Website:
actalentservices.com
Job details:
Job Title: Team Lead – Product Supplier Industrialization
Job Description
The Team Lead – Product Supplier Industrialization leads a team of engineers and technical experts to successfully launch and ramp up new products at global suppliers. This role combines deep technical expertise in materials and process technologies with strong leadership in supplier development, new product introduction (NPI), and industrialization execution. The Team Lead partners closely with Engineering, Procurement, Quality, and Operations teams to build robust manufacturing processes, ensure cost competitiveness, and secure scalable production readiness across a global supplier base.
Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of supplier industrialization engineers, providing clear direction, coaching, and support.
- Define and execute a global supplier industrialization strategy that aligns with overall business objectives and product roadmaps.
- Establish best practices, standard work, and governance for supplier industrialization processes to drive consistency and excellence.
- Drive accountability, performance management, and continuous improvement within the industrialization team.
- Lead the industrialization of new products at suppliers, ensuring full readiness for production scale-up and stable serial manufacturing.
- Partner with suppliers to develop and validate robust manufacturing processes using PFMEA, control plans, and process capability analysis.
- Ensure supplier readiness through APQP, PPAP, and comprehensive product and process qualification activities.
- Evaluate supplier technical capabilities, capacity, and scalability for new technologies and products, and provide clear recommendations.
- Identify and mitigate risks during product launches to secure on-time, on-quality delivery and stable production.
- Provide deep technical expertise in at least one core area such as metals, plastics, elastomers, composites, or advanced manufacturing processes.
- Guide design for manufacturability (DFM) and process optimization at suppliers, ensuring efficient and reliable production.
- Lead the development and implementation of new materials and manufacturing technologies in collaboration with internal and external partners.
- Act as a technical escalation point for complex manufacturing or process challenges, driving resolution and long-term improvements.
- Collaborate with R&D and Product Engineering teams to ensure manufacturability is considered in early design phases.
- Participate in design reviews, tolerance analysis, and process feasibility assessments to align product design with production capabilities.
- Drive alignment between design intent and supplier manufacturing capabilities, ensuring realistic specifications and robust processes.
- Build strong partnerships with strategic suppliers to enhance their technical capabilities and overall performance.
- Conduct supplier assessments and audits focused on quality management systems, manufacturing processes, and technology readiness.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives at suppliers, targeting quality, cost, delivery, and sustainability enhancements.
- Lead supplier capability building through training, technical support, and structured improvement plans.
- Ensure robust quality planning and deployment during industrialization phases to prevent issues and secure stable launches.
- Support resolution of major supplier-related quality or process issues during product launch and early production.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective action implementation for systemic supplier and process issues.
- Monitor key industrialization metrics and provide clear, regular status updates to leadership and stakeholders.
- Collaborate across regions and functions to ensure consistent industrialization standards and practices globally.
- Travel to supplier sites globally as required, approximately 25–50%, to support launches, audits, and technical problem solving.
- Manage complex, cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders, ensuring alignment, timely execution, and effective communication.
- Translate business goals into practical execution plans that balance cost, quality, and delivery trade-offs.
Essential Skills
- 15–20+ years of experience in manufacturing, materials engineering, or supplier industrialization.
- Proven experience in new product development (NPD/NPI) and supplier launch execution.
- Demonstrated leadership experience managing technical teams in a global environment.
- Deep expertise in at least one materials or process domain such as metals, plastics, machining, casting, molding, or forming.
- Strong experience with supplier management, industrialization, and manufacturing scale-up.
- Hands-on experience with industry standards and methodologies including APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, Six Sigma, and Lean.
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
- Strong leadership and people development skills with the ability to influence across global teams.
- Strong English communication skills, both verbal and written, including technical communication.
- Deep technical problem-solving capability in manufacturing and process engineering.
- Expertise in design for manufacturability (DFM), GD&T, and process capability analysis.
- Ability to manage complex, cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders.
- High level of business acumen, including understanding of cost, quality, and delivery trade-offs.
- Self-motivated and results-driven, with the ability to thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Advanced degree in Engineering or a related technical field is preferred.
- Experience in vendor and supplier management, including strategic supplier development.
- new product development (NPD) and new product introduction (NPI) in an industrial or manufacturing setting.
- Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to translate business goals into actionable execution plans.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills across all organizational levels.
- Experience working across regions and cultures in a global organization.
- Familiarity with sustainability-focused continuous improvement initiatives.
Work Environment
The role operates in a professional engineering and manufacturing environment that combines office-based work with frequent collaboration across global teams and suppliers. The Team Lead spends significant time working at a desk using computers and technical documentation, with frequent requirements to sit, use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and communicate clearly in meetings and technical discussions. The role occasionally requires standing, walking, and reaching with hands and arms, and involves frequently lifting or moving up to 10 pounds. Close vision is necessary for reviewing detailed drawings, specifications, and data. Travel to supplier sites globally, approximately 25–50%, is expected to support industrialization activities, audits, and problem-solving on the manufacturing floor. The environment is fast-paced and dynamic, with a strong focus on cross-functional collaboration, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
At Actalent, Diversity And Inclusion Are a Bridge Towards The Equity And Success Of Our People. DE&I Is Embedded Into Our Culture Through
- Hiring diverse talent
- Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
- Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
- Ensuring growth opportunities for our people
Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.
About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we’ve helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.
Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.
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