Supplier Quality Manager

The Supplier Quality Manager will help develop, implement, and operate the supplier quality program supporting SB Energy's data center portfolio. Reporting to the Director of Quality, this role will establish and manage quality controls for owner-furnished/contractor-installed (OFCI) and other critical supplier-provided equipment from supplier qualification and design review through production, factory testing, shipment, site receipt, installation, startup, and final turnover.

The Supplier Quality Manager will work closely with equipment suppliers, OEMs, engineering, procurement, project teams, third-party inspectors, general contractors, commissioning teams, site quality personnel, and operations to confirm that supplier-provided equipment meets SB Energy's technical requirements, approved specifications, quality standards, and project schedules.

This role will support the broader SB Energy Quality Program by developing standardized supplier quality procedures, supplier requirements, inspection and test plans, factory audit processes, reporting tools, performance metrics, and corrective action workflows that can be consistently deployed across data center projects.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Supplier Quality Program Development and Governance

• Partner with the Director of Quality to develop, launch, operate, and continuously improve the supplier quality component of the SB Energy Quality Program.
• Establish program standards, specifications, procedures, workflows, templates, checklists, approval criteria, roles, and stage gates for critical supplier-provided equipment.
• Develop risk-based quality requirements and oversight plans based on equipment criticality, technical complexity, supplier capability, project schedule, and prior performance.
• Integrate supplier quality requirements with engineering, procurement, project quality plans, construction, commissioning, operations, and turnover processes.
• Support development of quality language for equipment specifications, contracts, purchase orders, scopes of work, supplier data requirements, and third-party inspection services.
• Maintain a centralized repository of approved supplier quality standards, forms, inspection records, and lessons learned in company-approved systems and tools.
• Drive standardization across projects while allowing documented, risk-based adjustments for project-specific requirements.

Supplier Qualification and Quality Planning

• Lead or coordinate supplier due diligence, qualification audits, capability assessments, and periodic performance reviews.
• Assess supplier quality management systems, organization, technical capability, production capacity, process controls, sub-tier supplier management, material traceability, calibration, document control, nonconformance management, and corrective action processes.
• Support procurement and engineering teams during sourcing, prequalification, bid evaluation, supplier selection, and award recommendations.
• Develop supplier risk ratings and define the appropriate level of surveillance, audit, inspection, and testing for each equipment package.
• Review supplier quality plans, inspection and test plans (ITPs), production schedules, factory acceptance test (FAT) procedures, inspection checklists, and required quality submittals.
• Establish clear hold points, witness points, review points, release criteria, documentation requirements, and notification periods before production begins.
• Confirm that quality requirements are flowed down to critical sub-tier suppliers and incorporated into supplier production and testing plans.

Supplier Oversight, Factory Inspection, and Testing

• Plan and manage supplier audits, in-process production surveillance, source inspections, factory acceptance testing, bench testing, controls testing, final inspections, and shipment release reviews.
• Perform inspections directly and coordinate qualified third-party inspectors, testing agencies, and subject matter experts when specialized coverage is required.
• Verify compliance with approved drawings, specifications, submittals, bills of material, production procedures, inspection criteria, test procedures, and applicable codes and standards.
• Evaluate materials, critical dimensions, workmanship, assembly, labeling, configuration, cleanliness, preservation, packaging, test results, and readiness for shipment.
• Confirm that inspection and test instruments are appropriate, calibrated, traceable, and within their required calibration periods.
• Monitor supplier production progress and quality risks against project milestones, identify potential schedule or reliability impacts, and escalate significant concerns promptly.
• Recommend shipment release only after required inspections, tests, documentation, and corrective actions are complete or formally addressed through an approved exception.
• Ensure findings and action items from factory visits, inspections, and tests are clearly documented, assigned, tracked, and verified before closure.
• Provide oversight for critical electrical, mechanical, controls, and modular or prefabricated systems, including equipment such as transformers, switchgear, busway, generators, UPS and battery systems, cooling equipment, pumps, electrical and mechanical skids, BMS/EPMS panels, and packaged control systems, as applicable.

Nonconformance, Corrective Action, and Supplier Performance

• Manage supplier nonconformance reports, deviations, concessions, repair or replacement proposals, and requests for waiver in coordination with engineering and project stakeholders.
• Require timely containment, correction, root cause analysis, and corrective and preventive action for significant or recurring supplier quality issues.
• Apply structured problem-solving methods, including 8D and root cause analysis, when issue severity or recurrence warrants formal investigation.
• Verify that corrective actions address the underlying cause, are fully implemented, and are effective before final closure.
• Track recurring defects, systemic supplier issues, late documentation, failed tests, shipping damage, and other trends across projects and equipment categories.
• Develop and maintain supplier quality scorecards that support sourcing decisions, performance reviews, escalation, and continuous improvement.
• Support warranty claims, supplier recovery efforts, replacement planning, and field corrective actions when supplier defects affect project execution or asset performance.

Project Integration, Logistics, and Handover

• Coordinate closely with project quality managers, engineering, procurement, logistics, construction, commissioning, site operations, and general contractors to align supplier quality activities with project needs.
• Establish supplier data, inspection, testing, and turnover documentation requirements early enough to support construction and commissioning schedules.
• Support shipment readiness, packaging, preservation, transportation planning, site receipt inspections, and resolution of shipping damage, missing components, or preservation concerns.
• Ensure required supplier quality and production records are complete and accessible, including audit reports, inspection reports, FAT results, material certifications, calibration records, approved deviations, nonconformance closures, as-built documents, warranties, and asset data.
• Support site installation, startup, commissioning, and turnover teams in resolving supplier-related quality issues and coordinating supplier response.
• Confirm that supplier quality records are linked to the applicable equipment and retained in the owner-approved document and asset management platform.
• Capture project and supplier lessons learned and incorporate them into future specifications, checklists, sourcing decisions, and quality plans.

Metrics, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement

• Establish and monitor supplier quality key performance indicators, including supplier audit findings, first-pass FAT results, nonconformance aging, corrective action closure, recurring defects, documentation completeness, shipping damage, and on-time release performance.
• Prepare clear reports and dashboards for the Director of Quality and other stakeholders, highlighting performance, risks, overdue actions, emerging trends, and required decisions.
• Analyze supplier and equipment performance across projects to identify systemic risks and opportunities for standardization or preventive action.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that reduce defects, improve first-time quality, strengthen supplier accountability, and protect project schedule and reliability.
• Share supplier quality performance and lessons learned with project teams, leadership, procurement, engineering, commissioning, and operations.

Stakeholder, Third-Party, and Team Leadership

• Serve as the primary supplier quality interface for OEMs, suppliers, engineering firms, procurement, project teams, commissioning teams, and third-party inspection providers.
• Manage the scope, performance, scheduling, deliverables, and quality of third-party inspectors, testing agencies, and consultants supporting supplier quality oversight.
• Communicate complex technical and quality issues clearly, provide practical recommendations, and escalate critical or gating risks to the Director of Quality and project leadership.
• Influence cross-functional teams and external partners without relying solely on direct authority, while maintaining accountability for agreed quality requirements and actions.
• Develop training, guidance, and coaching for project quality personnel and other stakeholders participating in supplier audits, factory visits, inspections, and equipment acceptance.
• Support development of future supplier quality resources and organizational capability as the data center portfolio grows.

Safety and Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture during supplier audits, factory inspections, testing, transportation, site receipt, and field support activities.
• Follow supplier and project safety requirements, including required personal protective equipment, site orientation, lockout/tagout controls, and safe access to production and construction environments.
• Confirm that production and testing activities comply with applicable project specifications, approved procedures, supplier requirements, and relevant codes and standards.
• Identify and escalate conditions that could create safety, reliability, compliance, or operational risk for SB Energy projects or assets.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, quality, supply chain, construction management, engineering technology, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in supplier quality, quality assurance/quality control, engineering, construction, commissioning, or a related technical field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience directly supporting supplier quality, production surveillance, factory inspections, equipment testing, or quality management for complex engineered equipment.
• Experience supporting data centers, power infrastructure, utility, renewable energy, industrial, mission-critical, or other technically complex projects is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience conducting supplier audits and reviewing quality plans, inspection and test plans, factory acceptance test procedures, nonconformance reports, root cause analyses, 8D reports, and corrective action plans.
• Working knowledge of electrical, mechanical, controls, and modular or prefabricated equipment used in data center or power infrastructure projects.
• Ability to read and interpret technical specifications, engineering drawings, single-line diagrams, wiring and control diagrams, P&IDs, shop drawings, bills of material, production procedures, and test reports.
• Working knowledge of quality management principles and applicable standards and codes, which may include ISO 9001, NEC, NFPA, NEMA, UL, IEEE, ASME, AWS, NETA, and project-specific requirements.
• Experience managing third-party inspectors, testing agencies, consultants, or supplier quality representatives across multiple locations.
• Experience with digital quality, construction, document management, and asset management platforms; Autodesk Construction Cloud experience is preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, prioritization, problem-solving, and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders and to influence suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to manage multiple equipment packages, suppliers, projects, and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Professional certifications such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor, Certified Welding Inspector, NDT certification, Lean Six Sigma, NETA, PE, or PMP are preferred.
• Experience developing a supplier quality program from the ground up is preferred.
• Experience supporting hyperscale or mission-critical data center equipment production and acceptance is preferred.

Base Pay - $140,000-$165000