Senior Manager, Supplier Quality (R6220)

Shield AI•Seattle, WA

23d

About The Position

Shield AI is seeking an experienced aerospace quality leader to lead its Supplier Quality team and oversee supplier qualification, development, performance management, and quality assurance across the company’s global aerospace and defense supply base. The role sets supplier-quality priorities; manages team capacity, technical execution, and resource allocation; and develops quality leaders and engineering personnel. The Senior Manager oversees supplier assessments, risk reviews, audits, source inspections, nonconformance resolution, root-cause investigations, corrective actions, supplier recovery efforts, and hands-on hardware dispositions. The role evaluates supplier capability, quality performance, organizational risk, and resource needs to ensure purchased hardware and materials satisfy Shield AI engineering, customer, contractual, regulatory, statutory, and quality requirements. Working closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Program teams, the role resolves complex supplier-quality issues, improves supplier capability, and reduces quality and delivery risk. It also advances supplier-quality processes, business systems, data analytics, and continuous-improvement practices. Travel to Shield AI manufacturing locations and supplier sites, domestically and as needed internationally, may be required up to approximately 20% of the time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or another related technical discipline.
At least 7 years of relevant experience, including 2–5 years of leadership or people-management experience with direct responsibility for Quality Engineering and/or Supplier Quality Engineering personnel.
Strong working knowledge of AS9100 and/or ISO 9001 quality-management systems and aerospace and defense supplier-quality requirements.
Proficiency in root-cause analysis and structured problem-solving methods, including 8D, 5 Whys, and fishbone analysis.
Experience with supplier qualification, supplier development, PPAP, and First Article Inspection processes, including AS9102 requirements.
Understanding of ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and other requirements applicable to aerospace and defense suppliers.
People-leadership capability, including coaching, performance management, organizational development, and building high-performing technical teams.
Strong cross-functional collaboration, executive communication, and supplier relationship-management skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.
Experience using ERP/MRP systems.
Ability to travel to Shield AI manufacturing locations and supplier sites domestically and, as needed, internationally—up to approximately 20% of the time.

Nice To Haves

ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Manager (CQM), or equivalent quality certification.
Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Experience leading supplier-quality functions in a high-growth aerospace, defense, autonomy, robotics, or advanced-manufacturing environment.
Experience supporting the production and qualification of complex electromechanical, electronic, precision-machined, composite, or avionics hardware.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead the Supplier Quality team responsible for supplier qualification, surveillance, performance management, and corrective-action activities across the global aerospace and defense supply base.
Establish supplier-quality priorities, allocate resources, and translate functional objectives into staffing, workload, and execution plans.
Develop Supplier Quality leaders and engineering personnel through coaching, performance management, succession planning, workforce development, and technical mentorship.
Oversee supplier qualification, risk assessments, periodic performance reviews, supplier audits, source inspections, and approved-supplier status for complex aerospace hardware, commodities, and manufacturing processes.
Ensure supplier requirements are effectively flowed down and suppliers comply with applicable quality-management-system, engineering, customer, contractual, regulatory, and statutory requirements.
Escalate significant supplier-quality risks and direct SCARs, supplier recovery efforts, and capability-improvement plans that may affect product quality, delivery, mission readiness, or program execution.
Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Program teams on supplier producibility, design-for-manufacturability, process capability, technical execution, and quality risks.
Advance supplier-quality processes, business systems, data analytics, and continuous-improvement practices to strengthen supplier capability, product quality, delivery performance, and supply-base resilience.
Travel to Shield AI manufacturing locations and supplier sites domestically and, as needed, internationally, up to approximately 20% of the time.