Head of Operations

We are looking for an experienced Head of Operations who can lead and manage the entire plant operations, ensuring operational excellence, productivity, quality, cost efficiency and timely delivery.

Industry: Sheet Metal / Fabrication / Engineering Manufacturing

Experience: 20+ Years

Qualification: B.E. / B.Tech in Mechanical, Production or Industrial Engineering

Experience & Technical Competencies

• Minimum 20+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing and plant operations.
• At least 7 years of experience in senior plant or operations leadership roles, with responsibility for production, quality, cost, delivery and people management.
• Strong technical understanding of sheet-metal processing, forming, fabrication, welding, assembly, fixtures, tooling and related manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience in managing large-scale manufacturing operations, driving productivity and improving operational efficiency.
• Demonstrated experience in brownfield expansion, new production line additions, plant layout modifications, machine shifting, installation and commissioning.

Key Responsibilities

A. Plant & Operations Management

• Lead and manage the overall plant operations to achieve production, quality, safety, cost, productivity and customer-delivery targets in line with business objectives.
• Develop and execute short-term and long-term operational strategies to improve plant performance and profitability.
• Ensure effective utilisation of manpower, machinery, equipment and other manufacturing resources.
• Establish performance monitoring systems and review key operational KPIs to ensure continuous improvement.
• Drive monthly, weekly and daily production plans in coordination with PPC, Purchase, Stores and other relevant departments.
• Ensure timely material availability, disciplined work-in-progress (WIP) control and optimal inventory levels.
• Coordinate with Sales, Customer Service and Supply Chain teams to meet customer requirements and delivery commitments.

Operational Excellence & Productivity

• Drive improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), throughput, cycle time, machine utilisation, manpower productivity and line efficiency.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, Six Sigma and other continuous improvement initiatives, as applicable.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement corrective actions to reduce downtime, waste, rejection, rework and manufacturing costs.
• Promote a culture of accountability, process discipline and data-driven decision-making across the plant.
• Lead the Quality function to ensure adherence to customer specifications, quality standards and internal processes.
• Ensure effective implementation of quality management systems and process audits.
• Lead the Maintenance and Engineering functions to ensure equipment reliability, availability and operational efficiency.
• Lead Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) initiatives to ensure a safe and compliant working environment

Team Leadership & People Development

• Lead and develop cross-functional teams across Production, Quality, Maintenance, PPC, Stores, Engineering and EHS.
• Set departmental objectives, monitor performance and drive accountability at all organisational levels.
• Build a high-performance culture through employee engagement, training, skill development and succession planning.

Required Leadership Competencies

• Strong leadership, decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent planning, execution and organisational skills.
• Strong analytical skills and a results-oriented approach.
• Effective communication, coordination and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple functions and lead large teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong focus on operational excellence, cost optimisation, quality and customer satisfaction.