SASA - IND - Product Engineer (New Business)

One brand, many companies, and many, many people – that’s us in a nutshell. Spread all over the world, we have a passion for home furnishing and an inspiring shared vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. This, together with our straightforward business idea, shared values, and a culture based on the spirit of togetherness, guides us in everything we do.

To offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low, that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. To meet the needs of our customers we have a unique business model and value chain. It includes product development, design, supply, manufacture and sales. And of course, it starts and ends with our customers.

PURPOSE OF FUNCTION:

Lead and collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive the innovation, development, and implementation of high-quality materials that meet product specifications and customer expectations while focusing on process improvements that increase manufacturing efficiency and reduce waste.

PURPOSE OF JOB:

Lead the implementation of new products, moving products and improvement of existing products based on product documentation. Ensure the suppliers meet the requirements and tolerances required, secure quality and are compliance to all requirements.

• Product Development – News, Moves, Improves: 

• Lead from a Category perspective and secure scalability for further implementation at other suppliers 
• Communicate changes and progress to relevant parties. 

• Assess Product and Production risk assessments.
• Participate in Engineering Readiness Meetings (ERM) 
• Ensure clear product documentation with CTQs. 
• Approve product and packaging tests before progressing to the next phase. 
• Support Production Engineer during startup. 

• Manage Quality Compliance: 

• Participate in development of specs incl IOS MAT 
• Ensure approved product documentation meet all requirements.

• Lead product improves and act on deviations (such as safety or quality alarms) requiring product adaptation. 
• Improving selected suppliers’ development capabilities by assessing and guiding gap closing 

• Stakeholder management - establish network with IoS, ICOMP, Business Teams and Development Suppliers.

KNOWLEDGE:

• Very good understanding of Democratic design and customer needs and expectations regarding function, customer friendliness and products critical to quality (CTQ)
• Very good understanding of Democratic Design and customer needs and expectations regarding function, customer friendliness.
• Very good knowledge about DPOP and WoW in the Range Area
• Very good knowledge of the product requirements, standards and test methods to verify requirements of products.
• Good knowledge of materials' properties and construction and its impact on cost and sustainability
• Good knowledge of production processes and technologies
• Good knowledge in Solid works, PDOC and IKEA specifications
• Understanding of IKEA Strategic Landscape, especially IKEA Purchasing Strategy, IKEA Business model and IKEA Business Model for growth and key processes (e.g. PDP, SDP, DPOP) and IKEA Purchasing Manual
• Understanding of relevant Category Plans and Total Cost

MOTIVATION:

• Strong motivation to work in team, lead through engaging and coaching people.
• Result oriented, high energy and self-driven way of working to deliver better products by involvement of right stakeholders at IKEA & Suppliers.
• Sense of urgency and a never compromise attitude towards quality.
• Eager to actively search for information and continuously learn from good examples and mistakes and share experiences.
• Interest and drive to build trust and partnership to reach common goals.

CAPABILITIES:

• Capability of project leadership and its key element as scope, time, plan, stake holder and change management
• Capability to work and align cross business teams, optimize, anchor and deliver products impacting many suppliers and regions.
• Process oriented with good analytical and structured approach.
• Capability to act in reality and follow up to secure proper and consistent implementation.
• Ability to make decisions and solve problems with a holistic view; always act with the customer, supplier and total IKEA in mind.
• Good communication skills in English both written and verbal

Key previous experience and skills needed before the job can be taken up:

• Experience in product development and implementation of product specifications in production environment.
• Experience of relevant production technologies and materials and working with Production & Product Risk Assessment (FMEA).
• Understanding of customers' needs and expectations towards the key and secondary functions of different products (e.g. safety, durability, ergonomics etc.).
• Has a good balance between overall/holistic view and details.
• Ability to understand standards and share and live IKEA values.
• Core experience of minimum 5 years.
• Experience in hard goods - mix materials, glass, wood, ceramics

       External candidate

• Experienced in product development and industrialization of products.
• Knowledge about Total Quality Management
• University degree in Engineering or corresponding
• Good knowledge about continuous improvement
• Project leadership experience
• Ability to work with and through others.
• Experience to work in a process-oriented environment.
• Knowledge about Solid Works, Product construction, testing and documentation.

      Internal candidate

• Track record of delivering excellent results in previous position
• Understanding of IKEA business model and total cost approach in IKEA
• Knowledge of IKEA value chain
• Knowledge of IKEA relevant processes (e.g. DPOP, SDP, PDP)
• Experience in leadership and cooperating in teams.
• experience of leading projects
• Good understanding of purchasing teams and suppliers daily operational activities
• Experience from IoS product development or Product Requirement and compliance PR&C

This position is based in Bangalore, India and you will report to the Business Development Manager at SASA.

Extensive travelling is a part of the assignment since we work closely with our suppliers. 

Sounds interesting?

Please send us your application – CV and letter of motivation. We really want to get to know you, so make sure you tell us why you would be a good fit for this role. Please note that the selection process will take place continuously, which means that we may close the application process earlier than stated if we find the right candidate. So don’t delay, please send us your application as soon as possible.

Please note that we don’t accept application through email. All applications must be submitted through SmartRecruiters system.  Please apply before May 27 ,2025.

If you have questions related to recruitment, please write to Recruitment India.

Please note that Inter-IKEA co-workers will be prioritised in this recruitment.

We are an equal opportunity employer:
At IKEA, we value diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We are committed to providing coworkers with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We encourage individualism and invite you to come join our team and be yourself with us! We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristic protected by law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need.