Our client, a leading global company in the automotive industry, is seeking an experienced Program Recovery & Supplier Task Force Manager to be permanently based at a critical supplier facility in Barcelona.
This role will act as an extension of the client's organization on-site, serving as the primary interface between the company and the supplier while ensuring full project visibility, operational control, recovery execution, financial governance, and risk mitigation.
The successful candidate will be responsible for driving project recovery initiatives, validating supplier performance, monitoring production activities, assessing operational and financial risks, and ensuring the successful delivery of strategic manufacturing programs impacting business-critical operations.
- Act as the main interface between the client and the assigned supplier.
- Conduct comprehensive supplier assessments to validate actual project status against reported progress.
- Perform regular on-site audits of manufacturing operations and shop floor activities.
- Review engineering, procurement, manufacturing, assembly, testing, and commissioning activities.
- Assess supplier organizational structure, governance processes, and project management maturity.
- Monitor production performance and ensure alignment with project objectives and delivery commitments.
- Identify operational deviations, bottlenecks, process inefficiencies, resource constraints, and execution risks.
- Establish realistic project baselines and develop executable recovery plans when required.
- Challenge supplier schedules, assumptions, and delivery commitments to ensure achievable execution plans.
- Define recovery actions, milestones, responsibilities, deadlines, and success criteria.
- Monitor critical paths, dependencies, and project risks.
- Implement daily and weekly project review routines.
- Escalate deviations and risks proactively while driving accountability across supplier teams.
- Ensure project milestones, deliverables, and program objectives are achieved on time.
- Lead root cause investigations related to delays, quality concerns, supply issues, and operational inefficiencies.
- Develop corrective and preventive action plans.
- Drive implementation and follow-up of improvement initiatives.
- Foster a culture of operational excellence, focusing on quality, delivery, cost, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
- Apply Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and continuous improvement methodologies to improve supplier performance.
- Review supplier procurement activities, purchase orders, and sourcing strategies.
- Assess material availability, shortages, long lead-time components, and supplier commitments.
- Evaluate supply chain risks, including risks associated with sub-suppliers.
- Ensure critical materials and components are secured and aligned with project schedules.
- Identify and mitigate supply chain constraints that may impact project execution.
- Assess supplier engineering, manufacturing, assembly, testing, and project management resources.
- Validate production capacity and capability to execute current and future program requirements.
- Evaluate subcontracting strategies and external resource utilization.
- Identify capability gaps and define corrective actions necessary to achieve project objectives.
- Review progress against project milestones to support payment validation processes.
- Verify completion of agreed deliverables before recommending payment approvals.
- Monitor the effective use of funds allocated to project execution activities.
- Assess project financial exposure and execution risks.
- Support decision-making regarding payment releases, recovery investments, and risk mitigation actions.
- Evaluate supplier financial health and business continuity risks.
- Analyze liquidity constraints, cash-flow risks, and funding requirements impacting project delivery.
- Assess working capital requirements and financing arrangements where relevant.
- Monitor financial recovery actions and their impact on project performance.
- Provide recommendations regarding supplier solvency and long-term capability to deliver commitments.
- Track project KPIs, operational metrics, risks, and recovery progress.
- Prepare daily operational updates and weekly recovery status reports.
- Develop executive dashboards and management reports.
- Present project risks, financial exposure, recovery progress, and mitigation plans to senior leadership.
- Provide recommendations regarding escalation actions, recovery strategies, and Go/No-Go decisions.
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
- Proven experience as a Program Manager, Project Manager, Supplier Development Engineer, Supplier Program Manager, Project Recovery Manager, or similar role within the automotive or manufacturing industry.
- Strong experience working directly with suppliers in manufacturing environments.
- Demonstrated experience managing project recovery and turnaround initiatives.
- Strong understanding of production systems, industrial operations, supply chain management, and program management methodologies.
- Experience identifying operational risks and implementing corrective and preventive actions.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, stakeholder management, communication, and negotiation skills.
- Ability to work independently in fast-paced international environments.
- Willingness to be permanently based on-site at supplier locations when business needs require it.
- Experience within Tier 1 Automotive Suppliers or OEM environments.
- Knowledge of APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, and automotive quality standards.
- Certification or practical experience in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or equivalent methodologies.
- Experience managing supplier performance through KPIs and operational metrics.
- Experience leading supplier recovery, distressed supplier management, or critical project intervention programs.
- Familiarity with procurement processes, supplier financial assessments, and project financial governance.
- Fluent English (mandatory).
- Spanish (highly desirable).
- Portuguese (considered a strong advantage).
- A proactive, resilient, and results-oriented professional.
- Strong leadership and influencing skills.
- Exceptional organizational and planning capabilities.
- Ability to challenge and drive accountability across supplier and internal teams.
- Strong relationship management and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
- Hands-on approach with a continuous improvement mindset.
- Ability to operate effectively in complex, high-pressure recovery situations.
- Strong business acumen combined with operational and financial awareness.
