Supplier Development Manager - Customer Services

Airbus•Herndon, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Aftermarket Supplier Development Manager (SDM) is part of the Airbus Customer Services team and executes local missions for Airbus Customer Services supply chain and quality teams. The role provides supplier proximity, responsiveness, and industrial expertise to develop aftermarket suppliers across the United States. It works closely with Supply Chain and Quality Managers responsible for monitoring aftermarket suppliers and reports directly to the Head of Supplier Management in America, with a day-to-day reporting line to the Head of Airbus Aftermarket Supplier Development in Europe. The SDM assesses supplier capability and capacity, identifies weaknesses in industrial processes, monitors short-term supplier improvement and long-term development, and intervenes in industrial issues to implement containment, mitigation, and corrective actions. The role supports supplier performance and customer satisfaction across Airbus Customer Services segments, including Fleet Efficiency, Upgrades, Aircraft Lifecycle, FHS, Satair, Airbus Corporate Jet, and Asset Management. It involves managing multiple suppliers, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, and traveling to supplier facilities, with travel specified as 50% domestic and international and elsewhere described as more than 50%. Training and development will be provided to support attainment of the required skills and competencies. The position is based in the United States and is identified as on-site. It requires current authorization to work in the U.S.; Airbus states that visa sponsorship is not offered for U.S. positions unless specified. The role requires the ability to travel by car and airplane and to sit, stand, walk, and view computer monitors for extended periods, as well as hearing and vision.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a similar field; equivalent work experience may be considered in lieu of education.
At least 8 years of professional experience in procurement operations, including supplier or operations monitoring, auditing, or development, or equivalent experience.
Qualified Assessor/Auditor.
Valid driver’s license.
Significant experience in supply chain or procurement operations.
Good knowledge of customer support and airline operations.
Good knowledge of EASA Part 145 and Part 21 regulations.
Good knowledge of supplier surveillance methods.
Significant experience in performance improvement projects, such as 8D/9S.
Team-oriented, collaborative mindset and stakeholder-management skills.
Ability to work effectively in a multilingual, multicultural environment.
Ability to coordinate work by people with different technical skills and experience.
Ability to lead problem definition in a matrix organization without direct management authority, using communication and interpersonal skills.
Strong personal organization and rigor.
Clear, concise communication at all levels of supplier and Airbus organizations, including the ability to summarize complex industrial situations and influence decision-making.
Stress resistance.
Fluent English.
Authorization to work in the U.S. is required.

Nice To Haves

10 or more years of relevant professional experience.
Aerospace industry and/or manufacturing experience.
Knowledge of quality regulations, including Part 21 and Part 145; practical problem solving; international management system standards; authorities, regulations, and standards; quality management systems; auditing and assessing; risk management; and continuous improvement, including Lean Six Sigma.
Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
CPIM certification (Certified in Production & Inventory Management).
Knowledge of FHS, Satair, and Upgrade business.
Knowledge of SSC, including ASR/GRISS, and Services Side Letter.

Responsibilities

Lead supplier development missions and projects to improve aftermarket supplier quality, cost, and delivery performance.
Coordinate and conduct supplier capacity, capability, industrial maturity, and performance assessments.
Conduct or support derisking and surveillance assessments for transfers of work, industrial ramp-ups, and out-of-production programs.
Support aftermarket capacity management for spares and repairs.
Conduct recovery assessments involving 8D, supplier events, and industrial improvement.
Support approval and surveillance assessments, including Process Capability Assessments for OEMs and Customer Fleet Services Assessments for MROs.
Identify and monitor industrial risks, including volume fluctuations, long-term support, industrial changes, and organizational restructuring, and propose mitigation strategies to the SCQM.
Assess supplier capabilities and capacities and identify potential weaknesses in industrial processes upon SCQM request.
Monitor supplier improvement in the short term and supplier development in the long term.
Intervene in supplier industrial issues to implement short-term containment, mitigation, and corrective actions.
Communicate supplier performance and development plans transparently to stakeholders.
Support the development of Customer Services operations in America by sharing supplier information and connecting with the Aftermarket Supplier Management and line-fit Supplier Development communities.
Coordinate with Supply Chain and Quality Managers monitoring aftermarket suppliers and defer key decisions and complex resolutions to the Lead SCQM.
Help secure supplier performance and support customer satisfaction.