Executive team leader, Validation and Quality Assurance champion with 15 years of experience in New product development, Complete Vehicle Testing, Design verification, Product strategy, Advance product verification techniques and Prototype development & Validation in world's leading automobile companies dealing with 2,3 & 4-wheeler vehicles. Ability to lead and drive projects, developing new control strategies, modifying vehicle designs, simulating, interfacing with diversified global cross-functional teams. Achievement oriented with excellent team management skills. Process-driven and compliance-oriented.Looking for management position in a leading organization where I can contribute business value by executing and developing a strategic and long-term vision while leading the centre to achieve measurable business results and growth.

Key Skills

Management | New Product Development
Vehicle level validation
Design | Engineering | Budgeting
DVP | Durability fleet lead
Homologation | Prototyping
Quality Management | TPM
Conflict management | Team management
Infrastructure set up
Risk Assessments | Benchmarking

Professional Experience

Apr 2009
Present
Manager
Bajaj Auto Ltd Pune, IN
Bajaj Auto is a leading manufacturer of motorcycles and three-wheelers in India. It manufactures motorcycles, scooters and auto rickshaws
Leading a team of 15 engineers, 5 staff members along with facility development team to manage vehicle performance, durability, vehicle dynamics, Prototype build, DMU & ergo checks, completing projects to a high standard within deadlines.

Key Result Areas 
Vehicle Build, Validation, DVP and Project review
  • Overall responsible for testing and Validation activities from concept to product finalization. 
  • DVP preparation and DVP reviews at each stage conducting review meeting with all stakeholders and ensuring technical assistance to improve system performance, capacity, reliability & scalability
  • Conduct daily reviews with sourcing manufacturing and vehicle integration teams for overall Project status & Risk assessment, closure of issue observed during validation.
  • Preparing and managing project plans both at the day to day level and longer term planning/scheduling. 
  • Coordinate for vehicle & component level homologation requirements by ensuring timeline.
  • Coordinating with product strategy, CAE & design teams to zero in upon vehicle features based on customer requirements, latest demands, benchmarks & manufacturing feasibility, refining design to meet target requirements, validating them and giving clearance for SOP.
  • Performing objective & subjective trials & tests (more than 200 in number) on 2,3-wheeler & 4-wheeler vehicles, assessing risk, bench marking activities, analyzing validation gaps, coordinating tear-down activities, identifying root causes and implementing solutions to ensure adherence to design & certification requirements. 
  • Conduct project review with cross functional divisions (Design, CQA, Service,Manufacturing & Project management teams). 
  • Coordinated field quality assessments with design, QA and service teams, refining designs with simulated field failures & root cause analysis, verifying them through Gate Reviews & Risk Assessment with senior management team, prototyping and signing off vehicles fit for production after all design refinements & validation. 
  • Conduct VAVE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) to innovate alternate sources and cost-saving projects. 
  • Media ride events, Show vehicle development for top management

Team Management -
  • Nurtured young engineers for development and validation testing. 
  • Daily stand up meeting and Yearly target setting for team. Half yearly appraisal and feedback session for improvement and target status.
  • Providing necessary training to enhance skill and knowledge.
  • TPM in shop floor,  JH & SHE as primary focused area.
  • Team motivation and recognition sessions.

Department Budget functions -
  • Keeping track of department expenses and ensuring validation function within budget. Ensuring rider contracts, Project cost running & miscellaneous items under control.
  • Preparing annual budgets for Capex & Revenue of product development infrastructure, procuring sensors, DAQ, tools, rigs, gears & other equipment.
  • Develop in house facility in terms of in house manpower skill enhancement, concept finalization of lab, Dynos, rigs, data logger, sensors & Shop floor set up.
  •  Coordinating with supplier networks across the globe to procure testing equipment, conducting technical discussions and negotiating cost. 
Aug 2006
Sep 2008
Assistant Manager
Mahindra & Mahindra Chennai, IN
Mahindra & Mahindra limited is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturing in CV, SUV, MPV & many segments


Key Result Areas:
  • Leading Performance, Benchmarking & tear down for project target setting.
  • Power train performance, Coast down test & brakes test conducted on various benchmark models.
  • DFMEA & DVP management for project. Stage wise test planning & development
  • 2 months at dealer end for improving sales and service rating.

Major project undertaken :
XUV500

Education

Oct 2021
Mar 2022
Project Management in IIT Delhi
IIT Delhi
Jun 2003
Jun 2006
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical in LTCOE
Mumbai University
Jun 1999
Jun 2003
Diploma in Mechanical in Shri Bhagubhai Mafatlal Polytechnic
Mumbai University

Certifications

2018
Advance vehicle riding & Dynamics for 4W & 2W
Applus IDIADA
2020
Data analysis using excel
Coursera
2020
Programming for everybody - Python
Coursera
2020
Writing skills for Engineers leaders
Coursera

Achievements

2016
India's 1st Quadri cycle validation & development
Successfully completed Product development from Mule to SOP - DVP, Build & Validation
Ensuring zero failure at SOP
Vehicle performance & dynamics validation & achieving best in class with design changes and cost effective proposal

2017
Highest grade for exceptional performance in Bajaj
Awarded highest grade of performance in 2012 & 2017
Received best Kaizen Award from MD (Mr. Rajiv Bajaj) in year 2011
2019
Development of 3W EV and other commercial vehicles
Product validation, Test set up, Field failure simulation, DVP preparation and ensuring complete validation (Performance/Durability/Ergo) at each development stage.

Hobbies & Interests

  • Cross Fit
  • Traveling
  • Automobiles
  • Reading Books
  • Sports

Languages

English
(Fluent)
Hindi
(Fluent)
Gujarati
(Native)
Marathi
(Fluent)

Career Aspiration

Looking for management position in a leading organization where I can contribute business value by executing and developing a strategic and long-term vision while leading the centre to achieve measurable business results and growth.

Get in touch with Nevil