Manager Supplier Performance

John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is a global leader in mission-critical flow control solutions for energy and process industries that enable efficient and sustainable operations. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, filtration systems, and predictive digital monitoring technologies. 

We have a global network of more than 200 sites in over 50 countries and employ more than 6,000 people worldwide. We partner with our customers to help them keep their operations safe, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and meet the latest environmental standards. 

John Crane is part of Smiths Group. For over 170 years, Smiths has been pioneering progress by engineering for a better future. We serve millions of people every year, helping to create a safer, more efficient, productive, and better-connected world across four global markets: energy, security & defence, space & aerospace, and general industrial. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs approximately 16,000 colleagues in over 50 countries. 

Job Description 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Manage performance of selected suppliers in terms of on-time delivery, quality, and compliance with specifications. 

• Cooperate closely with internal teams to create and maintain the conditions required for supplier success. 

• Lead improvement and development plans for underperforming suppliers or those in need of ramp-up support. 

• Monitor and report supplier KPIs (SKPIs), including OTD (On-Time Delivery), ROTD (On-Time Delivery to Requirements), and DPPM (Delivered Parts Per Million). 

• Drive change management initiatives at supplier sites to support long-term maturity and continuous improvement. 

• Influence supplier innovation and strategic alignment with John Crane’s objectives. 

• Coach supplier teams on best-in-class supply chain and quality practices (training, project support, etc.). 

• Act as the operational leader of improvement initiatives towards selected suppliers, on behalf of all John Crane entities. 

• Support supplier classification improvements and increase the share of top-performing suppliers. 

• Strong problem-solving skills and knowledge of methodologies such as 8D, PDCA, Ishikawa, 5 Whys, etc. 

• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles. 

• Basic project management capabilities. 

• Understanding of production planning processes (S&OP, MRP, workload evaluation). 

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills. 

• Experience in working with suppliers and cross-functional teams in an international environment. 

• Ability to drive supplier development and improvement programs. 

• Fluency in English (both written and spoken) is essential. 

• Proven experience in conflict resolution and use of independent discretion in decision-making. 

• Ability to interpret data for actionable insights and process improvements. 

• Experience with sourcing activities and supplier selection processes. 

• Strategic thinking and planning capabilities in a global supply chain context. 

With colleagues stretching across the globe, we are proud of our diversity. To foster inclusivity, we run employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a safe space for employees to connect and support each other. Our cross-business ERGs include Veterans, Pride Network, Black Employee Network, Women@Work Network, and Neurodiversity. 

Across our company, we recognize excellence, culminating in the Smiths Excellence Awards, our annual celebration of the most extraordinary activities, people, and projects that best showcase our strengths and help drive our business forward. We announce these on our annual Smiths Day, a global celebration of Smiths around our network. 

Join us for a great career with competitive compensation and benefits, while helping engineer a better future. 

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers - Smiths Group plc)