Job Description
Plant Manager – Dairy Industry
Position Title: Plant Manager
Industry: Dairy / Food Processing
Location: Singavaram
Reports To: Vice President – Operations / Head – Manufacturing
Experience: 10–15 Years
Qualification: B.E / B.Tech ( Food Technology/ Dairy Technology)
1. Role Purpose
The Plant Manager is responsible for overall leadership, performance, and statutory compliance of the dairy manufacturing plant. The role ensures safe, efficient, cost-effective, and quality-driven operations while achieving business KPIs related to production, yield, cost, energy, safety, people development, and continuous improvement. The Plant Manager acts as the single-point owner of plant performance and governance.
2. Key Responsibilities
A. Overall Plant Operations & Governance
- Lead end-to-end plant operations including milk procurement interface, processing, packaging, utilities, maintenance, quality, stores, logistics, and dispatch.
- Ensure uninterrupted production while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and compliance.
- Drive plant performance in line with annual business plans, budgets, and strategic objectives.
- Act as the custodian of plant discipline, culture, and operational rigor.
B. Dairy Processing & Production Excellence
- Oversee all dairy processing operations including:
- Milk Reception, Pasteurization, Homogenization, Separation
- Evaporators, High-Pressure Pumps, CIP Systems
- Packaging & Filling Lines
- Ensure optimal capacity utilization, yield maximization, and loss reduction.
- Review production planning, execution, and dispatch adherence on a daily basis.
- Lead root cause analysis for deviations in output, quality, or efficiencies.
C. Utilities, Engineering & Asset Management
- Take full ownership of utilities including:
- Boilers & Steam Systems
- Refrigeration (Ammonia & Freon)
- DG Sets, Electrical Systems, VAM
- Compressed Air, RO/UF, ETP/STP & water management
- Ensure high equipment availability through robust preventive, predictive, and reliability maintenance systems.
- Approve maintenance strategies, spares planning, shutdown management, and asset life-cycle optimization.
D. Quality, Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance
- Ensure 100% compliance with:
- FSSAI, HACCP, GMP, ISO, FSSC 22000
- Factory Act, Boiler Act, Electrical Safety norms
- Pollution Control Board and environmental regulations
- Promote a strong food safety culture across the plant.
- Drive reduction of customer complaints and ensure product consistency and traceability.
E. Operational Excellence & KPI Ownership
- Own and review plant KPIs including:
- OEE, Line Efficiency, Yield, Wastage
- Energy & Water Consumption
- Plant Downtime, Safety Metrics, Customer Complaints
- Implement Lean Manufacturing, TPM, WCM, and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
- Sponsor automation, digitization, and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
- Use data-driven decision-making to improve plant performance.
F. Budgeting, Cost Control & Energy Management
- Prepare and manage annual plant budgets and forecasts.
- Control operating costs related to utilities, manpower, spares, packaging, and consumables.
- Drive energy-saving and sustainability initiatives to meet corporate benchmarks.
- Improve profitability through productivity and efficiency improvement projects.
G. People Leadership & Organizational Development
- Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary team of 100–300 employees.
- Build strong succession planning for critical plant roles.
- Conduct performance reviews, capability development, and leadership coaching.
- Promote a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure harmonious industrial relations and disciplined workforce behavior.
H. Government Liaison & Statutory Interface
- Serve as the primary point of contact with:
- Factory Inspectorate
- Boiler Directorate
- Electrical Inspector
- Pollution Control Board
- Local authorities and auditors
- Ensure timely renewals, audits, inspections, and statutory reporting.
- Zero tolerance for legal or safety non-compliance.
I. Projects, CapEx & Expansion
- Lead CapEx planning and execution for:
- New processing or packaging lines
- Capacity expansion and layout optimization
- Automation and digital transformation projects
- Oversee equipment selection, installation, commissioning, and stabilization.
- Evaluate new technologies including AI/ML for predictive maintenance and energy optimization.
3. Mandatory Skills
- End-to-End Dairy Plant Management
- Dairy Processing & Utilities Expertise
- Strong Knowledge of Food Safety & Compliance
- Budgeting, Cost & Energy Management
- KPI Ownership & Lean / TPM Implementation
- Government Liaison & Statutory Compliance
- Strong People Leadership & IR Management
4. Preferred Certifications
- TPM / WCM Expert
- Six Sigma (Green / Black Belt)
- Certified Energy Manager / Energy Auditor
- HACCP / FSSC 22000 Lead Auditor
- RCA / Predictive Maintenance Tools
5. Competencies Required
- Strategic & Systems Thinking
- Strong Leadership & Decision-Making
- High Ownership & Accountability
- Analytical & Problem-Solving Ability
- Excellent Communication & Stakeholder Management
- Change Management & Execution Excellence
