Supplier Readiness Manager

Job Description

The Supplier Readiness Manager is responsible for ensuring suppliers are fully prepared to support product launches, customer samples, production releases, and volume ramps. This role serves as the primary coordinator between Operations, Supply Chain, product managers, Procurement, and external suppliers to drive end-to-end readiness from NPIthroughto production. This role will own the task of ensuring new product readiness prior to production release and ramp.

The Supplier Readiness Manager owns supplier execution plans, monitors readiness milestones, tracks upcoming builds, proactively identifies risks, and drives resolution of supply chain constraints to ensure on-time delivery of engineering samples, qualification builds, safe launch activities, and production ramps. The role is accountable for securing supplier capacity, monitoring ramp readiness, and ensuring all supplier deliverables are completed before key program milestones and customer commitments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own end-to-end supplier readiness from NPI through production release.
• Establish and drive supplier readiness reviews for all major program milestones.
• In collaboration with Manufacturing, Procurement and other central teams, ensure suppliers have completed required tooling, process qualifications, material sourcing, staffing, equipment installation, and operational readiness activities.
• Drive supplier accountability for meeting production launch commitments and readiness criteria.
• Track and report supplier readiness status, risks, and mitigation plans.

• Coordinate all supplier-related activities across the NPI lifecycle, including engineering builds, qualification builds, safe launch, release-to-production, and volume ramp.
• Ensure supplier deliverables are aligned with program schedules and customer commitments.
• Monitor critical path items and proactively drive issue resolution to prevent schedule slips.
• Support NPI gate reviews and production readiness assessments.

• Maintain visibility to all upcoming engineering, qualification, pilot, and production builds.
• Coordinate material availability, supplier capacity, tooling readiness, and logistics requirements for each build.
• Track build execution and drive recovery plans for any schedule, quality, or supply issues.
• Escalate risks and constraints early to ensure successful build execution.

• Partner with Supply Chain and suppliers to secure capacity for product ramps.
• Develop and maintain capacity plans supporting customer demand forecasts.
• Monitor supplier capacity readiness, utilization, bottlenecks, and expansion plans.
• Drive actions to secure long‑term capacity and reduce ramp risk.
• Track progress against capacity commitments and ramp milestones.

• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks affecting NPI, qualification, release, and production ramps.
• Lead cross‑functional efforts to resolve shortages, logistics challenges, supplier delays, tooling issues, and material constraints.
• Establish contingency plans and alternate sourcing strategies where necessary.
• Maintain visibility of key supplier risks and elevate critical issues to leadership.

• Act as the primary operational interface between suppliers and internal teams including:
  • Operations
  • Supply Chain
  • Procurement
  • Product managers
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Program Management
• Provide regular executive updates on supplier readiness, build status, ramp readiness, and capacity securing activities.
• Drive accountability through clear action plans, owners, and timelines.

• Supplier readiness achieved prior to production release.
• On‑time execution of NPI, qualification, and production builds.
• Production ramps launched without material or capacity constraints.
• Capacity secured in advance of customer demand ramps.
• Reduction in supplier‑related schedule delays and escalations.
  
  Achievement of sample, qualification, and production delivery commitments.
• Improved supplier readiness dashboard accuracy and visibility.

• Bachelor's degree in…