Supplier Specialist

About VAT Group

At VAT, we change the world with vacuum solutions. As the world’s leading supplier of high-performance vacuum valves, we have been driving innovation for more than 60 years. With over 3,200 employees worldwide, we operate from our headquarters in Haag, Switzerland, with manufacturing sites in Switzerland, Malaysia and Romania, as well as sales and service hubs around the world. We are guided by our passions integrity, teamwork, customer centricity, and innovation – always working together as #oneVAT.

Joining us means becoming part of a passionate, international team where your voice is heard, your ideas matter, and your career growth is supported.

Purpose of the role:

• The Supplier Specialist is responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and improving supplier performance with a focus on On Time Delivery (OTD), quality, responsiveness, and overall supply reliability.
• The role drives corrective actions, supplier development initiatives, and cross functional alignment to ensure stable and optimized supply performance.
• The role is strictly linked to Swiss suppliers and is fully limited to operational execution, including performance monitoring, escalation, and coordination of improvement actions. The role does not have authority for strategic sourcing decisions, supplier selection, contract terms, negotiations, or imposing commercial requirements on suppliers.
• All governance frameworks, escalation rules, and sourcing decisions are fully defined and owned in Switzerland.
• There is no strategy or final decision making authority in Romania.
• Activities are limited to execution, preparation, analysis, and coordination within the defined Swiss governance framework.

Responsabilities:

• Drive supplier operational performance improvements in the areas of Delivery, Lead Time, Productivity, and Capacity.
• Support suppliers in identifying and eliminating process inefficiencies, production losses, and bottlenecks.
• Analyze manufacturing and machining processes and implement actions to improve productivity, throughput, and process stability.
• Lead supplier continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing principles and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Monitor and improve supplier KPIs, including:
  • On-Time Delivery (OTD)
  • Lead Time
  • Productivity
  • Capacity Utilization
  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• Coach and develop suppliers to understand performance metrics and establish sustainable improvement actions.
• Perform supplier assessments and shop-floor evaluations to identify opportunities for operational excellence.
• Facilitate root cause analysis and corrective action activities related to quality and delivery issues.
• Develop and implement action plans to improve supplier performance and ensure long-term sustainability of improvements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Strategic Sourcing SCM planning, Engineering, and Operations to support supplier development activities.
• Promote best practices in Lean Manufacturing, waste reduction, standardization, and process optimization.
• Support suppliers in achieving higher manufacturing efficiency, improved capacity utilization, and stable production performance.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• Experience working in an international and multicultural environment, demonstrating strong intercultural communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with global suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in Supplier Development, Manufacturing Engineering, Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, or a similar role.
• Strong knowledge of machining and manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience in supplier performance management and supplier development.
• Demonstrated experience in improving operational KPIs such as OTD, Lead Time, Productivity, and OEE.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience conducting shop-floor assessments and identifying process improvement opportunities.
• Ability to analyze manufacturing data and translate findings into effective improvement actions.
• Experience in root cause analysis and problem-solving methodologies such as 5 Why, Fishbone Analysis, and FMEA.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence suppliers at both operational and management levels.
• Fluent English is mandatory, German language skills are considered a strong advantage.
• Capability to travel to supplier locations and work directly with supplier teams.

Preferred skills:

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent Continuous Improvement certification.
• Experience with Value Stream Mapping (VSM).
• Knowledge of OEE optimization and production efficiency improvement techniques.
• Experience in automotive or industrial manufacturing environments.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in KPI reporting and performance monitoring

Our commitment to inclusion, fairness and equal opportunities

We believe in meaningful careers, continuous learning, and equal opportunities for everyone to drive our innovation and success. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace. If you have concerns, our compliance channel is available at our website. All reports are handled with strict confidentiality and in accordance with our Code of Conduct.