Supplier Development Manager

Supplier Development Project Manager – Tiger Team

Reports To: Director of New Product Introduction

About GTI: GTI Fabrication designs and manufactures complex modular systems, structural steel assemblies, and containerized solutions for defense, energy, and industrial customers. With a rapidly expanding manufacturing footprint, GTI delivers highly engineered, build-to-order products that require precise coordination and world-class execution from concept to shipment.

Supplier Development Project Manager – Tiger Team

GTI is seeking a Supplier Development Project Manager to lead our strategic Tiger Team. This is a deployable role designed to manage the roadmap for new facility launches and production expansions at supplier sites. The position will also provide crucial stability to joint ventures and coordinate critical interventions for suppliers. You will lead a team of skilled engineers and quality specialists in executing high-impact, high-visibility manufacturing initiatives across GTI’s expanding global footprint.

Position Overview

Reporting through the NPI Group, this role is a technical and leadership pivot point for the design, implementation, and sustainment of scalable external manufacturing processes. The Tiger Team must remain flexible and available to fly to sites as needed for short-term or extended deployments to lead facility launches, resolve production issues, and verify process readiness.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Facility & Joint Venture Execution

• Lead the planning and implementation teams for launching new Joint Venture (JV) facilities and dedicated supplier production lines.
• Partner with Company ownership to develop and execute the strategic roadmap for supply chain expansion and "GTI-certified" supplier facilities.
• Establish budgets, multi-year schedules, and operational strategies for external facility launches.
• Monitor and enforce timelines, ensuring that supplier facilities are "production ready" in alignment with GTI’s NPI phase gates.

Tiger Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Direct the "Tiger Team" activities, deploying technical resources (Engineers and Quality specialists) to supplier sites for new launches or crisis recovery.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Finance, and Sourcing to align supplier facility goals with GTI’s long-term capacity requirements.
• Interface directly with customer executives and vendor ownership to ensure seamless execution and transparency during critical launch phases.
• Serve as the primary architect for risk mitigation plans when supplier readiness threatens GTI’s delivery schedule.

Operational Excellence & Scaling

• Ensure customer satisfaction, safety, and quality objectives are mirrored across all joint-venture and supplier-led operations.
• Organize and manage all tasks related to external facility design, resource allocation, and line setup.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to ensure suppliers transition from "launch mode" to "stable production" with optimized efficiencies.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Operations Management (Master’s Degree/MBA preferred).
• 8+ years of experience in Project Management, specifically leading large-scale manufacturing facility launches or complex supplier industrialization programs.
• 5+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams in high-stakes, fast-paced environments.
• Proven track record in the design and launch of new production lines or factory footprints (Greenfield or Brownfield).
• Strong ability to influence and coordinate with external vendors, contractors, and executive leadership.
• High-level proficiency in project management software and financial modeling (Excel).
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to manage "distressed" stakeholder relationships.
• Preferred: PMP or Lean Six Sigma certification.

Why Join the GTI Tiger Team?

• Strategic Impact: Lead the highest-visibility projects that define GTI’s ability to scale globally.
• Executive Exposure: Work directly with company ownership to shape the future of our manufacturing footprint.
• Innovation: Drive new ways of integrating with suppliers and joint ventures in the energy and data center sectors.