Description and Requirements

Job Title: Assistant Manager - Industrial Engineering & Continuous Improvement

Location: Pondicherry

Job Summary

Responsible for driving continuous improvement, operational efficiency, and productivity enhancement across manufacturing operations. This role focuses on lean deployment, waste elimination, cycle time reduction, and capacity optimization, ensuring sustainable improvements in cost, quality, and delivery performance within an EMS environment.

Key Responsibilities

1. Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

Lead and drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives (5S, Kaizen, VSM, Six Sigma) across shopfloor and support functions.
Identify and eliminate waste (Muda), process inefficiencies, and non-value-added activities.
Execute structured CI projects targeting productivity improvement, cost reduction, and cycle time optimization.
Establish a culture of daily management and continuous improvement (DMS / Gemba practices).
Track and deliver measurable improvements in OEE, UPH, cycle time, and labor productivity.

2. Industrial Engineering & Productivity Enhancement

Conduct time studies, work measurement, and method improvements to enhance operational efficiency.
Drive line balancing, manpower optimization, and layout improvements.
Develop and maintain standard work, SOPs, and process documentation.
Support capacity planning and throughput improvement aligned with business demand.
Analyze production data to identify bottlenecks and implement corrective actions.

3. Digitalization & Smart Efficiency (Selective Focus)

Identify opportunities for low-cost automation and digital tools to improve efficiency and visibility.
Support deployment of MES, dashboards, and real-time performance tracking systems.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement practical and ROI-driven automation solutions (not heavy capex-driven).

4. Cross-functional Collaboration

Work closely with Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and Engineering teams to drive improvement initiatives.
Support new product introduction (NPI) with optimized process design and efficiency readiness.
Act as a change agent to drive adoption of lean practices across teams.

5. Governance, Metrics & Sustainability

Define and monitor KPIs: Productivity, Efficiency %, OEE, Cycle Time, Cost per Unit.
Establish CI governance cadence (weekly/monthly reviews, project tracking).
Ensure sustainability of improvements through standardization and audits.
Support compliance with ISO and customer audit requirements related to process control and efficiency.

Qualifications and Skills

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

Experience:

5+years of experience in Industrial Engineering / Continuous Improvement / Manufacturing Excellence
Experience in EMS / electronics manufacturing preferred

Technical Skills:

Strong expertise in:

Lean Manufacturing & Six Sigma tools
Time study & work measurement techniques
Line balancing and capacity planning

Working knowledge of:

MES / ERP systems
Basic automation / digital tools for productivity

Soft Skills:

Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset
Ability to drive change and influence cross-functional teams
Data-driven decision-making capability
Effective communication and stakeholder management

Certifications (Preferred):

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt / Black Belt
PMP (optional, adds value for project-driven CI execution)

Assistant manager Industrial Engineering and Maintenance