughput and on-time delivery.
• Lead supplier recovery initiatives focused on resolving quality, delivery, and production performance issues.
• Apply Lean manufacturing principles, value stream mapping, and structured problem-solving methods to improve manufacturing efficiency.
• Partner with supplier leadership and production teams to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and establish sustainable improvements.
• Develop and monitor supplier performance metrics, KPIs, and recovery plans to track progress and improve accountability.
• Evaluate supplier staffing, equipment utilization, production capabilities, and operational readiness to support current and future demand.
• Identify potential supply chain risks and provide recommendations to internal stakeholders and leadership.
• Help establish consistent supplier development processes and management operating systems.

Skills

Manufacturing ops

Lean manufacturing

Production scheduling

Root-cause analysis

Supplier development

Operational improvement

Tools

8D problem solving

A3 problem solving

DMAIC

Job description

Location: Wisconsin-based client | Travel throughout the Midwest

Duration: 6-month contract with potential for extension or permanent employment

Travel: Approximately 75% (travel expenses reimbursed)

Position Summary

GlobalSource IT is seeking an experienced Supplier Development / Manufacturing Consultant for a manufacturing client. Due to increasing production demands, our client is expanding its supplier development team to help critical manufacturing suppliers improve operational performance, production capacity, quality, and on-time delivery.

This is a hands‑on consulting role that requires working directly at supplier manufacturing facilities to assess production processes, identify operational constraints, and implement practical improvements. The ideal candidate will have a strong manufacturing operations background with experience in supplier development, production planning, Lean manufacturing, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Work directly with manufacturing suppliers to assess production performance, identify operational challenges, and implement improvement plans.
• Evaluate manufacturing processes, production schedules, capacity constraints, and bottlenecks to improve throughput and on‑time delivery.
• Lead supplier recovery initiatives focused on resolving quality, delivery, and production performance issues.
• Apply Lean manufacturing principles, value stream mapping, and structured problem‑solving methods to improve manufacturing efficiency.
• Partner with supplier leadership and production teams to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and establish sustainable improvements.
• Develop and monitor supplier performance metrics, KPIs, and recovery plans to track progress and improve accountability.
• Evaluate supplier staffing, equipment utilization, production capabilities, and operational readiness to support current and future demand.
• Identify potential supply chain risks and provide recommendations to internal stakeholders and leadership.
• Help establish consistent supplier development processes and management operating systems.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, manufacturing engineering, supplier development, or related manufacturing leadership roles.
• Hands‑on manufacturing floor experience with a strong understanding of production processes and operational improvement.
• Experience assessing manufacturing operations, identifying production bottlenecks, and improving throughput and efficiency.
• Strong background in production scheduling, capacity planning, and manufacturing resource utilization.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and structured problem‑solving methodologies such as 8D, A3, or DMAIC.
• Experience working with manufacturing suppliers to resolve production, quality, or delivery challenges.
• Strong root‑cause analysis, corrective‑action, and supplier performance improvement experience.
• Ability to work directly with manufacturing and supplier leadership teams to drive operational improvements.
• Experience developing performance metrics, KPIs, and operational accountability processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in supplier recovery, supplier development, or manufacturing turnaround initiatives.
• Manufacturing experience involving metal fabrication, machining, or assembly operations.
• Background in manufacturing operations leadership, plant management, manufacturing engineering, or operational excellence.
• Experience assessing long‑term supplier manufacturing capacity and readiness for increased production demand.
• Location in the Central or Eastern time zone, preferably with convenient access to a major airport.