R&D Transformation Lead

Nokia; Chennai District; Hybrid; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid work

Health insurance

Maternity and paternity leave

Career growth and mentoring

Job summary

Nokia India in Chennai is seeking a Vendor, Org & AI Transformation Specialist to guide how the R&D organisation collaborates with external partners and builds internal capability, including AI-driven ways of working.

You will manage governance, pilot GenAI tools, drive performance metrics, and ensure quality throughout hardware and software programs in a collaborative, hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• 10–14 years in R&D or engineering program management.
• Experience with hardware/embedded subcontractor DAC, BOM/AVL, DER, ECR/ECO.
• Proven GenAI tool adoption with measurable outcomes.
• Ability to coordinate across engineering, HR, IT & procurement.

Responsibilities

• Manage weekly and monthly R&D operating cadence, including program reviews, SOP standards, DACs, and payment schedules.
• Conduct technical audits and deliverable reviews for subcontractor engagements; track KPIs and manage CAPs.
• Oversee the R&D governance calendar with data-driven discussions.
• Identify, pilot, and scale AI tools within R&D teams.
• Triage escalations and coordinate resolution with engineering.
• Facilitate day-to-day Agile execution; monitor delivery KPIs and drive improvements.
• Drive quality metrics and adherence to engineering quality gates.
• Conduct root cause analysis and foster communities of practice.

Skills

R&D program management

AI tool adoption

Subcontractor management

Agile execution

Cross-functional collaboration

Org design

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

Copilot

GitHub Copilot

Job description

Job Description

This role owns the two biggest levers for how the R&D organisation evolves: who it works with externally and how it builds capability internally — including the adoption of AI-driven ways of working. The Vendor, Org & AI Transformation Specialist ensures subcontractor quality does not become a delivery liability, that the organisation is structured and skilled for what is ahead, and that AI tools are embedded into engineering workflows in a disciplined, measurable way.

Job Description

This role owns the two biggest levers for how the R&D organisation evolves: who it works with externally and how it builds capability internally — including the adoption of AI-driven ways of working. The Vendor, Org & AI Transformation Specialist ensures subcontractor quality does not become a delivery liability, that the organisation is structured and skilled for what is ahead, and that AI tools are embedded into engineering workflows in a disciplined, measurable way.

How You Will Contribute And What You Will Learn

• Manage weekly and monthly R&D operating cadence, including program reviews, S OW standards, Deliverable Acceptance Checklists (DAC — SW and HW categories), and Payment Gate Schedules .
• Conduct technical audits and deliverable reviews for subcontractor engagements across SW, HW, and systems categories. Track vendor performance KPIs; manage underperformance with structured Corrective Action Plans (CAPs)
• Oversee the R&D governance calendar, ensuring timely and data-driven discussions occur.
• Identify, pilot, and scale AI tools (Copilot, generative AI assistants, automated test generation, AI-assisted code review) within R&D teams
• Triage escalations by identifying blockers early and coordinating resolution efforts with engineering teams.
• Facilitate day-to-day Agile execution, including Sprint Planning, SCRUM, and retrospectives. Define and monitor delivery KPIs, identifying bottlenecks and implementing process improvements.
• Drive quality metrics monitoring and ensure adherence to engineering quality gates throughout the product lifecycle.
• Conduct root cause analysis on quality issues and foster communities of practice around engineering excellence.

Key Skills And Experience

Must-Have:

• Engineering or Masters in engineering with 10–14 years in R&D, engineering program management, or technical operations
• Direct experience in managing hardware/embedded subcontractor engagements DAC, BOM/AVL, DER, ECR/ECO in a hardware-software context
• Demonstrated experience driving AI or Gen AI tool adoption in an engineering organization — structured rollout with measurable outcomes, not just awareness.
• Comfortable working across engineering, HR, IT, and procurement stakeholders
• Proficient in org and people processes — headcount planning, competency frameworks, onboarding design
• Experience with Microsoft Copilot, GitHub Copilot, or equivalent GenAI tools in an engineering context

Nice-To-Have:

• Familiarity with Nokia or comparable OEM engineering processes
• Background in organizational design or HR business partnering. Exposure to Nokia BBD or Fixed Networks program structures

About The Team

Some of our benefits in India:

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements to support work–life balance
• Health and well-being support – medical insurance for you and your family, health check-ups, life and accident insurance, well-being programs, and employee resource groups
• A minimum of 90 days of Maternity and Paternity Leave based on eligibility
• Personal Support Service 24/7 – a confidential support channel open to all Nokia employees and their families in challenging situations
• Career growth & mobility – technical career paths, job rotations, international assignments, and relocation support
• Continuous learning – technical certifications, mentoring programs, coaching, and digital learning platforms
• Opportunities to innovate and contribute through Nokia’s research and development environment
• Recognition programs that celebrate outstanding contributions
• Workplace support – ergonomic working support and mobile device programs based on eligibility