Sr. Manager, Supplier Quality Assurance

Woodbridge is a global innovator in foam technology, serving multiple industries with next-generation products. Our team of over 7,000 is dedicated to quality, collaboration, and sustainability, with a strong commitment to community through our Woodbridge Cares programs. Recognized for manufacturing excellence and innovation, we offer a people-centric culture and have been awarded Deloitte’s Best Managed designation for eight consecutive years.

About the role

The Sr. Manager, Supplier Quality Assurance leads the corporate SQA function for direct production components and materials, ensuring robust supplier performance, compliance to quality standards, and flawless launch execution. This role owns the strategy, systems, and leadership of supplier quality across the supply base, driving supplier development initiatives that elevate capability, reduce systemic risk, and support long-term competitiveness. The position partners closely with Procurement, Engineering, Operations, Materials/Logistics, and Program Management to drive APQP discipline, resolve supplier issues, and build a high-performing, proactive supplier ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the supplier quality strategy aligned with IATF 16949 (or non-automotive equivalent standard), customer-specific requirements, and internal operational goals.
• Establish and maintain supplier quality policies, manuals, and procedures.
• Manage supplier performance scorecard (PPM, delivery, on-time PPAP, audit scores, etc.) and establish annual improvement roadmap.
• Partner with Procurement team through Commodity strategy development process, providing input such as supplier performance metrics, commodity trends, and process expertise.
• Conduct risk assessment and process sign-off (PSO) for potential new suppliers, making recommendations to qualify or disqualify proposed suppliers.
• Conduct routine audits for existing production suppliers ("Boots on the ground"), based on a structured plan and risk-based cadence.
• Maintain and publish the WFC approved supplier list.
• Lead targeted Supplier Development initiatives to enhance supplier capability based on risks, commodity trends, or new technology requirements.
• Oversee supplier APQP deliverables for new programs, ensuring on-time PPAP approvals.
• Partner with Engineering and Procurement teams to review design manufacturability of components and materials for new programs or engineering changes, aligning supplier capability based on technical feedback.
• Support the Procurement team through RFQ technical reviews.
• Validate supplier manufacturing readiness through Run at Rate, process capability studies, PFMEA, control plan robustness, etc.
• Approve PPAPs & PSWs, conducting on-site data verification as required.
• Conduct periodic tooling audits on supplier sites to verify tooling conditions, asset IDs usage, storage, and adherence to contractual terms.
• Guide suppliers through process requalification, tooling transfers, and major engineering changes.
• Recommend VA/VE ideas based on SQA observations gathered from the supplier shop floor.
• Partner with Procurement teams to promote VA/VE ideas to WFC cross-functional team.
• Lead response to supplier quality issues escalated by the plants, supporting rapid containment and protection of WFC operations and customer deliveries.
• Review Product Complaint Notices (PCN's) with plants and suppliers.
• Oversee structured problem-solving (8D, 5-Why) for supplier issues, ensuring corrective actions address root cause.
• Partner with plant quality and materials teams for controlled shipping schedules and recovery plans in response to supplier quality issues, including cost recovery for WFC operations.
• Ensure suppliers meet regulatory and customer-specific requirements (e.g., IMDS, REACH, CQI special processes, conflict minerals) and deploy tools to update supplier records accordingly.
• Facilitate forums and training sessions between SQA and Plant Quality and Materials teams to reinforce education and responsibilities around supplier quality and delivery issues escalation systems.
• Conduct quarterly reviews with strategic suppliers to drive accountability and quality improvement.
• Develop dashboards and KPI reporting tools for leadership visibility on a quarterly basis.
• Support automation and analytic solutions for the SQA Department.
• Reinforce supplier adherence to WFC Terms & Conditions to prevent issues from escalating and jeopardizing supply continuity.
• Partner with Procurement team to commercially escalate critical quality issues and/or supplier underperformance ratings.
• Foster strategic supplier relationships to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
• Map SQA processes and identify non-value-added activities that could be eliminated, replaced, or automated to increase department efficiency.
• Build and develop a high-performance team of SQA engineers, promoting a culture of continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, accountability, and proactive risk management.
• Establish KPIs, annual objectives, governance routines, and escalation mechanisms to ensure operational discipline across the SQA team.
• Prepare the annual SQA department budget, providing supporting rationales.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or related). Master’s degree preferred.
• 7–10+ years of experience in automotive supplier quality and/or supplier development, including leadership of global or regional SQA teams.
• Deep knowledge of IATF16949, AIAG Manuals, APQP, PPAP, SPC, CQI, and other automotive core tools and regulatory requirements.
• Strong understanding of automotive manufacturing processes, preferably in the automotive seating industry (molded foams, fabric lamination, injection molding, stamping, welding, chemicals, etc.).
• Skilled in statistical analysis, capability studies, and DoE.
• Proven risk management and problem-solving skills.
• Strong leadership, communication, and cross-cultural collaboration abilities.
• Advanced Excel skills and technological savviness.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits plan.
• Defined Contribution Plan with additional company match – automatic company contribution to a top quartile retirement savings plan with incentives to match.
• Flexible working hours.
• Employee Assistance Program with free access to health and wellness coaches.
• Continuous learning culture with upskilling and internal promotion opportunities.