A leading global consulting firm is supporting a consumer electricals manufacturer on a margin improvement programme spanning direct materials, manufacturing and indirect costs. The client manufactures and sources fans, water heaters, lighting and other household appliances, working with both in-house facilities and contract manufacturers.

As part of the Design to Value (DTV) workstream, the consultant will identify and implement product-level cost optimisation opportunities across priority SKUs. Working closely with R&D, quality, sourcing and manufacturing teams, the consultant will translate teardown insights and cost benchmarks into practical engineering changes that improve margins without compromising product performance, quality or regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct product teardowns of client and competitor SKUs alongside the teardown partner, developing component-level Bills of Materials (BOMs), specifications and cost benchmarks.
• Build should-cost models for key components, including motors, blades, castings, sheet metal, PCBs, LED drivers, moulded plastics and packaging.
• Identify and evaluate DTV opportunities through material substitution, specification rationalisation, component and platform standardisation, and packaging optimisation.
• Collaborate with R&D, quality and sourcing teams to assess feasibility and ensure proposed changes meet BEE, BIS and product reliability requirements.
• Support supplier discussions, prototype samples and manufacturing trials, tracking initiatives from validation and sign-off through implementation.
• Work hands-on with plant teams and R&D labs, maintaining cost models and tracking realised savings through the programme value tracker.

Your Background

• Experience: 5–8 years in product design, R&D, value engineering (VAVE) or cost engineering within consumer durables, FMEG or appliance OEM/ODM environments.
• Industry exposure: Hands-on experience with fans, water heaters, lighting, kitchen appliances, air coolers or related consumer electrical products; experience with leading consumer durables companies is preferred.
• Technical expertise: Practical knowledge of motors, sheet metal fabrication, die-casting, injection moulding and power electronics, including LED drivers and BLDC controllers.
• Core skills: Demonstrated experience in product teardowns, BOM costing, should-cost modelling and identifying product cost reduction opportunities.
• Implementation experience: A track record of taking DTV/VAVE initiatives beyond ideation through validation and implementation.
• Tools and qualifications: Strong Excel-based cost modelling skills, with the ability to read engineering drawings preferred. A bachelor's or master's degree in mechanical, electrical or electronics engineering is required.
• Working style: Comfortable collaborating cross-functionally and working hands-on in manufacturing plants and R&D environments.

Other Info

• Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, with visits to nearby client manufacturing plants as required
• Work arrangement: On-site and hands-on, with regular plant and R&D lab visits
• Contract Duration: 10 months