Global Supply Quality Director

Job Overview

The Global Supplier Quality Director provides strategic leadership for DRiV’s global Supplier Quality organization, leading a team of approximately 20–25 Supplier Quality professionals across North America, EMEA, and APAC. The role is accountable for supplier quality performance, risk management, capability development, and the successful execution of quality initiatives that support business continuity, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence.

*Key Responsibilities

• Lead the global Supplier Quality organization, setting strategic direction, governance standards, priorities, and execution discipline to improve supplier performance and support business growth.
• Develop and deploy global supplier quality and supplier development strategies, policies, procedures, and improvement initiatives to strengthen supplier capability, product quality, delivery reliability, and launch execution.
• Partner with global sourcing and commodity teams on strategic sourcing reviews, supplier transitions, resourcing projects, and new supplier onboarding, ensuring quality risks and development milestones are effectively managed.
• Provide supplier quality leadership for major internal programs and new customer projects, including cross-regional risk mitigation across quality, delivery, readiness, and supplier development activities.
• Own global NPI and APQP governance from project kick-off through post-launch containment, including feasibility reviews, supplier technical reviews, launch readiness assessments, and PPAP compliance.
• Lead resolution of high-impact supplier quality issues using the Effective Problem-Solving (EPS) framework, ensuring robust root-cause analysis, timely corrective action, and verified permanent countermeasures.
• Coach suppliers and internal teams on problem-solving tools and quality methods, including 5-Why, Is/Is Not analysis, FMEA, Control Plans, DOE, Six Sigma, and AIAG core tools.
• Oversee supplier audit planning and execution against automotive quality standards, including IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and VDA 6.3, and drive closure of audit findings and corrective actions.
• Drive on-site supplier development activities to improve manufacturing processes, reduce quality risks, and help suppliers meet quality, productivity, and delivery expectations.
• Establish, cascade, and monitor global supplier quality KPIs; consolidate supplier performance data and present trends, risks, and improvement roadmaps to senior management.
• Manage and develop the global supplier quality team, including annual objectives, performance reviews, capability development, resource planning, and cross-regional workload allocation.
• Fulfill domestic and international business travel requirements as needed, up to approximately 50% of working time.
• Uphold the Tenneco Integrity Policy and take appropriate action to prevent integrity policy violations.
• Comply with local site EH&S policies, ISO 14001-aligned EHSMS requirements, applicable legal obligations, and established EHS objectives; report or stop unsafe or non-compliant activities to help prevent injury.

*Qualifications (Education/ Experience/ Key Competencies)

• Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering or equivalent experience.
• 15+ years’ experience working in a quality, engineering, procurement, or engineering role. Manufacturing experience preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, especially communications skills (oral and written) and the ability to influence the behavior of peers and others outside the direct reporting line.
• Experience performing internal or external audits. Certified QMS (IATF or ISO) Lead Auditor preferred.
• Related Business or Technical discipline experience (e.g., steel, stamping, forging, machining, casting, cold heading, rubber, plastic, heat treating, motors, pumps, sensors, PCB, filters, pressure sensors, Heater blankets, controllers, pump & motor assemblies, and electromechanical products).
• APQP, PFMEA, MSA, Control Plan, Process Capability, PPAP & Error proofing process training and practical experience required.
• Strong problem-solving competency and experience on EPS/8D including tools and able to lead an improvement team
• Trained Understanding of GD&T
• Six Sigma Black Belt will be a plus.
• Creative and innovative thinking.
• Ability to initiate, lead and sustain change.
• Strong data-driven decision-making skills.
• General project management skills and experience.
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills.
• Must be willing to travel internationally, as required.
• Specific proficiency levels for each job skill required are defined in the Skills Requirement Checklist for this job title.