Mgr/Sr. Manager NPD | NTF India Pvt. Ltd | Manesar

NTF Group; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

NTF Group seeks a seasoned NPD leader to drive automotive interior and exterior plastics development from concept through tooling, trials and mass production hand-over. You will ensure products meet customer requirements for quality, cost, and schedule while advancing NPD processes.

Responsibilities include APQP/PPAP, PFMEA, and IATF 16949 adherence, coordinating Design, Tooling, Production, Quality, Purchases, and Paintshop teams, and delivering first-time-right solutions.

Qualifications

• Automotive Tier-1 experience is mandatory.
• IATF 16949, PPAP knowledge is required.
• Leadership of an engineering team in an NPD environment.
• Strong knowledge of APQP, PFMEA, Control Plan.
• Ability to manage cross-functional teams and customer interfaces.
• Proficient in reading 2D/3D drawings; CAD/CAM exposure preferred.
• Vendor coordination and tooling management experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the NPD project plan with timelines, milestones, and PPAP dates.
• Track status through APQP phases and manage deviations.
• Coordinate design, tooling, production, quality, purchase, and paintshop teams.
• Ensure on-time programme delivery and proactively manage risks.
• Lead engineering teams in NPD initiatives.
• Review customer drawings and conduct DFM/DFA studies for plastics.

Skills

NPD project management

Cross-functional coordination

APQP/PPAP knowledge

IATF 16949 awareness

English communication

CAD/CAM exposure

Tooling & vendor management

Process improvement

Tools

CAD/CAM

Mould-flow analysis tools

Job description

Role & responsibilities

Job Purpose

To lead end-to-end New Product Development (for Automotive Interior and Exterior Engineering Plastics Components, considering processes like Injection Moulding, Blow Moulding, Thermocompression etc.) from concept and feasibility through tooling, trials, and mass production hand-over ensuring products meet customer requirements for quality, cost, and timeline while driving continuous improvement in NPD processes.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Program Management

• Own the NPD project plan for new programs — timelines, milestones, and deliverables — in line with customer PPAP/SOP dates.
• Track project status through APQP phases and drive corrective action for schedule or budget deviations.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams (Design, Tool Room, Production, Quality, Purchase, Paintshop) to ensure on-time launch readiness.
• Hold accountability for on-time programme delivery, with proactive identification and management of risks to schedule.
• Automotive Tier-1 experience is mandatory. Equivalent experience from other industries will not be considered, given the specific demands of IATF 16949, Customer – specific requirements and PPAP discipline.
• Demonstrated leadership of an engineering team within a New Product Development environment.

Design & Feasibility

• Review customer drawings/3D data and conduct DFM/DFA studies for plastic components and paint-line compatibility.
• Identify part/process feasibility risks early and drive design or process changes with customer and internal teams.
• Prepare costing and quotation inputs — tooling cost, cycle time, paint process cost, and part piece-price.

Tooling & Process Development

• Plan and monitor mould design, fabrication, and trial activities with tool vendors; approve tool try-out and modification plans.
• Develop and validate injection moulding process parameters and paint process parameters (pre-treatment, primer, base coat, clear coat) for new parts.
• Drive mould/paint-line trials, sampling, and process capability studies (Cp/Cpk) to achieve first-time-right approval.

Quality & Documentation

• Prepare and maintain APQP documentation — PFMEA, Control Plan, Process Flow Diagram, MSA, and PPAP submissions.
• Lead root-cause analysis for trial and initial-lot rejections; implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Ensure adherence to IATF 16949 and customer-specific NPD requirements throughout the development cycle.

Customer & Vendor Coordination

• Act as the primary NPD interface with customers for design reviews, timeline reviews, and PPAP approvals.
• Evaluate and coordinate with tooling and raw material vendors; monitor vendor delivery and quality commitments.
• Support new vendor/tooling source development and capability assessment as required.

Production Hand-off & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure smooth transition of new products from NPD to serial production, including operator training and line readiness.
• Drive cost-reduction and process improvements initiatives across the portfolio.
• Maintain project cost tracking and report NPD KPIs (timeline adherence, tooling cost, quality escapes) to management.

Desired Skills & Competencies

• Hands-on knowledge of plastic parts manufacturing processes like injection moulding, blow moulding, Thermocompression etc.
• Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plan, and core quality tools (7 QC tools, 8D).
• Proficiency in reading 2D/3D drawings; exposure to CAD/CAM and mould-flow analysis tools preferred.
• Strong project management, cross-functional coordination, and vendor management skills.
• Good communication and customer-facing skills; ability to manage multiple concurrent NPD programs.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Project) for planning, tracking, and reporting.
• Good communication skills, verbal and written, should have good command in English language.