Lead-Engineering Operations & Automation Lead

Location: Bangalore - Indraprastha, India

Thales is a global technology leader trusted by governments, institutions, and enterprises to tackle their most demanding challenges. From quantum applications and artificial intelligence to cybersecurity and 6G innovation, our solutions empower critical decisions rooted in human intelligence. Operating at the forefront of aerospace and space, cybersecurity and digital identity, we’re driven by a mission to build a future we can all trust.

Present in India since 1953, Thales is headquartered in Noida and has other operational offices and sites spread across Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru and Mumbai, among others. Over 2200 employees are working with Thales and its joint ventures in India. Since the beginning, Thales has been playing an essential role in India’s growth story by sharing its technologies and expertise in Defence, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital sectors. Thales has two engineering competence centres in India - one in Noida focused on Cyber & Digital business, while the one in Bengaluru focuses on hardware, software and systems engineering capabilities for both the civil and defence sectors, serving global needs. The Group has also established an MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) facility in Gurugram to provide comprehensive avionics maintenance and repair services to Indian airlines and support the growth of the local aviation industry.

Automation & Digital Transformation

• Identify, design, and implement automation opportunities across Engineering Operations to reduce manual effort and improve operational efficiency.
• Develop automated workflows using Microsoft Power Platform (Power Automate, Power Apps), VBA, or similar automation tools.
• Build self-service dashboards and reporting solutions using Power BI and Excel automation.
• Partner with Digital, IT, and Engineering teams to implement scalable automation solutions.
• Evaluate and leverage AI-enabled tools (Microsoft Copilot, Power BI AI capabilities, Power Automate AI Builder, etc.) to simplify operational processes.
• Drive standardization of operational processes and eliminate repetitive manual activities.
• Establish KPIs to measure automation benefits, including productivity gains, cycle-time reduction, and quality improvements.

Workload and Workforce analysis:

• Partner with Unit Managers for:
  • Demand forecasting
  • Capacity planning
• Drive data-driven insights to support decision-making.
• Automate reporting using advanced Excel / Power BI. Automate recurring operational reports using Power BI, Excel VBA, SQL, or Power Platform.

Process Improvement & Compliance:

• Identify process inefficiencies and propose continuous improvement initiatives within the Engineering Operations function.
• Ensure compliance with organizational standards, regulatory policies, and audit requirements.
• Ensure full compliance with governance frameworks and reporting cadence.
• Lead Lean, Continuous Improvement, and automation initiatives across Engineering Operations.
• Simplify existing business processes through digitalization and workflow optimization.
• Document and standardize operational processes to improve consistency and scalability.

Process Improvement

• Lead Lean, Continuous Improvement, and automation initiatives across Engineering Operations.
• Simplify existing business processes through digitalization and workflow optimization.
• Document and standardize operational processes to improve consistency and scalability.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a single point of operations ownership for assigned Engineering operations activities.
• Influence cross-functional stakeholders (Finance, Procurement, Unit Managers).
• Drive accountability across distributed teams.

Skills Required

• 7-12 years of Proven experience in business process automation
• Strong experience in:
  • Prebilling / revenue operations
  • Contract & PO lifecycle
• ERP systems (SAPByD preferred, others acceptable)
• Advanced Excel (Macros, Automation, Data modeling)
• Strong analytical mindset + storytelling with data
• Ability to interpret contract terms commercially
• High ownership and execution rigor

Good to have

• PowerBI skills
• Experience managing teams
• Exposure to engineering or IT services organizations

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At Thales, we’re committed to fostering a workplace where respect, trust, collaboration, and passion drive everything we do. Here, you’ll feel empowered to bring your best self, thrive in a supportive culture, and love the work you do. Join us, and be part of a team reimagining technology to create solutions that truly make a difference – for a safer, greener, and more inclusive world.