Position Summary 

Serve as the primary technical liaison between the customer and Cooper Standard internal teams to support customer satisfaction and protect the customer. Collaborate closely with manufacturing plants and cross-functional teams to proactively monitor product performance, support the investigation of quality issues, and facilitate effective containment. Partner with affected plants to drive root cause analysis (RCA) and the development and implementation of corrective actions, ensuring alignment and timely resolution. Maintain accurate system reporting while supporting continuous improvement initiatives that enhance quality performance and customer scorecards. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned customer plants regarding product performance and quality concerns 

• Conduct regular on-site customer visits and audits to assess performance and identify risks 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with customer stakeholders (Quality, Engineering, Production) 

• Lead and coordinate investigations into customer complaints and quality issues 

• Enter all customer concerns and activities into the Cooper Standard Problem Resolution System (PRS) within 24 hours of identification 

• Partner with Plant Quality and Regional Quality Leads to drive timely containment, root cause analysis (RCA), and implementation of corrective actions using structured problem-solving tools (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone) 

• Work closely with manufacturing plants to manage and monitor sorting and containment activities at customer locations, ensuring effective execution and earliest possible closure 

• Track, manage, and drive closure of all customer issues through internal systems 

• Direct and support contingent workers at customer locations to ensure effective containment, sorting, and inspection activities 

• Communicate customer concerns clearly and promptly to manufacturing, engineering, and quality teams 

• Collaborate cross-functionally to implement corrective actions and drive systemic improvements 

• Support new program launches through APQP participation and customer readiness activities 

• Monitor launch performance and escalate risks as appropriate 

• Coordinate engineering changes and ensure compliance with customer requirements 

• Update the Problem Resolution System (PRS) with comprehensive proactive and reactive customer visit summaries 

• Monitor customer locations with high incident levels impacting IPB and PPM performance, ensuring all issues and activities are captured in PRS 

• Analyze data trends and recommend proactive improvement actions 

• Manage Cooper Standard plant scorecards by proactively preventing, mitigating, or negotiating quality impacts 

• Ensure compliance with company policies, customer-specific requirements, and safety standards 

Education & Experience 

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Quality, or related technical field OR technical training with 4–6+ years of relevant automotive or manufacturing experience. Experience in supplier quality or customer-facing roles preferred. 

Skills & Competencies 

• Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills 

• Apply structured problem-solving and analytical skills 

• Build effective relationships with customers and cross-functional teams 

• Manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment 

• Utilize Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) proficiently 

• Apply knowledge of automotive quality systems and standards (IATF 16949, OEM requirements preferred) 

• Understand OEM customer systems and quality scorecards, including performance metrics such as PPM and IPB 

• Leverage prior manufacturing experience in rubber hose, sealing, or fluid handling systems (preferred) 

Decision-Making & Impact 

Lead collaboration with manufacturing plants and Cooper Standard cross-functional teams to proactively identify risks, prioritize actions, and drive timely resolution of customer issues, positively impacting customer satisfaction, quality performance, and company reputation 

Reporting Structure 

Reports to: Director of Quality - CSE. No direct reports; provides leadership to cross-functional teams and contingent workforce. 

Working Conditions 

Combination of office, manufacturing, and customer site environments with frequent travel required. 

Disclaimer 

This job description outlines the general nature and responsibilities of the role and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties.