Supplier Development Engineer

A unique and interesting opportunity for a Supplier Development engineer to work for a leading engineering business based near Stockport, taking a lead role in a variety of high-value projects with a wide range of suppliers.

Supplier Development Engineer

Salary: £50,000 - £60,000 p/a

Location: Stockport

A leading engineering organisation based near Stockport are recruiting for a Supplier Development Engineer to support rapid production ramp-up and a growing demand for improvement in their supply chain. The role is offering a starting salary bracket of £50,000 - £60,000 p/a for this position, with the nature of the role requiring a mixture of office-based work and travel to supplier sites predominantly based across the Midlands and the North West.

What you'll do:

As Supplier Development Engineer, you will be at the heart of driving supply chain excellence during an exciting period of rapid production expansion. Your day-to-day responsibilities will see you engaging with both internal teams and external partners to ensure seamless collaboration across all stages. You’ll play a crucial role in evaluating supplier capabilities, mitigating risks through robust assessments, and implementing strategies that enable sustainable growth within the supply base. By fostering strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders alike, you will help embed best practices in capacity planning, cost management, and quality assurance, ensuring every link in the supply chain is prepared for future challenges. Your proactive approach will be vital in supporting key defence projects from inception through delivery while contributing positively to a culture of continuous improvement.

• Collaborate closely with managers and suppliers to ensure a stable and efficient supply chain that supports both current operations and future growth.
• Engage directly with suppliers to assess their production capabilities and capacities, identifying potential bottlenecks early and implementing effective solutions.
• Conduct thorough analyses of supplier capacities, technologies, and cost-effectiveness to inform strategic investment decisions that drive value across the business.
• Support the ramp-up phase for major programmes by coordinating supply chain readiness activities and ensuring all stakeholders are aligned on project objectives.
• Lead detailed supplier evaluations and prepare comprehensive risk assessments to define sourcing strategies that secure continuity of supply.
• Develop and implement measures for capacity expansion while optimising supplier performance through targeted improvement initiatives.
• Act as the key interface between internal teams and external suppliers to foster strong strategic partnerships built on trust and mutual benefit.
• Contribute to internal decision-making processes by supporting make-or-buy analyses that balance operational efficiency with long-term sustainability.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities throughout the supply chain while championing quality improvement measures that enhance overall product reliability.
• Coordinate Run at Rate demonstration activities to validate supplier readiness for increased production volumes.

What you bring:

The ideal candidate for the Supplier Development Engineer position brings proven experience from within manufacturing environments, with a bias towards supplier audit, improvement and development projects:

• Demonstrated experience working within procurement or supply chain environments as a supplier development lead or engineer, ideally within a manufacturing context where collaboration is essential.
• Proven background in manufacturing environments where understanding production processes and capacity planning is critical for success.
• Awareness of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) principles which enables you to support structured approaches to product development and process improvement.
• Familiarity with lean principles allowing you to identify inefficiencies within supplier operations and recommend practical solutions that drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent interpersonal skills enabling you to build trusted relationships with both internal colleagues across departments and external suppliers from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong communication abilities so you can clearly articulate findings, recommendations, and strategies at all levels of the organisation.
• Experience conducting risk assessments related to sourcing strategy which helps safeguard continuity of supply during periods of change or increased demand.
• Capability in analysing cost structures within the supply chain so you can identify savings opportunities without compromising on quality or reliability.

What's next:

This organisation stands out as a true leader in engineering excellence with over 100 years’ experience delivering innovative solutions for critical applications. Employees are valued as the cornerstone of ongoing success, supported by comprehensive benefits designed around well-being, security, and work-life balance. If you’re interested in exploring this opportunity further, please apply by clicking on the link provided.

Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates