Job Description

Designation:

MANAGER

Location:

India UTTAR PRADESH Noida

Group:

DS Group

Entity:

Dharampal Satyapal Foods Limited

SBU:

DS FOODS

Department:

PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Function:

COORDINATION

:

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: R&D Project Management Office (PMO) Lead

Position Title

R&D Project Management Office (PMO) Lead

Reporting Line

Reports to the Vice President of Research & Development

Position Summary

The R&D Project Management Office (PMO) Lead is a strategic partner to the R&D leadership team, responsible for establishing and managing a collaborative PMO that balances agile innovation with disciplined execution. This role is pivotal in driving the operational excellence of the entire R&D pipeline, from ideation to launch. The PMO Lead will architect and implement best-in-class frameworks for portfolio management, data-driven prioritization, proactive risk mitigation, and continuous process improvement (innovation debottlenecking).

Key Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the R&D PMO Lead are organized under the four core mandates of the office:

1. Project & Pipeline Management

Lead end-to-end project governance across the R&D portfolio. Track, monitor, and report progress of multiple innovation projects, ensuring timely delivery and quality outcomes. Maintain an integrated view of all projects within the R&D pipeline including stage-gate reviews.

2. Project Prioritization

Establish structured prioritization frameworks to evaluate, score, and rank projects based on business value, feasibility, and strategic fit. Facilitate alignment between cross-functional stakeholders to enable resource allocation to high-impact initiatives. Support R&D leadership in building annual and mid-term innovation roadmaps.

3. Risk Management

Identify key risks across projects (technical, regulatory, timeline, budget, etc.) and implement mitigation plans. Develop standardized risk registers and contingency plans. Proactively escalate critical risks and suggest corrective actions.

4. Innovation Debottlenecking

Serve as a cross-functional enabler to resolve barriers delaying project progression (e.g., regulatory hurdles, supply chain issues, data gaps). Coordinate with internal and external teams (e.g., QA, manufacturing, marketing, regulatory) to ensure timely resolution of dependencies. Implement lean governance processes to accelerate decision-making.

5. Governance & Reporting

Set up and maintain project documentation, dashboards, and performance metrics Drive periodic reviews with project teams and leadership Ensure compliance with internal policies and industry standards

Required Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor's degree in a technical field (e.g., Engineering, Computer Science, Life Sciences) or Business Administration. A minimum of 7-10 years of progressive experience in project or program management, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role within a formal PMO Proven track record of successfully managing a portfolio of complex, cross-functional projects from initiation to completion in a fast-paced environment. Demonstrated experience in establishing and running a PMO, including the development of governance frameworks, processes, and performance metrics

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree (MBA or a technical MS/PhD) is highly preferred. Direct experience working within an R&D organization in a relevant industry Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Professional Scrum Master (PSM), or other Agile certification is a strong plus Formal training or certification in Change Management Experience in financial modeling and building business cases for technical projects

Technical Proficiencies & Methodologies

Expert-level proficiency in modern project and portfolio management (PPM) software and collaboration tools (e.g., JIRA, Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello, Planview) Strong proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Microsoft Excel, Tableau, Power BI) to create insightful dashboards and reports Expertise in risk management techniques and tools Strong analytical, problem-solving, and financial acumen

Skills:

Project Coordination


Project Manaagement