Supplier Quality Specialist - Suits Value Stream

Avon Technologies plc; Cadillac (MI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Schedule

Generous paid time off

401k Matching

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Job summary

Avon Technologies in Cadillac, Michigan is seeking a Supplier Quality Specialist to oversee quality assurance across the supplier network, including CMT and raw material vendors. You will drive audits, inspections, and compliance activities to ensure contracts, specifications, and regulatory requirements are met, while supporting corrective actions and continuous improvement.

The role requires extensive travel to supplier sites and close collaboration with Quality and Value Stream teams to

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years of experience in manufacturing, supplier quality, quality inspection, auditing, textile production, or a related field.
• Experience working with suppliers, manufacturers, or contract manufacturing organizations.
• Experience conducting inspections and documenting findings.
• Familiarity with quality systems, process verification, and compliance activities.
• Understanding of ISO 9001 quality systems and supplier quality requirements.

Responsibilities

• Conduct scheduled and unscheduled audits at CMT suppliers, material suppliers, and subcontractors.
• Verify compliance with company requirements, customer requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Assess supplier adherence to documented manufacturing and inspection processes.
• Evaluate effectiveness of supplier quality systems and controls.
• Identify process gaps, quality concerns, and compliance risks.
• Document audit findings and communicate results to Quality and Value Stream leadership.
• Verify implementation and effectiveness of corrective actions.

Skills

Quality auditing

Supplier collaboration

Documentation

Lean manufacturing

Education

Quality

Manufacturing

Engineering Technology

Industrial Technology

Business

Related technical discipline

Job description

Job Title: Supplier Quality Specialist – Suits Value Stream
Location: Cadillac, Michigan

Purpose of Position

The Supplier Quality Specialist is responsible for executing quality assurance and compliance activities across the Suit Value Stream's supplier network, including Cut-Make-Trim (CMT) manufacturers, raw material suppliers, trim suppliers, and related business partners. This position serves as the primary field-based quality representative, ensuring suppliers are meeting contractual, technical, regulatory, quality, and operational requirements. The Quality Specialist performs supplier audits, product inspections, compliance verifications, documentation reviews, and quality surveillance activities to ensure products consistently meet customer expectations and company standards. The role requires extensive travel and frequent supplier engagement to verify that manufacturing processes, quality controls, inspection activities, and documentation are being properly executed. The Quality Specialist acts as the eyes and ears of the value stream, identifying risks, reporting non-conformances, and supporting corrective actions before issues impact production, delivery, or customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

Supplier Audits and Compliance Verification (40%)

• Conduct scheduled and unscheduled audits at CMT suppliers, material suppliers, and subcontractors.
• Verify compliance with company requirements, customer requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Assess supplier adherence to documented manufacturing and inspection processes.
• Evaluate effectiveness of supplier quality systems and controls.
• Identify process gaps, quality concerns, and compliance risks.
• Document audit findings and communicate results to Quality and Value Stream leadership.
• Verify implementation and effectiveness of corrective actions.

Supplier Quality Surveillance (15%)

• Conduct ongoing surveillance of supplier operations to ensure consistent execution of approved manufacturing processes.
• Monitor cutting, sewing, assembly, packaging, labeling, and shipping processes.
• Verify suppliers are utilizing approved materials, specifications, and production methods.
• Observe manufacturing operations and report quality concerns or deviations.
• Support supplier performance monitoring initiatives.
• Assist with containment activities when quality issues are identified.

Product Inspection and Verification (15%)

• Perform incoming, in-process, and final product inspections as required.
• Verify raw materials, fabrics, trims, hardware, and finished goods meet specifications.
• Identify, document, and report nonconformances.
• Support disposition activities for rejected materials and products.
• Verify execution of inspection plans and quality control requirements.
• Review supplier inspection records and quality documentation.

Documentation and Administrative Support (25%)

• Prepare audit reports, inspection reports, supplier assessments, and compliance documentation.
• Maintain accurate quality records and supplier files.
• Track audit findings, corrective actions, and closure activities.
• Assist in development and maintenance of inspection criteria, checklists, and audit forms.
• Support quality metric collection and reporting activities.
• Ensure quality documentation is complete, accurate, and properly maintained.

Corrective Action Support (5%)

• Assist Quality Engineers with investigations of supplier-related defects and nonconformances.
• Gather evidence and documentation to support root cause analysis activities.
• Verify implementation of supplier corrective actions.
• Monitor corrective action completion and effectiveness.
• Escalate unresolved quality issues when necessary.

Qualifications And Experience

Education – associate's degree in one of the following

• Quality
• Manufacturing
• Engineering Technology
• Industrial Technology
• Business
• or a related technical discipline preferred.

Equivalent combination of education, military experience, manufacturing experience, quality experience, or technical training may be considered.

Experience

• Minimum 3+ years of experience in manufacturing, supplier quality, quality inspection, auditing, textile production, sewn products manufacturing, or a related field.
• Experience working with suppliers, manufacturers, or contract manufacturing organizations.
• Experience conducting inspections and documenting findings.
• Familiarity with quality systems, process verification, and compliance activities.

Desirable Skills

• Experience conducting process audits, product audits, or compliance audits.
• Familiarity with: ISO 9001 quality systems, Supplier quality requirements, Root cause analysis, Corrective action processes, Quality management systems, Textile testing and inspection methods, Manufacturing process controls.
• Understanding of military specifications and government contracting requirements.
• Experience reviewing quality records and manufacturing documentation.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement principles.

About Avon Technologies

We design and produce life-critical personal protection solutions for the world’s militaries and first responders. With a portfolio that includes Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (“CBRN”), protection. We do this through our two brands, Avon Technologies and Team Wendy. Our mission is to provide unparalleled protection for those who protect us, giving them the confidence to tackle challenging situations and helping them get home safe. At Avon Protection, we recognize that our success relies on the collective efforts of our talented team. As an organization, we welcome individuals who embody our #FIERCE company values - fearlessness, integrity, excellence, resilience, collaboration, and the ability to execute.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes the following:

• Flexible Schedule
• Generous paid time off
• Competitive Compensation Package
• Learning and Development Opportunities
• Bonus Plan
• US Employee Stock Purchase Plan / UK Share Incentive Plan
• 401k Matching / UK Pension
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Mentorship Program
• Supplemental plans
• US Company-paid life and AD&D / UK Death in Service
• Medical/Dental/Vision

This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an all inclusive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with this job. While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserved the right to modify, add or remove duties from particular jobs and to assign other duties as necessary.

Responsibilities of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.

U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum (but excluding persons in nonimmigrant status such as H-1B, L-1, F-1, etc.) or non-U.S. citizens.

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without a sponsorship for employment visa status (e.e. H1B status).

The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in Cadillac, Michigan is $60,000 - $68,000 annually. The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to the type and years of experience within the job, type and years of experience within the industry, education, etc.

EOE, Including Vet/Disability