Deputy General Manager – Wiring Harness & Bracket Design, Body & Comfort HiL Validation

About MBRDI\: Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), headquartered in Bengaluru with a satellite office in Pune, is the largest R&D center for Mercedes-Benz Group AG outside of Germany. Our mission is to drive innovation and excellence in automotive engineering, digitalization, and sustainable mobility solutions, shaping the future of mobility.

Key Responsibilities\:

• Lead and manage Team Leads (L5s), Technical Experts (T5s) and team members across Wiring Harness & Bracket Design, Body & Comfort HiL Validation topics, mentoring and inspiring a diverse team while fostering a culture of accountability and high performance
• Set clear goals, define team priorities, and conduct structured performance appraisals to drive individual and team growth
• Build and sustain strong relationships with internal stakeholders, global partners, suppliers, and plant teams to ensure seamless project execution and delivery
• Act as the primary interface between the MBRDI team and Mercedes-Benz global counterparts, ensuring expectations are aligned and commitments are consistently met across all four domains
• Drive cross-functional coordination with support functions to resolve conflicts, uphold quality standards and maintain development momentum
• Ensure Quality Assurance processes are embedded across team deliverables, with adequate checkpoints, review gates and corrective action mechanisms in place throughout the development lifecycle
• Identify talent development needs, enable targeted training interventions and create opportunities for team members to take on stretch assignments and grow within the organization
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging teams to identify process gaps, implement countermeasures and embed lessons learnt into future development cycles
• Support innovation within the team by creating an environment where cost, weight and functional improvement ideas are actively encouraged and pursued
• Expand MBRDI's scope of engagement with global teams, particularly in supporting VANS programs across the relevant domains

Required Skills and Experience\:

• 15–20 years of experience in automotive product development, with significant years in people and program leadership roles
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, multi-disciplinary teams across domains in a global, matrixed organization
• Broad understanding of vehicle development across Wiring Harness & Bracket Design, Body & Comfort HiL Validation — sufficient to guide teams, evaluate deliverables and engage credibly with technical partners
• Awareness of Quality Assurance processes requirements as they apply to product development and cross-functional collaboration
• Strong stakeholder management skills with experience working across cultures and geographies
• Excellent communication skills — ability to represent the team confidently at senior leadership and partner forums
• Experience in setting organizational direction, managing performance and building technical competency within teams
• Proven ability to navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities and drive delivery in a fast-paced development environment