Product Development Manager

As an international tyre manufacturer and the leading tyre brand in India, Apollo Tyres Ltd operates multiple manufacturing units in India, as well as a unit each in The Netherlands and Hungary. The company distributes its products globally under its two renowned brands, Apollo and Vredestein, reaching consumers in over 100 countries through a widespread network of branded, exclusive, and multi-product outlets. As a Product Development Manager based in Chennai R&D, you will play a crucial role in the PV R&D (OE) department/function, reporting to R Balasubramanian. Your primary responsibilities will include developing new products to meet customer requirements, driving product leadership and profitable business growth, upgrading products in line with regulation changes and customer needs, expanding the product portfolio and business into new geographies, and conducting regular surveillance of product performance in the field. Your major responsibilities will involve collaborating closely with the marketing and customer service teams to strategize the product roadmap, staying abreast of vehicle evolution, market trends, competition intelligence, regulation updates, and emerging technologies to realign the roadmap accordingly. You will also be responsible for driving the technology roadmap, conducting market research, selecting the right benchmarks, working on product design targets, creating a product strategy in collaboration with the marketing and CS teams, and ensuring timely development and introduction of new products. To excel in this role, you should possess a strong technical and functional knowledge in tyre development, product design & simulation, vehicle dynamics, test standards, tyre technology, manufacturing, and testing equipment. Additionally, you should demonstrate leadership skills, stakeholder management, strategic thinking, decision-making abilities, effective communication, and strong interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate for this position should have a minimum of 10 to 12 years of experience in tyre development or product groups, with educational qualifications in Mechanical, Polymer Engineering, Automobile Engineering, Production Technology, or Rubber Technology. If you are passionate about driving product innovation, leading product development initiatives, and ensuring the success and profitability of products in the market, this role offers an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact in the dynamic and competitive tyre industry.,