Manager, Supplier Engineering

Intuitive•Sunnyvale, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Plant Supplier Engineering Manager leads a team of Supplier Engineers (SE) supporting the Sunnyvale plant production supply base across multiple product families. This role is accountable for organizing the Supplier Engineering team by commodity and product line to drive deep product knowledge, supplier process expertise, and clear ownership across the supply chain lifecycle. The Manager ensures alignment of supplier strategy, manufacturing process capability, and production readiness across New Product Introduction (NPI) and sustaining production. This role drives quality, cost, capacity, and risk mitigation performance while partnering cross-functionally with NPI SE Commodity SE, Design/Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Operations, Planning and Purchasing to maintain a resilient, high-performing supply chain for our production plants globally.

Requirements

Proven ability to lead teams to solve difficult technical and process problems
Proven ability to hire highly capable staff, and grow and mentor staff
Proven ability in New Product Introduction and rapid scaling in production
Outstanding analytical skills along with good judgment
Proficient in Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing techniques, certification preferred
Proficient in pFMEA, process validation, route cause investigation, inspection and test techniques
Knowledge of document management system and ERP Information Systems, preferably Agile and SAP
Demonstrable knowledge of a wide range of manufacturing processes including understanding of key input variables for quality, cost and capacity
Excellent written and verbal communication skills including presentations to executive level management
Demonstrated Project Management skills
Ability to travel to suppliers on an as needed basis – domestic and international
BA or BS degree in engineering
12 or more years related experience in Manufacturing, Operations, Supplier Quality, Supplier Development, or related field with significant medical or medical device experience preferred
Minimum 3 years of experience leading engineering teams, or leadership of equivalent areas.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of 21 CFR part 820 and ISO 13485 preferred
Experience in a high-volume medical device company is a plus

Responsibilities

Lead a team of Supplier Engineers responsible for driving supplier performance, quality improvement, and supply continuity to support stable plant operations and a high-performing, sustainable production supply chain.
Organize the Plant Supplier Engineering team by commodity and product family to ensure clear ownership of supplier performance and plant support.
Develop supplier engineers with strong product knowledge, supplier manufacturing understanding, and problem-solving capability.
Establish clear ownership for supplier quality, validation reports (VRs), corrective actions, and plant issue resolution.
Coach and develop team members to strengthen technical depth, urgency, and cross-functional collaboration.
Drive performance management, development planning, and succession readiness within the team.
Own supplier performance for parts supporting the plant across quality, delivery, capacity, and continuity.
Serve as the primary escalation point for supplier-related plant issues, driving rapid containment and resolution.
Partner with suppliers to drive corrective actions and sustainable process improvements when plant issues arise.
Monitor supplier performance metrics and implement improvement plans where gaps exist.
Ensure supplier readiness to support production stability and uninterrupted supply.
Lead supplier process improvements related to quality escapes, recurring defects, or manufacturing inefficiencies impacting the plant.
Work directly with suppliers to improve process capability, inspection methods, and manufacturing controls.
Drive corrective actions using structured problem-solving methodologies.
Ensure supplier processes meet quality and reliability expectations for sustained production performance.
Manage supplier relationships to effectively partner ISI and the supplier.
Using the ASL and Global Commodity Matrix, manage quality and performance of the commodity supply base within ISI in partnership with Engineering and Purchasing.
Own execution and closure of Variance Requests (VRs) and Supplier Change Requests (SCRs) impacting plant production.
Support implementation of ECO changes affecting suppliers, ensuring validation and risk mitigation prior to production release.
Identify and manage supplier-related risks, including quality, capacity, and supply continuity.
Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure changes are validated and implemented smoothly.
Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for supplier quality issues impacting plant operations.
Convert recurring supplier issues into structured improvement projects to eliminate root causes.
Apply continuous improvement principles to improve supplier performance and reduce variability.
Lead initiatives to improve quality, capacity stability, and operational efficiency within the supplier base.
Serve as the plant’s primary supplier engineering interface with internal teams including Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Engineering.
Provide visibility to plant leadership on supplier risks, performance trends, and improvement actions.
Partner with Commodity / Supply Chain Engineering to provide plant input on supplier capability and performance.
Support transition of new suppliers or parts into sustaining production once sourcing decisions are finalized.