Team Lead Application Innovation, Design and User Research

Job Description

Job Title: Team Lead – Application Innovation Design and User Research

Company: Saint Gobain Research India
Position Type: Full-time
Location: Chennai India

Objective of the Position

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic Team Lead to join our Design and User Research team at SGRI. This role involves leading a team of product designers and user researchers to drive innovative design solutions and consumer insights that align with our business goals. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in both product design and user research with proven leadership skills to guide and inspire the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership and Team Management: Lead and mentor a team of product designers and user researchers fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
• Strategic Planning: Develop and implement strategic plans for design and user research initiatives ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Project Management: Oversee multiple design and research projects ensuring timely delivery and high-quality outcomes.
• Budget Management: Manage the budget for the design and user research team ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
• User Research: Conduct and oversee qualitative and quantitative user research to gather insights and inform product design decisions.
• Product Design: Lead the design process from concept to final product ensuring user-centric design principles are applied.
• Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams including product managers engineers and marketing to integrate design and research insights into product development.
• Stakeholder Communication: Present research findings and design recommendations to senior management and business leaders.
• Global Representation: Represent the design and user research team in global forums and conferences showcasing the team's work and achievements.
• Innovation: Stay current with emerging design and research methodologies and technologies and apply them to enhance team capabilities.
• External Collaboration: Build and maintain collaborations with external partners academic institutions and industry experts to stay at the forefront of design and research trends.
• Roadmap Development: Develop a forward-looking roadmap for the team focusing on building competencies and driving continuous improvement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Project Delivery: Timely completion of design and research projects with high-quality outcomes.
• Budget Adherence: Efficient management of the team's budget staying within allocated resources.
• Innovation Metrics: Number of innovative solutions and methodologies implemented by the team.
• Stakeholder Satisfaction: Positive feedback from internal and external stakeholders on the team's contributions.
• Collaboration Success: Successful partnerships and collaborations with external entities.
• Team Development: Growth and development of team members' skills and competencies.
• Global Impact: Recognition and impact of the team's work in global forums and conferences.

Qualifications

• Education: Master’s Degree in Design ( ) or equivalent postgraduate degree in Design plus a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering Architecture or Electronics.
• Experience: 12 years experience (with PG) or 6 years experience (with PhD) in Product Design and User Research with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Skills:

• • Strong interpersonal skills and team player (Ideal if one handled team (10 or more) in his/her previous role).
  • Should have great observational skills and user empathy.
  • Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
  • Expertise in design thinking and user-center design processes.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills.
  • Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects.
  • Knowledge of Product Design Manufacturing knowledge prototyping tools and hands on experience in CAD software (e.g. SolidWorks Rhino Keyshot).
  • Budget management and project management skills.
  • Ability to represent the team in global forums and build external collaborations.

Key Accountabilities

• Innovative Design Solutions: Develop and lead the creation of innovative design solutions that address both business and technical goals.
• User-Centric Approach: Advocate for user requirements in product design ensuring human-centricity is at the core of all design initiatives.
• Research Integration: Integrate user research findings into the design process to create products that meet user needs and preferences.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build strong working relationships with multiple business units to support and facilitate design-related activities.
• Mentorship: Provide guidance and support to team members fostering their professional growth and development.
• Roadmap and Competency Building: Develop a strategic roadmap for the team focusing on building competencies and driving continuous improvement.