Vetrivel Kanagaraj
Saint Joseph,MI
Summary
LEADER,
L - Listener (Enables "Servant Leadership")
E - Empathy
A - Approachable/Down to Earth (Enables "Collaboration")
D - Decision Making
E - Ensure Employee Engagement (Helps to overcome "Resistance to Change")
R - Results/Resolving Issues/Recognition
Results-focused Engineering Leader with strengths in team leadership, Strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. Proactive leader with 21 years of experience, and expertise in planning, communication, and collaboration. Proficient in leveraging Engineering and Program/Project management knowledge to promote product delivery from concept to launch. Adept at managing concurrent objectives to promote efficiency and influence positive outcomes. successful at working with all disciplines to accomplish project objectives
Global experience in cross-functional integration, breaking barriers to ensure New Product Development programs from Charter to Launch pertaining to Appliance, Automobile, and Power tool industries
Technical leader with strong Engineering & Manufacturing background, Strategic thought process, and interpersonal skills made me lead cross-functional teams regionally and globally to ensure project/program delivery
Successfully led 8 massive global product development programs as well as engineering deployments in last 13 years
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Principal Program Manager
GE Appliances
Louisville, KY
08.2021 - Current
- Directed RV Refrigeration & Water filter programs to meet Scope cost, schedule and quality targets.
- Collaborated with cross functional groups to support and lead product introduction activities.
- Spearheaded NPI & Cost/Quality programs while serving as primary contact for client.
- Leveraged job-specific knowledge and abilities to identify solutions to issues and diminish conflicts.
- Oversaw program management for RV Refrigeration and coordinated requirements, scheduling and execution.
- Coached, mentored and trained personnel to create positive working environment.
- Reported program statuses to facilitate delivery schedules and manage bottlenecks.
- Identified and assessed risks and deployed proactive mitigation plans that met budgetary parameters and resolved critical issues.
- Managed communications with internal and external stakeholders.
- Led teams of up to 25 in matrix organization, delivering continuous mentoring and coaching in job activities.
Engineering Program Manager
Whirlpool Corporation World Headquarters
Saint Joseph, MI
08.2015 - 07.2021
- Laundry - Top and Front load washers I Cooking - Induction cooktops I Gladiator & licensing - Garage products like Refrigerators/Freezers/Coolers, Cabinets, Work benches, Rack Shelving, Kits, Wall systems and Mod tops
- Recognized as Program Management subject matter expert and contributed to strategic company plans.
- Generated concept designs, collaborated with customers to gain feedback and directed entire design process.
- Led system conversion from Conception to Product delivery
- Organized data and modeled information for use in key decision-making.
- Completed over 5 programs and multiple small projects and successfully driving future business opportunities.
- Facilitated continuous improvement initiatives with successful changes affecting all areas of operations/functions
- Assessed task completion to meet all project deadlines.
- Encouraged team collaboration and motivated individual employees through positive reinforcement and technical recognition.
- Streamlined and automated internal processes to improve overall workflows.
- Managed communications with internal and external stakeholders.
- Designed and implemented engineering projects that exceeded client expectations and bolstered revenue opportunities.
- Led teams of up to 20, delivering continuous mentoring and coaching in job activities.
- Oversaw project capital budgets ranging from $2M to $3.5M
- Collaborated with product development managers and Architecture leaders to assess project technical requirements.
Engineering Program Manager
Whirlpool India
Pondicherry, Pondicherry
05.2011 - 07.2015
- Laundry - Top and Front load washers development program for India, Australia and South East Asia
- Recognized as Program Management subject matter expert and delivered programs and projects in matrix based organization
- Led system conversion from Conception to Product delivery
- Collaborated with product development managers and Architecture leaders to assess project technical requirements.
- Led teams of up to 20, delivering continuous mentoring and coaching in job activities.
- Oversaw project capital budgets upto $2M
Team Lead
Robert Bosch
Coimbatore, India, India
07.2008 - 04.2011
- Coordinated project team in design and development of Built in ovens, Power tools, Steering system and Refrigerators for European market
- Identified and implemented most efficient and acceptable resolutions to complex engineering problems
- Maintained timely and accurate oral and written technical reports of engineering activities
- Devised and initiated engineering solutions to variety of project and design issues.
- Supervised team of project architects and CADD technicians throughout entire project.
- Monitored design processes from conceptual phase through production
Senior Engineer
Whirlpool Corporation
Pune, Maharastra
08.2004 - 07.2008
- Design and Development of Built-In Ovens and Cooktops for European market with the Responsibility from concept development to design release.
- Also contributed to business by managing Value analysis and Value engineering deliverables for Built-In Ovens and Cooktop category
- Devised and initiated engineering solutions to variety of project and design issues.
- Developed project objectives by conferring with staff, identifying project phases and studying standards and requirements.
Engineer
Pricol
Coimbatore, India
07.2002 - 07.2004
- Instruments Clusters for UK,As a product development engineer for Speedometers & Clusters for Automotive heavy vehicles had a opportunity to work through the product development lifecycle from concept to product delivery
- As a Engineer had an opportunity to enrich my skills in plastic and sheet metal design.
- Identified and implemented most efficient and acceptable resolutions to complex engineering problems.
- Researched and analyzed customer design proposals, specifications, manuals and other data.
- Devised and initiated engineering solutions to variety of project and design issues.
Education
Executive Education - Digital Transformation
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA05.2022
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A) - Financial management
2010
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical
2002
Skills
- Program/Project management (PMP, DASSM & DASM- Agile and Scrum)
- NPI/Product development - Stage gate process
- Global Experience
- Lean Six Sigma
- System Design/Engineering
- People/Team management (Matrix and projectized organization)
- Planning/Prioritization and coordination
- Process embedment and adherence
- Driving strategic initiatives
- Product commercialization
- Budget coordination (Capital and Expense management)
- Innovation and Value Engineering
- Stake holder/Communication & Risk Management
Accomplishments
- Ensured for product development through design reviews involving DFMEA,DVPR, PLM,ANDON,Verification & Validation,Design for safety
- Tooling Reviews has been ensured adhering to DFM/DFA & GD&T
- Design validation using Six Sigma approach, T-Stacks using Cetol, Structural and Packaging validations using Ansys Tools
- Program/Project Management using tools like PPM, MS project & Smartsheet
- Communication + Collaboration: Google workspace
- Product Design and Development - Windchill, Creo.
Additional Information
- Status - Permanent Resident(Green Card Holder)
Certification
- PMP / Scrum Advanced / Agile Project management /Six Sigma Green Belt / System Engineering Principles / Fundamentals of IoT Connected Appliances
- DASSM(Disciplined agile senior scrum master), Values Based Leadership
Timeline
Principal Program Manager
GE Appliances
08.2021 - Current
Engineering Program Manager
Whirlpool Corporation World Headquarters
08.2015 - 07.2021
Engineering Program Manager
Whirlpool India
05.2011 - 07.2015
Team Lead
Robert Bosch
07.2008 - 04.2011
Senior Engineer
Whirlpool Corporation
08.2004 - 07.2008
Engineer
Pricol
07.2002 - 07.2004
Executive Education - Digital Transformation
University of California, Berkeley
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A) - Financial management
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical
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