Supplier Development Manager

Eaton’s IS VEH Functions division is currently seeking a Supplier Development Manager. The position will be based at our facility in Southfield, MI or from a remote home office within the U.S. Please note: this role does require up to 50-75% travel within US, Mexico and Canada.

The expected annual salary range for this role is $146000 - $185,000 a year. This position is also eligible for a variable incentive program.

Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

Eaton announced, on June 11, 2026, the intent to combine its Mobility Group (including both the Vehicle and eMobility segments) with a new company. We expect to complete this process by the end of the first half of 2027. The compensation and benefits that will initially be offered for this position are based on Eaton's plans, programs and practices. If you are offered and accept this position and are actively employed by the Mobility Group when the transaction closes, the new company will provide further details to employees concerning compensation and benefits at that time.

The Supplier Development Manager leads a regional team responsible for ensuring suppliers have the capability, capacity, quality systems, and performance needed to meet business needs throughout the supplier lifecycle.
This role serves as the key technical and operational link to suppliers, supporting qualification, sourcing, risk assessment, APQP, launch readiness, capacity validation, and ongoing improvement. The manager also reduces supplier risk, improves performance, and supports supply continuity through cross-functional collaboration

Supplier Lifecycle Ownership
The Supplier Development Manager ensures supplier readiness and performance across all lifecycle phases:

Before Launch
• Evaluate and qualify supplier capabilities during sourcing activities.
• Assess manufacturing readiness, capacity, quality systems, and project management.
• Lead supplier risk assessments and mitigation activities.
• Ensure APQP and production readiness requirements are completed.
• Validate supplier capacity and scalability to meet forecasted demand.

During Launch
• Monitor supplier launch readiness and execution.
• Lead escalation management and recovery activities for at-risk suppliers.
• Support production trials, Run-at-Rate, PPAP approval, and launch containment.
• Ensure suppliers meet quality, delivery, capacity, and stability targets.

After Launch
• Drive continuous improvement and supplier development initiatives.
• Monitor supplier performance, capacity utilization, and operational effectiveness.
• Ensure capacity supports demand changes, growth, and continuity needs.
• Lead improvement plans focused on quality, delivery, productivity, and risk reduction.
• Support resiliency, localization, and strategic supplier growth initiatives.

What you’ll do:

Supplier Development and Capability Improvement
• Lead the regional team in ensuring suppliers have the technical capability, capacity, quality systems, and operational excellence to meet requirements.
• Develop supplier improvement strategies that strengthen pre-launch performance, launch stability, and long-term competitiveness.
• Ensure suppliers maintain continuity, capacity planning, workforce development, and operational excellence programs.

Regional Supplier Governance
• Establish regional supplier development governance.
• Conduct regular supplier business and development reviews.
• Ensure timely closure of corrective actions and development plans.
• Monitor performance trends and escalate critical issues.
• Support regional escalation management and executive supplier reviews.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner closely with:

• Supply Chain Management
• Purchasing
• Engineering
• Manufacturing
• Supplier Quality
• Program Management
• Operations Leadership
  • Align supplier development priorities with business and customer needs.
  • Provide executive updates on supplier readiness, launches, and risks.
  • Support new supplier, transfer, localization, and capacity expansion initiatives

Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 10 years in Supplier Development, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, OR Supply Chain experience required
• Minimum 3 years of leadership experience managing teams
• Eaton will not consider applicants for employment immigration sponsorship or support for this position. This means that Eaton will not support any CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT plans, F-1 to H-1B, H-1B cap registration, O-1, E-3, TN status, I-485 job portability, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, Quality Engineering from an accredited institution

• Master's degree preferred.

• Experience leading APQP, supplier qualification, sourcing support, and launch management and problem solving

• Strong experience with global suppliers and cross-functional teams.

  Technical knowledge
  o APQP
  o PPAP
  o PFMEA
  o Control Plans
  o Process Flow Diagrams
  o MSA
  o SPC
  o Supplier Auditing
  o Launch Readiness Assessments
  o Supplier Risk Management

Working knowledge of:
o IATF 16949
o ISO 9001
o AIAG Core Tools
o Customer-Specific Requirements
o Lean Manufacturing
o Problem Solving Methodologies (Six Sigma, RedX, etc)

Skills:

Position criteria:
Leadership Competencies
• Strategic Thinking
• Talent Development
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Risk-Based Decision Making
• Executive Communication
• Change Leadership

All positions may require participation in video and in-person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job-related competencies, and all candidates’ privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws.

We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based upon job-related reasons regardless of an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

Eaton believes in second chance employment. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction history will be considered regardless of their arrest or conviction history, consistent with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and other local laws.

You do not need to disclose your conviction history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Eaton is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report.

To request a disability-related reasonable accommodation to assist you in your job search, application, or interview process, please call us at 1-800-836-6345 to discuss your specific need. Only accommodation requests will be accepted by this phone number.

We know that good benefit programs are important to employees and their families. Eaton provides various Health and Welfare benefits as well as Retirement benefits, and several programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work. Click here for more detail: Eaton Benefits Overview. Please note that specific programs and options available to an employee may depend on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.