Design For Quality (DFQ) Lead - Havells CRI

Purpose of the Role

To establish and institutionalize Design for Quality (DFQ) across all CRI product categories by ensuring that quality, reliability, safety, compliance and customer experience requirements are built into products from concept stage through production launch.

The role shall act as the central quality authority for New Product Development (NPD), responsible for preventing design defects, reducing warranty failures, improving launch quality and driving a culture of Build Quality In, Don't Inspect It In.

Key Responsibilities

Design Quality Governance Across CRI

• Own DFQ process deployment across all CRI projects.
• Define Design Quality Gate requirements from Concept to Launch.
• Ensure no project passes stage gates without mandatory quality deliverables.
• Establish common DFQ standards across all categories.

Reliability & Robustness Engineering

• Define product reliability strategy for all new developments.
• Establish reliability targets and qualification requirements.
• Ensure testing reflects extreme field conditions and real-life usage scenarios.
• Drive Test-to-Fail methodology and accelerated life testing.

DFMEA & Risk Management

• Lead DFMEA deployment across all NPD projects.
• Facilitate cross-functional DFMEA reviews.
• Ensure risks are quantified, mitigated and closed before tooling release.
• Maintain Design Risk Register.

Customer Voice to CTQ Deployment

• Convert customer expectations into measurable CTQs.
• Drive Voice of Customer (VOC) integration into design.

Product Validation & Compliance

• Define complete verification and validation strategy.
• Ensure compliance with BIS, IEC, UL, CE and category-specific standards.
• Lead Beta Testing and field validation programs.

Quality Capability Building

• Develop DFQ competency across CRI.
• Conduct DFMEA, Reliability and DFSS training.
• Create DFQ playbooks and best practices.

Education & Experience

• B.Tech / M.Tech in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Mechatronics
• Six Sigma Green Belt preferred
• DFSS Black Belt desirable
• Minimum experience: 15-20 Years