Contract Manufacturing Manager

Qnity•Elsmere, DE

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Contract Manufacturing Manager oversees third-party contract manufacturers within a designated country and/or region and is the primary point of contact for ongoing supplier activities. The role engages internal resources to resolve supplier issues and ensures suppliers receive appropriate engineering, technical, and process-safety support. The position establishes and standardizes external manufacturing practices to improve production efficiency and manage costs. It leads supplier performance management and continuous improvement across environmental, health and safety, product quality, service, production, delivery, and cost. The role also supports new product launches and the introduction of new activities at existing or new suppliers. Based in the United States, the position requires approximately 30% to 40% travel, including periodic visits to supplier locations. It reports to the Kalrez Operations Leader and works with internal subject-matter experts, business stakeholders, and the Contract Manufacturing Center of Excellence. The manager represents Qnity externally with contract manufacturers and coordinates cross-functional support internally.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in science, engineering, or an equivalent technical discipline.
Five or more years of manufacturing operations and/or supply chain experience.
Fluency in English.
Ability to build and sustain positive internal and external relationships.
Ability to drive results through accountability, teamwork, partnership, and collaboration.
Effective written and verbal communication skills in English.
Ability to adapt to changing business needs and prioritize work to meet deadlines.
Ability to network effectively across functions and work independently.
Ability to manage multiple objectives and take on additional responsibilities as business needs evolve.
Strong interpersonal skills and professional judgment.

Nice To Haves

Strong manufacturing background.
Technical knowledge related to electronics and industrial product manufacturing.
Experience with semiconductor or comparable change-control protocols and quality systems.
Familiarity with new product introduction, Management of Change, and root-cause investigation.
Six Sigma Green Belt or higher certification.
CPIM Part 1 certification.

Responsibilities

Oversee contract manufacturing partners in the designated country and/or region and ensure they receive appropriate engineering, technical, and process-safety support.
Lead the organizational response to critical supplier issues and serve as the first point of contact for supplier-related crisis management.
Engage functional and business-aligned resources to resolve supplier issues.
Lead the business strategy for supplier performance and improvements in raw-material quality and related services.
Track supplier performance and use performance management, coaching, and collaboration to improve results and quality.
Communicate regularly with the direct manager, Integrated Operations Leaders, and other key stakeholders.
Coordinate supplier communications with Sourcing and Procurement.
Lead the Supplier Performance Management Process with input from business, R&D, technology, operations, quality, and customer stakeholders.
Monitor supplier processes through audits and performance reviews to confirm adherence to specifications and written requirements.
Manage suppliers against expectations for EHS, product quality, service, production, delivery, and cost.
Receive direction from the Kalrez Operations Leader to prioritize projects and related work in alignment with business strategy.
Own supplier-related documentation, including the Operations Plan, Supply Agreement, Confidentiality Agreement, Technology Package, and related documents.
Drive supplier metric reporting and continuous improvement across safety, quality, production, reliability, yield, permit compliance, releases, and cost.
Monitor supplier spend through SAP and serve as the focal point for supplier Management of Change.
Coordinate supplier incident notifications, ensure adequate investigations are completed, and track resulting actions through completion.
Facilitate required EHS audits and ensure findings and associated actions are completed.
Project-manage straightforward product-line additions and similar activities.
Lead the transition of new activities at existing and/or new suppliers, including Operations Plan development and Return to Operation checklist execution.
Partner with the Contract Manufacturing Center of Excellence to implement standardized contract manufacturing processes, governance frameworks, tools, and best practices.
Provide regional execution support, operational feedback, and continuous improvement opportunities while ensuring alignment with CM COE-defined business processes.