R&D Operations Lead

This role owns the operational heartbeat and quality backbone of R&D. The Delivery, Operations & Quality Specialist ensures that engineering teams deliver predictably through a disciplined operating cadence, scaled Agile execution, and a robust quality measurement system. The single person that leadership looks to when asking: are we on track, and are we building it right?

• Lead weekly and monthly R&D operating cadence, coordinating program reviews and action tracking.
• Create and maintain leadership dashboards for delivery status, capacity utilization, and quality metrics.
• Manage the R&D governance calendar to ensure timely discussions with relevant data.
• Proactively identify and escalate blockers, ensuring timely resolution and communication with engineering leads.
• Facilitate day-to-day Agile practices, including sprint planning, SCRUM meetings, and process audits. Define, baseline, and track delivery KPIs — DORA metrics, sprint velocity, ECR-to-ECO cycle time.
• Define and track key delivery KPIs, driving improvement initiatives in collaboration with engineering teams.
• Oversee R&D quality metrics and ensure proper quality gates throughout the product lifecycle.
• Conduct root cause analysis on quality issues and lead corrective action processes to enhance product quality.

Must-Have:

• Engineering or Masters in engineering with 10–14 years of experience in R&D, engineering program management, or technical operations
• Hands-on LeSS experience with Agile methodologies, including Sprint Planning, SCRUM, and retrospectives
• Quality engineering background with metrics such as DVT, DER, FTAR, FBPR, ECR/ECO in a hardware-software context
• Familiarity with Nokia or comparable OEM engineering processes
• Proficient in metrics analysis and dashboard creation (Jira, Power BI, or equivalent)
• Metrics-fluent: DORA, cycle time, escape rate — comfortable building dashboards (Jira, Power BI, or equivalent).
• Experience facilitating cross-functional engineering governance reviews
• Experience in telecom, networking, or embedded systems

Nice-To-Have:

• SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) or equivalent certification
• Ability to effectively present to senior R&D leadership