Product Development Lead

Why This Role Exists

As an OEM/ODM manufacturer to leading Indian consumer durable brands, We needs a single, senior point of accountability who can sit across product strategy and day-to-day client management someone who can own the product roadmap for coolers, fans, heaters and pumps, while also acting as the companys Management Representative (MR) to brand clients on quality, specification and audit matters. This role is the technical and commercial face of the company to its OEM/ODM accounts.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as Management Representative (MR) and primary point of contact for brand/OEM clients (Havells, Voltas, Usha, Kelvinator, RR Kabel and future accounts), managing relationships with their product, sourcing, quality and R&D teams.
• Own the product portfolio roadmap across OEM (brand-specified) and ODM (in-house designed) categories desert and tower coolers, fans, heaters and pumps — aligned to category trends and brand requirements.
• Lead new product development (NPD) projects end-to-end — brief/concept, design coordination with R&D, prototyping, sampling and handover to mass production — in close coordination with the Factory Operations team.
• Convert brand specifications and RFQs into technical and commercial proposals, costing inputs, and formal product specification sheets.
• Represent the company during brand vendor audits, quality-system reviews and periodic business reviews (QBRs), ensuring findings are closed out with Production and Quality.
• Track competitive landscape, category pricing, features and seasonality across the cooling/heating appliances market to inform product and account strategy.
• Drive cross-functional coordination between Production, Quality, Procurement and Design/R&D to ensure on-time NPD launches and a smooth transition into volume manufacturing.
• Own product costing accuracy, BOM inputs and margin analysis in coordination with Finance and Procurement.
• Manage the full product lifecycle, including seasonal SKU planning for the coolers/heaters category ahead of each season.
• Maintain product- and client-facing documentation required for ISO 9001 and related quality systems.

Key Performance Indicators

• NPD project timelines — concept-to-launch adherence
• Brand client satisfaction and audit scores
• New product revenue contribution
• RFQ/quotation turnaround time
• Client retention and account growth (share of wallet with existing brand accounts)

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 10–15 years in Product Management, NPD or techno-commercial roles within consumer durables, home appliances or OEM/ODM manufacturing organisations.
• Prior experience as a Management Representative (MR) or client-facing quality/product interface for brand accounts is strongly preferred.
• Sound understanding of OEM/ODM business models, product costing and manufacturing processes for consumer durables/appliances.
• Strong stakeholder management — confident engaging with brand-side product, sourcing and quality teams at a senior level.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality systems and BIS certification norms for electrical appliances.
• Strong analytical, costing and project-management skills; comfortable owning a P&L-adjacent product roadmap.
• Prior exposure to seasonal/category durables (cooling or heating appliances, fans, small appliances) preferred.