VP CDC R/D and Innovation

Role Purpose

Lead and transform the China Design Center into a strategic engine for China localization, China‑ innovation, and sustained engineering excellence. Build an independent yet globally aligned organization that delivers fast, compliant, and market‑relevant product adaptations and innovations across the full product development and product life cycle from early concept definition through industrialization, launch, and continuous improvement. Align closely with manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement to optimize speed, cost, and quality. Ensure strong collaboration with Verticals /Value Streams and China business leadership.

Act as the content leader for China product development and innovation by translating customer needs, market insights, technology trends, and business priorities into product concepts, engineering solutions, and differentiated offerings. Strengthen the China Design Center as an end-to-end development and innovation hub, from early idea generation through development, industrialization, launch, and lifecycle optimization.

Key Responsibilities

1. China Localization & Innovation

· Drive end‑to‑end localization of global products for China, including engineering, testing, and regulatory alignment from market requirement definition through development, validation, launch, and post-market improvements.

· Lead China‑ innovation aligned with Verticals, local market needs, government priorities, and the 5‑year‑plan.

· Establish independent decision‑making while maintaining alignment with Value Streams and Verticals.

· Establish management framework with local external partners to ensure China goals met.

· Own the technical content development of China product innovations, including identifying, prioritizing, and driving China-specific innovations and smaller-scale product enhancements that address local customer needs and market opportunities.

· Translate China market requirements, customer insights, and unmet needs into actionable product concepts and engineering priorities.

· Build and leverage external innovation ecosystems, including technology partners, digital solution providers, universities, research institutions, and other strategic partners to accelerate localization and innovation.

· Identify and integrate digital technologies, software capabilities, AI-enabled solutions, and data-driven approaches where they enhance product value, customer experience, and operational performance

2. Sustained Engineering & Life‑Cycle Management

· Lead sustained engineering activities for China, including product updates, cost optimizations, quality improvements, and reliability enhancements.

· Manage life‑cycle management for China‑market products, ensuring compliance, continuity, and timely updates across the product’s lifespan.

· Lead root‑cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives for China‑specific product or portfolio issues.

· Ensure alignment with Verticals and global life‑cycle strategies while adapting to China’s regulatory and market requirements.

· Own the continuous evolution of China products by ensuring market feedback, technology developments, regulatory changes, and customer insights are translated into product improvements throughout the lifecycle.

· Provide engineering and technology perspectives to support portfolio decisions, lifecycle investments, and product optimization priorities.

3. Collaboration & Alignment

· Build strong interfaces with Verticals / Value Streams to ensure platform consistency, shared technology roadmaps, and coordinated development and to ensure China adaptations and innovations fit into global product strategies.

· Partner with China Commercial, Manufacturing, Procurement, Quality, and Regulatory teams to ensure seamless execution.

· Collaborate closely with the Global Medical Office to identify and enable clinical innovation opportunities, including clinical studies, evidence generation, and China-specific clinical requirements supporting product strategies.

· Support make-or-buy decisions by providing technical assessments and recommendations, balancing internal capabilities, external partnerships, speed, cost, quality, regulatory requirements, and strategic importance.

· Ensure strong alignment across R&D, Digital, Clinical, Commercial, Manufacturing, Procurement, and external ecosystems to enable seamless transition from innovation concepts to market implementation

4. Leadership & Operating Model

· Build and lead a high‑performing local engineering and design team with China‑specific capabilities.

· Create a fast, agile operating model tailored to China’s innovation pace.

o Represent the CDC to government bodies, innovation hubs, and strategic partners.

· Establish the China Design Center as a recognized center of technical expertise, product innovation, and engineering excellence, with accountability for shaping product direction and accelerating China-specific solutions.

· Develop an operating model that enables faster decision making, stronger local ownership, and effective collaboration with global platforms and technology strategies.

· Foster a culture of innovation, digital mindset, and ecosystem collaboration within the China Design Center

Required Competencies & Experience

1. Technical & Functional Expertise

· Deep experience in localization engineering, product adaptation, and China‑specific design requirements.

· Proven track record in sustained engineering, including cost‑down engineering, quality improvements, and reliability engineering.

· Strong understanding of life‑cycle management in regulated industries.

· Fluency in China regulatory frameworks: NMPA, cybersecurity law, data localization.

· Strong experience in product development, innovation management, and translating customer or market needs into technically feasible solutions.

· Experience with digital products, software-enabled solutions, connected products, AI, data platforms, or technology ecosystems is preferred.

· Experience with clinical innovation, evidence generation, or collaboration with medical functions in a regulated healthcare environment is preferred.

· Ability to evaluate technical options and contribute to make-or-buy decisions.

2. Leadership & Collaboration

· Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams in a global matrix environment.

· Strong capability to collaborate with Verticals, Manufacturing and China business leadership.

· Experience navigating global governance, platform strategies, and shared technology roadmaps.

· Experience negotiating with and managing external Chinese development/operations partners

· Strong ability to build partnerships and ecosystems across internal functions and external technology organizations.

3. Strategic & Market Insight

· Deep understanding of China’s med‑tech ecosystem, innovation landscape, and competitive dynamics.

· Experience working within an MNC in China, ideally with China‑first innovation mandates.

· Ability to balance independence with global alignment.

· Ability to translate China market needs, customer insights, and ecosystem developments into strategic product and technology priorities.

4. Execution & Delivery

· Proven ability to deliver fast, high‑quality engineering outcomes in China.

· Strong problem‑solving, decision‑making, and prioritization skills.

· Ability to manage complex product portfolios across the full life cycle.

· Proven ability to lead complex, end-to-end product initiatives involving multiple functions, technologies, and external partners.

5. Other Personal Characteristics

· Strategically minded but highly practical; translates ambition into execution

· Strong systems thinker, comfortable managing interdependencies, trade-offs, and ambiguity

· Low-ego, collaborative style with the ability to influence effectively in a matrixed environment

· Resilient and calm under pressure, with the ability to lead through complexity and external volatility

· High learning agility and openness to new technologies, digital tools, and AI-enabled ways of working

· Talent-minded leader who invests in building capability and succession strength

· International mindset and cultural fluency across regions, businesses, and functions