Unnikrishnan R.-Program Manager | Product Development | Manufacturing & Innovation
Check rate
Experience
Senior Project Manager
VAIVA GmbH (VW Group)
Project Leadership:
- Led more than 8 engineering and consulting programs for Volkswagen Group, managing annual budgets of up to €8M per project while delivering strategic objectives on time.
- Directed 10+ agile and hybrid development projects across platform development and process engineering, achieving on-time milestone delivery.
- Managed 6+ engineering partners and Time & Material / Fixed-Price contracts valued at €10M.
- Managed 22+ engineers and annual budgets of €3.5M, achieved more than 90% forecast accuracy, and governed KPIs across 8+ programs.
Strategic Leadership & Business Growth:
- Led CTx governance boards, including SteerCo, ProCo and PMO, driving strategic governance across international engineering programs.
- Implemented ASPICE (STAGES), PMO, OKRs and CRM, strengthening project governance, risk management and operational efficiency.
- Led bid management, proposal development and BCC initiatives, expanding the engineering portfolio and supporting business growth.
Program Manager – ATS AD-System Engineering
ZF Mobility Solutions
Position ended after the successful probation period due to ZF's withdrawal from its autonomous shuttle business and an organizational realignment. Reference letter attached.
Project Leadership:
- Led a cross-functional engineering team responsible for the development of a Level-4 autonomous driving system from concept phase through system integration.
- Managed product reviews, executive steering meetings and strategic alignment with senior management and key stakeholders.
Strategy Development:
- Developed product strategies, technology roadmaps and sourcing strategies for autonomous driving solutions.
- Managed engineering milestones, maturity targets and integration phases throughout the product development lifecycle with OEMs, suppliers and service partners.
Manager, Mobility Electronics – ADAS Team
DENSO Automotive Deutschland GmbH
Earlier Role: Manager HUD Development Team (2012 -2021)
Engineering:
- Technical leadership of 5+ system development and engineering teams for complex automotive electronics programs.
- Responsible for the European development of 10+ Head-Up Display and ADAS sensor systems for global OEM customers.
- Managed system engineering, product development and project execution across the complete development lifecycle from concept to series production.
Strategy Development:
- Coordinated global product roadmaps, technology development and engineering activities across multiple locations.
- Improved and implemented ASPICE-compliant development processes to enhance quality, maturity and engineering efficiency.
Business Development:
- Led 20+ RFQ/RFI proposals and technical customer requests from European OEMs, including estimation, costing and solution definition.
- Managed 15+ vehicle demonstrations, customer workshops and technology presentations supporting strategic business growth.
Master Thesis – Program Management, Automotive Body Electronics
Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
Senior Hardware Engineer
Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions
- Developed Electronic Control Unit (ECU) hardware for engine management and hydraulic control systems (Daimler, Rexroth, CNH, Linde-MH).
Industry experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.
Experienced in Automotive and Manufacturing.
Business area experience
See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.
Experienced in Product Development, Project Management, Sales, Strategy, Quality Assurance, and Information Technology.
Summary
Senior Engineering Program Manager with 13+ years of experience leading ADAS, cockpit electronics and autonomous driving programs for Tier-1 suppliers and OEMs including DENSO, ZF and Volkswagen Group. Expertise in cross-functional program leadership, ASPICE-driven development, engineering transformation and strategic customer engagement across global automotive organizations. Proven track record in leading international engineering teams, RFQ acquisition, product strategy and delivery of complex automotive systems from concept to industrialization.
Skills
Leadership
Project Management
Strategic Localization Of R&D And Leveraging Best-Cost Country Capabilities
New Product And Roadmap Development (Npdp)
Technical Sourcing And Manufacturing
Engineering
Adas And Cockpit Engineering
Automotive Series Development
Manufacturing And Industrialisation
Product Qualification: Apqp, Ppap Process
Hardware-In-The-Loop (Hil), Software-In-The-Loop (Sil), Model-In-The-Loop (Mil)
Product Strategy
New Product Development (Pep)
Cost Optimization And Va/Ve
Market & Technology Scouting
Product Management
Standards & Frameworks: Aspice, Autosar, Iso 26262
Project & Requirements Management: Ms Project, Cplace, Confluence, Jira, Ibm Ewm, Doors, Codebeamer, Stages, Pid (Extentra), Power Bi, Ms Office
Engineering & Design: Catia, Siemens Nx, Cae, Apis Iq (Fmea), Zemax Opticstudio, Lighttools, Speos
Languages
Education
Quantic School of Business and Technology
Executive MBA · Product Strategy & Operations
University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer
M.Eng. · Technical Management
Cochin University of Science and Technology
B.Tech. · Electronics Engineering
Certifications & licenses
New Product Development Professional (NPDP)
PDMA
Statistics
Experience
Global experience
Expertise
Qualifications
Frequently asked questions
Have questions? Find more information here.
Unnikrishnan is based in Au in der Hallertau, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.
Unnikrishnan speaks the following languages: Malayalam (Native), German (Advanced), English (Advanced).
Unnikrishnan has at least 17 years of experience. During this time, Unnikrishnan has worked in at least 5 different roles and for 5 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 5 months. Note that Unnikrishnan may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.
Based on recent experience, Unnikrishnan would be well-suited for roles such as: Senior Project Manager, Program Manager – ATS AD-System Engineering, Manager, Mobility Electronics – ADAS Team.
Unnikrishnan's most recent position is Senior Project Manager at VAIVA GmbH (VW Group).
In recent years, Unnikrishnan has worked for VAIVA GmbH (VW Group), ZF Mobility Solutions, and DENSO Automotive Deutschland GmbH.
Unnikrishnan is most experienced in industries like Automotive and Manufacturing.
Unnikrishnan is most experienced in business areas like Product Development, Project Management, and Sales. Unnikrishnan also has some experience in Strategy, Quality Assurance, and Information Technology.
Unnikrishnan has recently worked in industries like Automotive and Manufacturing.
Unnikrishnan has recently worked in business areas like Product Development, Project Management, and Sales.
Unnikrishnan holds a Master in Product Strategy & Operations from Quantic School of Business and Technology, a Master in Technical Management from University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer and a Bachelor in Electronics Engineering from Cochin University of Science and Technology.
Unnikrishnan has 4 certificates. Among them, these include: New Product Development Professional (NPDP), Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE) Foundation Level.
Unnikrishnan is immediately available part-time for suitable projects.
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Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 6 Nov 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
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