Manager, Supplier Development Engineering, Metals & Fabrication

About the job

Eaton’s Corporate Sector division is currently seeking a Manager, Supplier Development Engineering, Metals & Fabrication.  The expected annual salary range for this role is $146000 - $215000 a year. This position is also eligible for a variable incentive program.  Relocation assistance is provided for this position!

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:

Job Summary:

Leads a team of Supplier Development Engineers responsible for developing supplier manufacturing capability, capacity, scalability, and operational readiness for the metals and fabrication categories to support current and future business requirements. Drives 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.

Provides leadership for supplier capability assessments, development plans, risk mitigation, and strategic supplier improvement initiatives. Partners closely with Supplier Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, and business leadership to ensure suppliers can meet quality, delivery, cost, capacity, and growth objectives.

Develops organizational capability within the Supplier Development Engineering team while establishing consistent methodologies, governance, metrics, and best practices across the supplier network.

Job Responsibilities:

1. Supplier Development Strategy & Leadership 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.

2. Team Leadership & Talent Development 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.

3. Supplier Risk Management 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.

4. Manufacturing Excellence & Capability Improvement 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.

5. Capacity & Scalability Readiness 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.

6. New Product Introduction, Launch & Transfer Readiness 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.

7. Supplier Assessment Governance Establish consistent processes and standards for supplier capability assessments, operational reviews, manufacturing audits, production readiness evaluations, and supplier development planning across the organization.

8. APQP & Supplier Readiness Support 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.

9. Cross-Functional Alignment Partner with Procurement, Supplier Quality, Operations, Engineering, Materials Management, Planning, and Business Leadership teams to align supplier development priorities with strategic business objectives.

10. Performance Management & Governance Establish and monitor key performance indicators for supplier development activities, team effectiveness, supplier capability improvements, risk reduction, capacity readiness, and operational performance improvements.

11. Continuous Improvement & Best Practices 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:

Basic Qualfications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, or related technical discipline

• Minimum 8 years of experience in Supplier Development, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or related field

• Minimum 3 years of leadership experience managing technical teams and cross-functional initiatives

Preferred Qualifcaitons:

• Prior experience with metals or fabrication category
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, operational excellence, and supplier development methodologies
• Proven experience leading supplier capability improvement and recovery initiatives
• Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, SPC, and structured problem-solving methodologies
• Experience with capacity planning, industrialization, and production readiness assessments

Skills:

• Strong project and program management skills
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills
• Demonstrates 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.

Additional Information:

Organizational Chart:

Supervisor                                                          Emily Hoiles (SB14) short term - new role SDE Director (TBD) Functional Manager (if applicable) Incumbent (if applicable) Peers (if applicable) Direct Reports (if applicable)                              SDEs (6-10 direct reports) at SB09 Indirect/Functional Reports (if applicable)

Dimensions: Scope of Responsibilities: Local, regional, etc.

• Regional

Record any measurable statistics which the position impacts

**- Managing supplier development activities impacting critical business revenue, production continuity, and customer commitments

• Supporting supplier capacity and readiness across strategic suppliers
• Driving closure of supplier capability gaps and strategic improvement plans
• Influencing supplier performance across quality, delivery, cost, capacity, and operational metrics

How many employees does this position have responsibility for (span of control)?

• 6-10 direct reports (dependent on commodity and region)

List any significant changes to the above dimensions if role is being re-evaluated.**

Sales volume/revenues (required for sales roles), production expenses, maintenance expenses, payroll costs, capital expenditures, research budgets, cost of purchases, value of inventories controlled, employees supervised (direct and indirect)

All 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.

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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.

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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.