Head Manufacturing Engineering - Lighting India Region

JOB PURPOSE

To lead and drive Manufacturing Engineering for the India Lighting Business by enabling robust, scalable, and cost-efficient manufacturing processes, ensuring design for manufacturability, and building advanced capabilities in lean, automation, and industrial engineering while supporting high-volume new product development and ensuring optimal utilization of resources for business profitability.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABLITIES

1. Process Excellence & Capability Building

• Establish and drive process excellence in lighting.
• Develop process-wise excellence models and standardize them across all plants.
• Continuously track and adopt emerging manufacturing technologies.
• Build internal capability through structured training, trials, and experimentation.

2. Manufacturing Engineering Strategy

• Define and execute ME strategy aligned with India lighting business goals.
• Drive innovation in manufacturing processes to support new product launches and cost reduction.
• Lead planning, budgeting, and execution of capital investments for process improvements and new lines.

3. Capex Planning & Governance

• Review and approve annual CAPEX plans for all lighting plants (NPD and improvement projects).
• Study and evaluate CAPEX proposals to support business.
• Ensure optimal allocation of capital aligned with business priorities.

4. Process Development & Optimization

• Design and implement efficient manufacturing processes, layouts, and line balancing.
• Lead PFMEA, control plans, and process validation activities.
• Drive cycle time reduction, productivity improvement, and equipment utilization.
• Ensure manufacturability inputs are integrated into product design (DFM).

5. Capacity Planning & Operational Readiness

• Review and approve plant-wise capacity utilization and expansion plans.
• Align capacity with evolving business demand and sales forecasts.
• Analyze demand fluctuations and recommend solutions for capacity balancing.

6. New Product Manufacturing Readiness (NPD)

• Review and approve manufacturing readiness for all new product programs.
• Approve process design, layouts, routings, and costing.
• Participate in critical design reviews and ensure manufacturability.
• Ensure smooth transition from design to mass production.

7. Productivity, Benchmarking & Continuous Improvement

• Drive model line development for improved productivity, space utilization, and FTR.
• Lead benchmarking initiatives across plants and external best practices.
• Identify and implement cost-saving and efficiency improvement projects.

8. Space & Infrastructure Planning

• Review and approve plant layout and space utilization plans.
• Ensure optimal use of manufacturing space for current and future business needs.

9. Cross-functional Collaboration & Conflict Resolution

• Collaborate with R&D, Program Management, Operations, and Quality teams.
• Resolve escalations related to process feasibility, timelines, and manufacturing challenges.
• Support critical NPD programs and ensure timely issue resolution.

10. People Leadership & Capability Development

• Build and lead a strong ME and Industrial Engineering team across India lighting business.
• Drive recruitment, performance management, and capability development.
• Identify skill gaps and implement structured training programs.
• Develop leadership pipeline and succession plans within the function.

EDUCATION / QUALIFICATION

• Minimum Qualification required: BE / B.Tech
• Qualifications preferred: ME / M.Tech / MBA / PG in Operations

WORK EXPERIENCE

• 15-20 years of experience in Manufacturing / Industrial Engineering with Automotive / Auto Component Industry (Automotive Lighting / Electronics MANDATORY)
• Strong experience of Manufacturing Engineering (In other organizations where ME is a major manufacturing function/vertical)
• Experience of Automotive Lighting Components & its Manufacturing Processes
• Knowledge of the automotive industry
• Working knowledge Lean, TOC adoption in industry, Automation projects,
• Digital transformation experience will be an added advantage
• Understanding of financial management will be an added advantage
• Strong exposure to latest automotive manufacturing aspects such as IE, Industry 4.0, IOT, Smart Manufacturing, Electric Vehicle manufacturing, SMT manufacturing, TPM, Kaizen in order to improve overall operational efficiencies.

RELOCATION - Outstation Candidates will have to RE-LOCATE to PUNE and will be eligible to avail benefits under the Relocation Policy.