Head New Product Development (HPDC, LPDC & GDC)

Job Title: Head New Product Development (HPDC, LPDC & GDC)

Industry: Automotive

Reports To: VP – Engineering

Team Size: 5–7 direct/indirect reportees

Job Objective

To lead the Engineering function and manage New Product Development (NPD) in line with customer requirements, global best practices, and organizational growth plans. The role will oversee end-to-end die planning and internal die procurement (HPDC, LPDC & GDC) to ensure cost-effective, timely, and high-quality product launches that strengthen client competitive positioning.

Key Responsibilities

Financial

• Drive value engineering initiatives and explore alternate resources/materials to optimize cost.
• Streamline NPD processes to reduce development time and expenditure.
• Identify opportunities for new product development (in-house and outsourced) to expand product range.
• Guide teams in negotiating effectively with international die/tool suppliers to achieve cost savings.
• Contribute to annual budget planning; monitor engineering spend and ensure corrective measures on variances.

Customer

• Build and strengthen customer relationships to position our client as a preferred partner.
• Ensure timely PPAP meetings and approvals in collaboration with Marketing and Engineering teams.
• Guarantee adherence to customer-specific quality standards.
• Establish mechanisms for quick and effective resolution of customer and internal stakeholder queries (PE, Quality, Production).

Process

• Lead the NPD department and align product development with market trends and customer needs.
• Form and lead Cross Functional Teams (CFTs) for feasibility studies, RFQs, and NPD execution.
• Oversee product costing, feasibility reviews, and finalization with senior leadership.
• Ensure project scheduling and execution in line with APQP, FMEA, Control Plans, PPAP, and layout planning.
• Supervise designing, prototyping, and casting trials (2D/3D drawings, FMEA, structural design, trials, prove-outs).
• Benchmark internal technologies with global best practices; adopt innovations for product improvement.
• Ensure timely receipt, trial, and audit of dies from international suppliers, ensuring compliance to cost, time, and quality.
• Standardize documentation at all stages of NPD and die procurement.

Learning & Development

• Build and nurture a specialized engineering, design & development team.
• Drive talent capability building and ensure a robust leadership pipeline in Engineering.
• Implement structured goal setting, performance reviews, and feedback mechanisms.
• Lead initiatives for talent attraction, retention, and engagement within the team.

Qualifications & Experience

• Full-time B.E./B.Tech in Mechanical/Production Engineering; M.Tech/MBA preferred.
• 20–25 years of progressive experience in New Product Development and Process Improvements in the automotive sector.
• Minimum 5 years in a senior leadership role, with proven success in managing large NPD programs.

Knowledge & Skills

• Deep expertise in engineering, design and product development for automotive components.
• Strong understanding of HPDC, LPDC & GDC technologies.
• Hands-on experience with end-to-end NPD lifecycle in the automotive industry.
• Strong business acumen, customer orientation, and vendor negotiation skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage international suppliers, and drive organizational change

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