Head Manufacturing Operations

20-22 Years

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Excellence
Lead end-to-end operations across all manufacturing units with a strong focus on efficiency, quality, safety, and scalability.
Drive adoption of best practices including TPM, Lean, Six Sigma, and advanced automation.
Champion customer-centric manufacturing with agile production and short lead times.

Integrated Supply Chain & Logistics
Build a resilient supply chain covering demand planning, inventory optimization, logistics, and warehousing.
Strengthen supplier partnerships and ensure smooth coordination across the supply chain.
Implement robust S&OP processes for better forecasting, planning, and cross-functional coordination.

Purchase (Capex & Opex)
Lead the purchase of all Capital (Capex) and Operational (Opex) items across manufacturing units and projects.
Ensure strategic vendor development, robust negotiations, and long-term commercial agreements.
Drive digitization of the purchase process, from requisition to vendor evaluation and payment tracking.
Build category strategies for major spend areas, including MRO, packaging, consumables, machinery, and project services.
Establish centralized governance and controls to ensure compliance, transparency, and cost optimization.
Collaborate with Finance, Engineering, Projects, and Manufacturing to align purchase decisions with technical and financial goals.
Regularly benchmark costs and drive VA/VE (Value Analysis / Value Engineering) initiatives in Capex/Opex procurement.

Strategic Growth Initiatives
Lead global tie-ups and JVs in manufacturing to gain access to advanced technologies, markets, or capabilities.
Drive new product development aligned with market demands, regulatory changes, and competitive advantage.
Implement Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) processes for structured innovation and portfolio review.
Digital Transformation & Industry 4.0
Develop and execute a Digital Factory Roadmap involving AI/ML, IoT, Digital Twins, and real-time analytics.
Build smart dashboards for visibility into OEE, energy usage, productivity, and predictive maintenance.
Enable data-driven decision-making across operational layers.

ESG, Compliance & Risk
Integrate sustainability and ESG goals (energy, waste, emissions) into manufacturing and supply chain strategies.
Build systems to ensure compliance, ethical sourcing, and operational risk governance.
Prepare the operations ecosystem for upcoming ESG disclosures and audit frameworks.
Operational Strategy & Cost Competitiveness
Create and own a 5-year operations roadmap with CAPEX alignment, plant network strategy, and cost optimization plans.
Institutionalize zero-based budgeting, VA/VE, and regular productivity benchmarking.
Monitor ROI on capital investments and major purchases with detailed post-implementation reviews.

Leadership, Talent & Culture
Build and mentor a strong leadership pipeline for Manufacturing, SCM, and Purchase teams.
Champion a performance-driven and innovation-led culture across the operations ecosystem.
Institutionalize structured learning programs, including an Ops Capability Academy for functional excellence.

Qualifications

Qualifications & Experience
Engineering graduate: MBA/PGDM in Operations/General Management preferred.
20+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing-centric industries (pipes, plastics, building materials, or similar).
Strong exposure to smart manufacturing, product innovation, and digital operations.
Demonstrated experience in managing global collaborations, supply chains, and cost programs.
Deep financial understanding and business acumen.

Required Skills