[Hiring] Principal Specialist, Supplier Performance @RTX

Role Description

As a Principal Specialist, Supplier Performance, you will be in a critical forward-deployed role within the Global Supplier Development organization. You will be responsible for driving supplier recovery, capability improvement, and sustainable performance. This role is hands-on and cross-functional, supporting operational containment, supplier assessments, and execution of structured improvement plans across global commodities. You will need to be both detail-oriented and strategic, capable of managing crisis situations and long-term development actions that align with business unit goals and enterprise-wide initiatives. You will interface with Commodity Managers, Quality Assurance & Engineering, Operations and Planning, Supplier Business Units (SBUs), Supplier Site Leadership, Crisis Response and Tiger Teams.

This is a remote role.

What You Will Do:

• Lead internal and supplier containment actions in collaboration with Operations and Quality.
• Facilitate supplier kick-off meetings to align expectations and establish rapid response actions.
• Conduct Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) investigations to resolve critical quality or delivery issues.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to develop and implement improvement plans and ensure clear communication through plan review checkpoints.
• Monitor leading and lagging Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess progress.
• Evaluate whether exit criteria have been achieved for containment efforts.
• Escalate persistent issues to crisis mode or tiger teams when warranted.
• Partner with Commodity Teams and SBUs to ensure closed-loop feedback and transition to sustainable operations.
• Lead supplier site identification and prioritize development efforts aligned with risk, impact, and strategic commodity needs.
• Conduct supplier assessments using OCRA (Operational Capability & Risk Assessment) tool.
• Engage suppliers with development roadmaps, training, and targeted actions tied to maturity models and long-term growth.
• Align with Commodity Managers and Engineering teams on supplier readiness for new programs or volume ramp-ups.
• Facilitate structured improvement plan development, KPI tracking, and gate reviews.
• Monitor progress toward achieving target maturity levels and initiate sustainment planning once development objectives are met.
• Support long-term monitoring and re-engagement cycles to ensure supplier performance remains stable.
• Develop and build manufacturing process technology tools and standardization include FMEA and Control Plans.
• Provide leadership and/or support for supplier transitions, ensuring a smooth handover of work scope with minimal disruption.
• Support the sustainment phase by monitoring supplier maturity post-transition and ensuring long-term capability.
• Align with internal business units and suppliers to reinforce performance expectations and continuous improvement efforts.
• Execute APQP for new product launch and work transition projects.
• Travel up to 50%.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 5 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 3 years of experience.

Requirements

• Background/experience within Operations, Supplier Development, and/or Project Management.
• Experience working within the aerospace industry or similar manufacturing environment.
• Lean, Six Sigma and/or Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) experience.
• Experience working with cross-functional personnel, including ability to develop a network of relationships with the various Collins Aerospace business units.
• Experience applying CORE principles/tools to manage processes, ensuring continuous improvement in the systems and benchmarking best practices enhancing customer satisfaction at all levels.
• Experience in Machining or Mechanical Fabrication.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees
• Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Student Loan Repayment Program
• Life insurance and disability coverage
• Optional coverages you can buy: pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection
• Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits
• Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning
• Adoption Assistance
• Autism Benefit
• Employee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions
• Healthy You Incentives, wellness rewards program
• Doctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits
• Bright Horizons, child and elder care services
• Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program
• And more!