Supplier Quality Manager

Supplier Quality Manager

Would you like to work in an international environment where you’ll make a difference every day? At Permobil, we’re looking for game-changers to join us as we innovate for individuals and develop the world’s most advanced assistive solutions.

At Permobil, the people who use our products come first. Our purpose is to create advanced assistive solutions that make the lives of adults and children living with disabilities more enriching. Our people are passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology to deliver innovations that improve lives. We are a sustainable and responsible business committed to continuous improvement, and our customers can trust us to provide market-leading solutions driven by insights-based clinical data.

Position Purpose:

The Supplier Quality Manager (SQM) is responsible for ensuring that Permobil’s production units collaborate with a qualified supply base capable of consistently meeting Permobil’s requirements and expectations, thereby supporting the company’s ambition to become a business differentiator and achieve true global leadership. As a key leader in strengthening global Supplier Quality Management capabilities, the SQM works proactively to qualify suppliers, support zero-defect launches of supplied parts, and drive continuous improvement in supplier quality performance. Acting as a central liaison between suppliers and internal teams—including R&D, Engineering, Sourcing, and Operations—the SQM aligns supplier capabilities with Permobil’s design, quality, and regulatory requirements, and ensures robust compliance with the Quality Management System (QMS) and all relevant regulatory standards. The SQM provides both strategic and tactical supplier quality support to site Supplier Quality Engineers and operational teams at production units, leads the development and improvement of supplier quality processes, and oversees the implementation of supplier development and improvement programs. This role is responsible for supplier qualification, performance monitoring, and the permanent resolution of quality issues, as well as for supporting the effective transfer of product and process requirements to suppliers. By enabling robust design handovers, zero-defect launches, and continuous improvement in supplier quality performance throughout the lifecycle of supplied components, the SQM plays a critical role in delivering Permobil’s sourcing promise to provide a competitive advantage and business differentiation in the marketplace.

Key Tasks

Compliance and Supplier Quality System Maintenance

• Help maintain and continuously improve a supplier quality system that is compliant with relevant regulatory requirements and ensures high-quality products for Permobil users.
• Take ownership of assigned supplier quality processes, including Approved Supplier List (ASL) maintenance, QMS compliance, audit planning, and supplier re-evaluations, to support robust quality management across the supply base.

Supplier Audits, Qualification, and Re-evaluation

• Plan, perform, and document supplier audits and qualification activities to assess new and existing suppliers’ capabilities, processes, and compliance with Permobil’s quality and business requirements.
• Conduct regular re-evaluations of suppliers to ensure ongoing alignment with production, quality, and regulatory needs.
• Supplier Development and Improvement Programs.
• Lead supplier development initiatives and lead focused supplier improvement programs with select suppliers.
• Engage directly with suppliers to drive quality performance, implement corrective actions, and share best practices that elevate supplier capabilities and outcomes.

Supplier Industrialization and Safe Launch Programs

• Lead supplier industrialization activities to ensure suppliers are fully prepared for new product introductions and production ramp-up.
• Implement and oversee safe launch programs, including enhanced monitoring and containment actions, to verify that suppliers can consistently meet all design and quality requirements during critical launch phases and minimize the risk of early production issues.

Project and Change Management Involvement

• Lead and participate in new development projects and change management processes by executing the supplier quality portion of projects, including oversight and execution of the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).
• Ensure all supplier submissions meet design and quality requirements before production launch or implementation of changes.

Supplier Corrective Action and Issue Resolution

• Manage Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs), working collaboratively with suppliers to investigate root causes, define and implement corrective actions, and verify their effectiveness.
• Provide escalation support to site Supplier Quality Engineers (SQEs) and Production Units, including claim handling and resolution of critical supplier quality issues to minimize production disruptions.

Supplier Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Lead ongoing supplier performance monitoring and reporting, analyzing quality metrics and delivery reliability to identify trends, recurring issues, and opportunities for improvement.
• Drive continuous enhancement of supplier quality performance through data-driven actions.

Cross-functional Collaboration and Design Alignment

• Ensure mutual understanding and effective communication between Permobil R&D and suppliers to align design requirements with supplier capabilities.
• Facilitate robust knowledge transfer and support seamless product and process handovers, enabling zero-defect launches and sustained supplier quality throughout the lifecycle of supplied components.

Authority & Responsibilities:

• Perform supplier audits and qualifications, as well as regular re-evaluations, to ensure suppliers consistently meet Permobil’s requirements and expectations.
• Help maintain and continuously improve a supplier quality system that is compliant with relevant regulatory requirements and ensures high quality products for Permobil users.
• Lead and document supplier development initiatives and focused supplier improvement programs with select suppliers, driving continuous improvement in supplier quality performance.
• Participate in new development projects and change management processes by executing the supplier quality portion of projects, including oversight and approval of Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) submissions.
• Initiate, manage, and close Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs), ensuring root causes are addressed and permanent corrective actions are implemented.
• Maintain and improve supplier quality processes, taking ownership of assignments such as Approved Supplier List (ASL) maintenance, QMS compliance, audit planning, and supplier re-evaluations.
• Perform ongoing supplier performance monitoring and reporting, analyzing quality metrics to identify trends, escalate issues, and drive corrective actions.
• Provide escalation support to site Supplier Quality Engineers (SQEs) and Production Units, including handling and resolution of supplier-related claims to minimize production disruptions.
• Collaborate closely with R&D, Sourcing, and Operations to align supplier capabilities with Permobil’s design, quality, and business requirements.
• Ensure mutual understanding and effective communication between Permobil R&D and suppliers, so that design requirements are clearly transferred and matched to supplier capabilities, supporting robust product launches and lifecycle management.
• Maintain compliance with all Supplier Quality procedures and relevant regulatory requirements, ensuring thorough documentation and adherence to Permobil’s quality standards.

Why Permobil is a great next step for you!

1. You’ll make a difference. Every day

Everything we do leads to understanding and improving the lives of our users. Through our evidence-based innovation, we make a difference to people’s lives.

2. You’ll make your mark as part of our future

We collaborate with colleagues across borders to Innovate for Individuals. The impact you make personally could lead change around the world.

3. You’ll feel welcome from day one

We’re known for being great colleagues, who are collaborative, fun and at the cutting-edge. Everyone in the Permobil family cares as much as you do about making a positive difference.

4. You can have a lifestyle you love

You’re always close to nature, yet never far from civilization. We want everyone who works for us to have a lifestyle they love – at work and beyond.

Who you are
You are passionate, innovative, and ambitious. You want to make a difference for others and feel fulfilled when you can see the link between the work you do and positive improvements in the lives of others. You search out opportunities and are prepared to go off the beaten track to chase your dreams. You don’t follow the herd – you find new ways of working and go where you see potential to make your mark. You are a pioneer, a revolutionary, a game-changer and you are who we’re looking for.

Your Background

Education/Certification:

• University Degree (or similar) in engineering, quality, or a related technical field; or Equivalent experience in related fields such as quality engineering, production engineering, supply chain, product development, or project management
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 standards (for medical devices) is highly desirable.
• Preferably has been trained to audit: Regulatory requirement CFR 820 issued by Food and Drug Administration in USA.
  Regulatory requirement EU Regulation 2017/745 issued by the European Union.

Experience Required:

• Preferable 5+ years of experience in supplier quality engineering, quality assurance, or related roles within manufacturing, medical device, automotive, or similar regulated industries.
• Strong relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective partnerships internally and externally.
• Ability to maintain a global focus and holistic view, ensuring alignment with Permobil’s international strategy and objectives.
• Fact-based decision-making and execution of activities, utilizing data and evidence to drive actions.
• Demonstrated problem-solving leadership, bringing solutions and options to problem statements.
• Power of initiative and a strong driving force to lead and implement improvements.
• Financial understanding related to cost factors such as price, lead time, quality, assembly time, and inventory management.
• Ability to perform well under pressure, with logical and analytical thinking skills.
• Persuasive and influential, with a high level of attention to detail in all aspects of work.
• Result-oriented, credible, and decisive, ensuring timely and effective outcomes.
• High quality focus on both products and processes, ensuring compliance and continuous improvement.
• Excellent independence and time management skills, effectively prioritizing and managing multiple responsibilities.
• Other qualifications or experiences.

Information
Please apply via our career page. We will conduct selection continuously so send us your application today!

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At Permobil, diversity fuels our innovation in creating life-changing mobility solutions. We embrace the unique talents and perspectives of individuals from all backgrounds to drive our mission forward. Join Permobil and be part of a team where diversity is not just valued, but essential to our success in delivering personalized mobility solutions.

Permobil is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Please respect that we do not wish recruitment assistance or advertising, we decline calls from recruitment and advertising providers.

More about Permobil

Permobil founder Dr. Per Uddén believed that helping people achieve the greatest level of independence is a basic human right and, for over 50 years, Permobil has held fast to that belief. Permobil is a global leader in advanced rehabilitation technology, passionate about better understanding our users’ needs and improving their quality of life through state-of-the-art healthcare solutions. Today, those solutions include power wheelchairs, seating and positioning products, power assist, and manual wheelchairs.

Permobil is part of Patricia Industries, a subsidiary of Investor AB, and is headquartered in Sweden. Permobil has 1900 team members in more than 18 countries around the world. For more information regarding the company’s storied history and complete product line, visit permobil.com.