R&D Director (Electronics)

Our client is an automotive supplier and partner to automakers worldwide. They design innovative solutions for as a full vehicle system supplier.

An opportunity has come up to take on the R&D Director role. These positions do not open very often.

Overview:
Manage all R&D technical activities
Provide customer interface and technical development plan contribution
 

Responsibilities:
Customer interface and TDP contribution

• Based on customer requirements, contribute to the construction of the TDP(s) around components, products, systems, integrating the technology trends, product road maps, market drivers.
• Manage the customer Intimacy with regular meeting and development contact.
• Support the technical communications and marketing actions (ex.: Demo-cars, multi-medias)

Manage all R&D technical activities:

• Define technical customer strategies
• Optimize the organization of the R&D Teams in his product line
• Build and follow-up on budget
• Identify potential synergies with other product lines (for technology needs for instance)
• Define standardization strategy and ensure development of the standards and their implementation
• Ensure IP protection

Make sure state of the art resources and competences are available:

• With the functional managers ensure availability of the appropriate resources
• With the knowledge manager ensure that tools are available to capitalize and share the know-how
• With the P,M&T manager ensure the standard tools are existing and properly used
• With the Efficiency Manager ensure continuous improvement of the performances

• Engineering Degree: electronics, mechanical
• 15 to 20 year experience in R&D development activities
• At least 10 years in a management role
• Extensive JOEM customer interface experience
• Team leadership ability; resource, mentor and coach
• Native level Japanese language skills
• Fluent English skills