Manager, Verification & Validation

Job Overview & Purpose

The role provides people leadership to the V&V and product lifecycle engineers within Sound Processor Systems department (including embedded software I&V, product and system V&V and product lifecycle), while partnering closely with local and global V&V, Systems Engineering, Lifecycle Engineering, Quality, Project Management and R&D stakeholders to ensure V&V activities are efficient, effective, compliant, and aligned to global processes and release priorities.

This role has the responsibility of growing the technical expertise of V&V and lifecycle engineering within the Sound Processor Systems department for the Cochlear Malaysia site while championing V&V and lifecycle thinking and continuously improving the V&V and lifecycle discipline and processes across Cochlear's systems, products and platforms.

Accountabilities

Accountability 1: Lead, mentor and manage a local team of V&V and lifecycle engineers

• Drive the team to successfully deliver against functional priorities and project commitments.
• Build and develop a high-performing and inclusive team, including through the deployment of key Cochlear processes (e.g. My Performance Pathway) and ensuring a feedback rich environment is created through ongoing performance conversations.
• Guide, mentor and coach team members to identify career goals and plan development activities to achieve these, providing clear pathways for technical and leadership growth.
• Advocate for team needs to senior leadership and cross functional teams, ensuring the team has the resources, tools and support required for success.
• Build team morale and unity ensuring members are engaged, connected and adopt change.
• Partner with senior leadership to plan future capability and resourcing needs for the team, ensuring all capability gaps within the team are closed.
• Drive recruitment of new staff, including leading interviews and onboarding new team members.
• Manage team conflict and communication problems, fostering a collaborative environment.

Accountability 2:Verification & Validation and Lifecycle Engineering Function Leader for High-Quality Releases

• Lead and govern V&V and Lifecycle Engineering delivery to enable high-quality releases, ensuring teams are effectively guided, resourced, and unblocked to execute compliant, efficient and effective V&V and lifecycle engineering activities.
• Set expectations for V&V and lifecycle engineering quality, coverage, and traceability, and hold teams accountable for delivering complete, fit-for-purpose evidence.
• Provide escalation leadership for complex V&V or lifecycle engineering challenges, driving timely resolution through guidance, prioritisation, and cross-functional alignment.
• Ensure platform and variant V&V strategies are applied consistently, balancing reuse, efficiency, and coverage.

Accountability 3: Stakeholder Partnership and Global Alignment for Sound Processor Systems

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with local and global stakeholders across Verification & Validation, Lifecycle Engineering, Systems Engineering, Embedded Software, Quality, Project Management, and R&D, ensuring alignment on priorities, expectations, and delivery commitments.
• Act as the primary interface for V&V and lifecycle engineering in KL sound processor systems to local and global teams, providing clear, timely, and transparent communication on delivery status, risks, dependencies, and capacity to support informed decision-making.
• Ensure V&V and Lifecycle Engineering deliverables, mechanisms of operation, and long-term vision and strategy for sound processor systems V&V, embedded software I&V and lifecycle engineering in KL are aligned to global strategies, processes, and standards, contributing local insight while reinforcing consistency, quality, and scalability across regions.
• Proactively identify and manage cross-site dependencies and constraints, escalating issues early and working collaboratively to resolve conflicts and unblock delivery across time zones and organisational boundaries.
• Represent sound processor systems V&V, embedded software I&V and lifecycle engineering in KL in global planning for the product vertical and prioritisation forums, ensuring local capability, capacity, and risks are appropriately considered.
• Contribute to global continuous improvement initiatives, sharing lessons learned, best practices, and performance insights from KL to strengthen Cochlear's overall V&V and Lifecycle Engineering capability.

Team Role

Manager of people:

• Demonstrate active involvement in the implementation and improvement of relevant quality procedures.
• Attract, develop, and retain the best team to deliver Cochlear's current and future business objectives, for example, by:

1. Ensuring clarity of expectations and outcomes for individuals and team.
2. Providing regular feedback on performance and alignment with the HEAR behaviours.
3. Providing coaching for growth and success to build individual and team capability.
4. Demonstrate due diligence commitment to workplace health and safety through active involvement and implementation of Cochlear's WHS and injury management procedures including adherence to any local legislative requirements.

Minimum Key Incumbent Requirements

Required Skills and Experience

• University degree in Engineering (Electrical or Electronics preferred), with Embedded Software elements.
• Minimum five years of experience in system, product, electrical or electronics design, firmware development or testing in R&D.
• Minimum five years of experience with people management and functional leadership.
• Understanding of verification and validation principles, methods and tools.
• Experience in cross-functional thinking, problem solving and continuous improvement activities.
• Experience in managing and delivering work packages directly and/or through team leadership roles.
• Good oral and written English communication skills.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Understanding of technical architecture and application of Cochlear products and medical device technologies.
• Excellent influencing and leadership skills with proven ability to lead through influence and expertise.
• Experience in Product Lifecycle Engineering.
• Experience working in Agile product development environments.
• 5+ years team leadership experience in technical engineering environments.
• Experience in implant development or in highly regulated industries (e.g., medical devices).

Development Value of this Role

• Diverse interaction with people across the entire Cochlear organization and opportunity to build global networks.
• Visibility to the leadership team of the unit and opportunity to influence strategic direction.
• Opportunity to grow leadership, technical and strategic skills through management of a global team
• Opportunity to work across organizational boundaries with people across various disciplines throughout the Cochlear organization.
• Opportunity to influence the leadership of Cochlear's V&V discipline and contribute to organizational capability building.
• Gain in-depth understanding of product family engineering and platform strategies that strengthen Cochlear's product leadership position.

We believe your skills and experience could be a great fit, and we warmly invite you to apply for this position!