Head of COE

You are invited to join LeadersEdge Consulting Pvt. Ltd. as the Head of COE - Principal Engineer for a prominent automotive OEM based in Pune, India. In this crucial engineering leadership position within the automotive sector, you will be tasked with overseeing the design, development, and delivery of cutting-edge seating systems that prioritize passenger comfort, regulatory adherence, and engineering excellence. This role offers extensive cross-functional exposure and ownership across various vehicle programs. As the Head of COE - Principal Engineer, your primary objective will be to lead a dedicated Center of Excellence (COE) team specializing in the creation and implementation of next-generation automotive seating solutions. You will play a pivotal role in transforming customer comfort expectations into innovative, manufacturable, and compliant seat designs that meet cost, weight, performance, and timeline targets. This role necessitates adept stakeholder management, seamless cross-functional collaboration, and mentorship of a technical team to ensure the delivery of top-tier seating solutions. Your responsibilities will include spearheading seating system design and development across multiple vehicle platforms, from concept to SOP. You will be responsible for meeting objectives related to cost, weight, performance, safety, and comfort benchmarks. Providing technical guidance and support to Styling, Product Planning, and Platform teams will be a key aspect of your role, along with defining Proof-of-Concepts and futuristic seat configurations aligned with regulatory roadmaps. Moreover, you will be tasked with monitoring and addressing risks associated with DVP (Regulatory, Functional, Durability) and ensuring a first-time-right design approach. Keeping abreast of global regulations and proactively integrating necessary changes into future programs will be essential. Collaboration with suppliers, interface teams, and product planners to define and achieve Functional Intent (FI) targets is also a critical part of your responsibilities. Your role will involve driving benchmarking, fostering innovation, and conducting technical reviews to enhance aesthetics, ergonomics, and material selection. Guiding cross-functional interactions with various engineering teams and overseeing tooling activities in collaboration with CDMM and supply chain teams to prevent post-SOP quality or process issues will also be part of your purview. Additionally, tracking global trends in automotive seating systems and incorporating relevant insights into upcoming product lines will be crucial. To qualify for this role, you must hold a BE/B.Tech/M.Tech in Mechanical or Automotive Engineering, along with a minimum of 15 years of experience in automotive seating system design and development. Demonstrated expertise in managing complete seat system delivery throughout product development cycles and a strong grasp of regulatory compliance, ergonomics, and materials are prerequisites. Proven experience collaborating closely with Styling, Product Planning, and Platform teams to integrate seat requirements is also essential. Key competencies and soft skills required for this role include in-depth knowledge of seating system design, development, and tooling, familiarity with Design Thinking principles, and customer-centric engineering. An awareness of global seating trends, technologies, and manufacturing standards, coupled with robust program management skills and effective stakeholder communication abilities, are crucial. A passion for innovation, aesthetic detailing, and enhancing the customer experience, as well as a track record of leadership in building and empowering technical teams, will be advantageous. This unique opportunity offers a seating system expert the chance to assume a pivotal leadership position with high visibility, technical depth, and a direct impact on the end-customer experience.,