Supply Chain Specialist

Position Summary

Delivery Assurance Specialist

Location - Phoenix AZ

Naples FL

Erie PA

Centennial CO

Client is seeking a proactive and experienced Delivery Assurance Specialist to support supplier performance, on-time delivery, supplier development, and quality improvement across the aerospace and defense supply chain.

The successful candidate will identify and mitigate supply chain risks, monitor supplier delivery commitments, resolve production bottlenecks, and drive continuous improvement initiatives. This role requires experience in supplier development, delivery assurance, manufacturing readiness, quality management, and cross-functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

1. Delivery Assurance

• Monitor supplier delivery commitments, portal compliance, and data accuracy.
• Review supplier recovery plans and track progress against delivery schedules.
• Coordinate with suppliers, subcontractors, and internal teams to expedite critical orders.
• Analyze production capacity, planning constraints, and manufacturing bottlenecks.
• Track parts, work-in-progress (WIP), and delivery status using Line of Balance (LOB) or similar tracking tools.
• Identify and escalate delivery risks, delays, and supplier non-responsiveness.
• Prepare weekly delivery status reports and progress briefings for management.
• Conduct supplier site visits to assess production progress and support recovery activities.

2. Supplier Development

• Conduct supplier assessments in collaboration with Quality, Engineering, and Procurement teams.
• Implement supplier development strategies and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support suppliers in applying Lean, Six Sigma, and other process improvement methodologies.
• Monitor supplier KPIs, cost-to-serve metrics, and operational performance.
• Develop and maintain Supplier Improvement Plans (SIPs) using SharePoint.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to identify and mitigate supply chain risks.

3. Supplier Quality Management

• Develop and implement Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs).
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) initiatives.
• Review and update PFMEA, Control Plans, and other quality documentation.
• Facilitate training on quality tools and verify corrective action effectiveness.
• Prepare monthly reports on supplier corrective actions, quality performance, and improvement metrics.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in supply chain, supplier development, delivery assurance, or supplier quality, preferably in aerospace and defense.
• Mandatory ability to meet applicable ITAR compliance requirements.
• Strong knowledge of ERP systems, preferably SAP; Oracle experience is also relevant.
• Experience with supplier assessments, production readiness, manufacturing capacity planning, and delivery tracking.
• Familiarity with engineering outsourcing, project management, and quality management systems.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, reporting, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently and work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel to supplier facilities as needed, potentially daily.

Key Skills

• Delivery Assurance
• Supplier Development
• Supplier Quality Management
• Supply Chain Risk Mitigation
• Supplier Performance Improvement
• Production Readiness and Capacity Planning
• Root Cause Analysis and CAPA
• Lean Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement
• ERP Systems: SAP / Oracle
• Project Management
• On-Time Delivery (OTD) and Line of Balance (LOB) Tracking
• PFMEA and Control Plans
• Supplier Recovery Plans
• KPI Monitoring and Performance Reporting

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience improving supplier delivery performance, managing supply chain risks, resolving manufacturing delays, and implementing supplier quality improvements. Candidates with aerospace or defense industry experience, ERP expertise, and a track record of driving measurable supplier performance improvements are preferred.