Product Manager - Vehicle

River; Bangalore Rural; On-site; INR 3,000,000 - 4,000,000; Full time

Job summary

River is seeking a seasoned Product Manager to own the long-term platform strategy for its vehicle lineup. You will drive multi-year roadmaps, coordinate with design, R&D, sourcing, and service teams, and lead end-to-end product development from concept to launch.

The role requires strong analytical skills, pricing and P&L awareness, and a customer-centric approach. You will define PRDs, oversee gated development, and shape GTM strategies with cross-functional partners to ensure competitive

Qualifications

• Understanding of product lifecycle management and accessories ecosystem.
• Ability to justify product pivots with market data and financial modeling.
• Customer-centric mindset translating insights into product decisions.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term vehicle platform strategy including new model introductions and mid-cycle refreshes.
• Conduct competitive benchmarking to maintain moat in utility and performance.
• Develop multi-year roadmap balancing hardware evolution with software features (SOTA/FOTA).
• Establish pricing and positioning frameworks for profitability and brand coherence.
• Define value propositions for different vehicle trims with clear differentiation.
• Lead end-to-end NPD lifecycle from concept to launch.
• Draft PRDs covering performance, safety, reliability, homologation, HMI, connectivity, charging, etc.
• Oversee gated development with reviews against PRD to meet vehicle requirements.
• Coordinate with design, R&D, sourcing, service, and quality to ensure standards.
• Oversee durability, safety, and performance tests in real-world conditions.
• Define GTM strategies with product, sales, marketing, and cross-functional teams.
• Track metrics: monthly sales, time-to-market, cost variance, quality, conversion rate.
• Leading trade-off discussions balancing cost, weight, and timelines with features.
• Capture field data and drive continuous improvement with CX, service, and sales teams.
• Drive accessories integration into the River app, dealership configurator, and ecommerce.

Skills

Product lifecycle management

Cross-functional leadership

Analytical prowess

Financial modeling

Documentation (PRD)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

MBA or PG in Product/Business Management

Tools

Excel

Sheets

Power BI

Job description

Key Responsibilities

1. Define the long-term Vehicle Platform Strategy, including new model introductions, variants, and mid-cycle refreshes(Indie, and future models)
2. Conduct deep-dive Competitive Benchmarking against domestic and international EV/ICE players to ensure River maintains a "moat" in utility and performance
3. Develop a multi-year roadmap that balances hardware evolution with software-enabled features (SOTA/FOTA)
4. Establish pricing and positioning frameworks to ensure portfolio profitability and brand coherence
5. Define the value proposition for different vehicle trims, ensuring clear differentiation in pricing and feature sets
6. New Product Development (NPD), Drive the end-to-end lifecycle: Concept → Design → Prototype → Validation → Production → Launch
7. Draft comprehensive Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) covering Performance(Range, Acceleration, Top Speed, Gradeability, and Thermal Management), Safety, Reliability, Homologation, HMI, Connectivity, Charging experience, etc
8. Lead the Gated Development Process, with detailed reviews against L0/PRD to ensure Vehicle requirements are met
9. Coordinate with Design, R&D, Sourcing, Service, and Quality teams along with the Program team to ensure vehicles meet functional and aesthetic standards
10. Oversee vehicle testing for durability, safety, and performance in real-world conditions with CFT
11. Define GTM strategies along with Product Strategies, Sales, Marketing and Cross functional teams
12. Serve as the single point of accountability connecting tech and non-tech teams
13. Track project metrics: Monthly sales, sales variations, Time-to-Market, Cost variance, Quality index, and Conversion rate
14. Lead the "Trade-off" discussions: making data-backed decisions when cost, weight, or timelines conflict with ideal product features
15. Customer Experience & Insights, Deeply understand customer needs, usage patterns, and pain points across different personas
16. Partner with CX, Service, and Sales teams to capture field data and drive continuous improvement
17. Drive accessories integration into the digital ecosystem (River App, dealership configurator, e-commerce store)
18. Own the BOM (Bill of Materials) Cost Targets; work with Sourcing to achieve target margins without compromising product integrity
19. Develop the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model to communicate value to the end customer
20. Analyze market trends to set competitive MSRPs (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) and financing-friendly product structures
21. Own the P&L for the Accessories Vertical – including cost optimization, revenue targets, and margin management
22. Monitor warranty trends and "Warranty cost per Vehicle" metrics to protect long-term P&L
23. Lifecycle Management (Cradle to Grave), Manage the Product Phase-out and Transition strategy to prevent inventory pile-up of older models during new launches
24. Define the Software Update Roadmap (OTA strategy) to keep "In-Market" vehicles feeling fresh and high-performing
25. Monitor global supply chain shifts or regulatory changes that may require mid-life engineering changes (ECN)
26. Develop feedback loops from service centers and customers to plan Next Gen iterations

Ideal Candidate

1. Strong understanding of product lifecycle management and accessories ecosystem (automotive, lifestyle, & consumer electronics)
2. Excellent analytical, and people skills. Proficiency in using market data, telemetry, and financial modeling to justify product pivots
3. Customer-first mindset with ability to translate insights into tangible product decisions
4. Financial literacy (pricing, P&L, ROI, payback analysis)
5. Hands-on experience working with design, engineering, quality, and manufacturing teams
6. Proficiency in documentation (PRD, Business Case, Specification Sheets) and digital tools (Excel, Sheets, Power BI, etc)
7. Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or MBA Postgraduate in Product/Business Management preferred
8. 8 to 10 years of experience in Product Management, with at least 3 years specifically in the Automotive or EV space
9. Proven track record of taking a complex hardware product from concept to commercial launch