Balaji Sunkara

• Procurement of direct materials including machining, elastomers and plastic molding, forging, casting, sheet metal, plating, and other essential components.
• Supplier project management encompassing sourcing, negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship management to ensure optimal outcomes and strong partnerships.
• Collaborating with Cross-Functional Teams (CFT) for engineering changes, strategy implementation, and change management to drive efficiency and innovation
• Managing supplier capacity, child part requirements, and tool & die logistics while optimizing the supply chain for enhanced efficiency.
• Ensuring timely project delivery while meeting quality, cost, and time objectives, reducing lead times through Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and effectively managing Engineering Change Notices (ECN).
• Conducting supplier and internal audits, monitoring performance, fostering continual improvement, overseeing PPAP/FAI processes, and preparing budgets.
• Managing obsolete parts control, addressing purchase price variations, overseeing subcontracting, warehouse, and logistic activities.
• Participated in team projects, showcasing strong collaborative and effective work abilities.
• Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.

Responsibilities – Supplier Development / NPD Activities:

• Developed comprehensive project plans with clear timelines, milestones, and budget requirements, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality results.
• Ensuring supplier's new plant/facility readiness through comprehensive audits and regulatory approvals.
• Expanding supplier capacity in alignment with forecasted demand, including Tier-1 and Tier-2 enhancements as necessary.
• Realizing cost savings via new sourcing and localization strategies, implementing Value Analysis/Value Engineering (VA/VE), and mitigating supply risks through contingency planning.
• Implementing quality systems, conducting training and development for supplier personnel, and ongoing monitoring to ensure adherence.
• Analyzing corrective actions from suppliers involves identifying root causes, developing and implementing effective solutions, and ensuring ongoing compliance to prevent recurrence.
• Timely execution of new product development and seamless handover to mass production team within specified timelines.
  
  Responsibilities – Purchasing Activities:
• Sharing annual forecasts with suppliers, conducting capacity planning at Tier-1 and Tier-2 levels, and performing capacity audits to ensure alignment with demand and optimize production capabilities.
• Releasing monthly schedules to suppliers while ensuring consistent product quality and minimizing disruptions to production processes.
• Continuous monitoring of stock levels at both plant and vendor locations, along with proactive stock building and maintenance in accordance with established norms and requirements.
• Liaising with Parts Quality, Vehicle Quality, Frame & Engine, and Vehicle Quality suppliers to promptly resolve issues, ensuring seamless production flow,including regular parts and spare parts management.
• Enhancing packing standards, obtaining approvals, and ensuring that all parts are inwarded in accordance with standardized packing protocols.
• Liaising with Material Service and Finance Departments to ensure timely payments to suppliers and efficient clearing of credit notes.
• Preparing budgets for molds and ensuring their timely distribution to suppliers from die makers.
• Conducting Management Review Meetings (MRM) with supplier top management to evaluate performance in areas such as quality, delivery, and other relevant metrics.
• Granting approvals for de-risking projects, 4M changes, sourcing from new locations or sources, specification alterations, packing adjustments, and new tool/die acquisitions through an Initial Production Part (IPP) system.

• Conducted root cause analysis of recurring quality issues and implemented effective countermeasures in collaboration with affected suppliers.
• Led training sessions for new hires on supplier quality management best practices, ensuring a thorough understanding of organizational expectations.
• Implemented a project focused on enhancing quality and delivery performance through real-time monitoring, regular reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Ensuring 100% on-time quality product delivery from suppliers through rigorous follow-ups.
• Initiating Non-conformance Reports for non-conforming products and receiving countermeasures from suppliers.
• Conducting assessment audits to qualify suppliers and periodic audits to drive improvement actions.
• Participating in trials at suppliers, including sample submissions, corrections, and approvals by Quality Assurance.
• Driving the submission of Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) documents from suppliers for Bought-Out Parts (BOP) and submitting PPAPs to customers for in-house parts.
• Rating suppliers based on metrics such as Defective Parts per Million (PPM) and On-Time Delivery (OTD).
• Preparing Management Information System (MIS) reports for monthly review meetings and effectively managing internal and external audits.
• Streamlined internal communication, fostering cross-functional collaboration between engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams.
• Optimized supplier performance through regular assessment and feedback, leading to increased product reliability and cost savings.