GM - Design & NPD

What we are looking for:

ZF Steering Gear (India) Ltd. is seeking an accomplished General Manager Design & NPD to lead our Design and New Product Development initiatives. This is a strategic leadership role, working closely with business leaders to drive innovation and significantly enhance business performance.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Leadership & Strategy:

• Oversee all aspects of Design, Analysis, NPD, Process Engineering, Applications, and Costing.
• Provide full ownership of product lifecycle, from concept design to mass production.
• Lead and manage a team of 50+ R&D Engineers and Managers, fostering innovation and excellence.

2. Product Development:

• Design cost-competitive Steering products for Commercial Vehicles and tractors, including Hydraulic Power Steering, Hydraulic Pumps, Mechanical Steering, and Electro-mechanical Steering Systems.
• Develop new technology aggregates and sub-systems for steering and hydraulic systems.
• Drive Process Engineering for cost-effective product manufacturing.

3. Process Implementation & Compliance:

• Plan and implement Design Management and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems, ensuring alignment with global standards (DIN, BIS, JS, ISO, IS).
• Participate in APQP meetings, ensuring project requirements are met efficiently.

4. Technical Expertise:

• Demonstrate a high level of expertise in designing Hydraulic Systems, Steering Gears, Vane Pumps, Gear pumps, and radial piston pumps.
• Utilize advanced tools like Pro-E Creo, ANSYS, CFD analysis, and simulation.

5. Budget and Project Management:

• Plan and manage the annual budget for the Design and NPD department.
• Ensure all Design and NPD projects are executed as per defined timelines

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Proven Leadership skills and experience in Managing a Design Department of at least 25 employees
• Qualification - B.E. (Mechanical)/ M.E. (Mechanical) for a top university.
• At least 5 years of proven Experience as the Head of Department for Design, R&D or New Product development within the Automotive industry ONLY, preferably in commercial vehicle segment.
• Proven experience of at least 15 years in New Product Design roles in Automotive manufacturing company.
• Proven Knowledge and experience in design of Hydraulic systems – MUST HAVE
• Knowledge in design of Power Steering Gears/ Vane Pump/ Gear Pump/ Radial piston Pump.
• Deep hands-on knowledge of all manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency in Pro-E Creo software for parametric modeling.
• Proficiency in PLM software, preferably Windchill.
• Proficiency in ANSYS Mechanical, Fluent, Autodesk Nastran, and CFD software.
• Proven experience in product design analysis and parametric modeling using software such as PTC Creo or Autodesk Inventor (desirable).
• Great Familiarity with the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) system.
• Understanding of Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) and Benchmarking processes.
• Proficient in MS Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.