Head - Steel Melting Shop (SMS)

Role & responsibilities

Job Purpose

To lead and manage the complete operations of the Stainless Steel Melting Shop, ensuring safe, efficient and cost-effective production of high-quality molten steel and billets/slabs as per production plans, quality standards and customer requirements.

Key Responsibilities

SMS Operations

• Lead end-to-end Stainless Steel SMS operations covering raw material charging, melting, refining and continuous casting.
• Achieve daily, monthly and annual production targets.
• Optimize furnace, refining and casting practices.
• Monitor production losses, productivity and equipment utilization.

Melting & Refining

• Strong knowledge of EAF/IF, AOD, VOD and LF processes.
• Control melting practices, alloy additions, slag management and refining parameters.
• Optimize power, electrode, ferroalloy and refractory consumption.
• Improve metallic yield and minimize metal losses.

Continuous Casting

• Manage CCM operations and achieve casting targets.
• Monitor casting parameters, tundish practices, mould conditions and cooling systems.
• Reduce casting defects, breakouts, rejection and downtime.

Production & Productivity

• Ensure production plans are effectively executed.
• Improve heat cycle time, tap-to-tap time, furnace utilization and throughput.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement productivity improvement initiatives.

Quality

• Ensure production meets required Stainless Steel grades and specifications.
• Coordinate with Quality and Metallurgy teams for chemical composition and product quality.
• Reduce rejection, rework and process-related defects.

Cost & Yield Optimization

• Control consumption of power, electrodes, ferroalloys, refractories, oxygen and other process materials.
• Improve metallic yield and reduce conversion cost per tonne.
• Drive cost-reduction initiatives.

Safety & Environment

• Maintain a strong safety culture across the SMS.
• Ensure compliance with safety procedures, PPE and statutory requirements.
• Control emissions, slag, dust and other environmental parameters.

Maintenance Coordination

• Coordinate with Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation and Maintenance teams.
• Improve equipment availability and reliability.
• Minimize breakdowns and production downtime.

Team Leadership

• Lead managers, engineers,supervisors, operators and contract manpower.
• Develop technical capabilities and operational discipline.
• Drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Process Improvement
• Implement Lean, TPM, 5S and continuous improvement practices.
• Identify opportunities for automation and process optimization.
• Improve productivity, quality, yield, energy efficiency and cost.

Desired Candidate Profile

• 18-25 years of experience in Steel Melting Shop operations.
• Strong experience in Stainless Steel manufacturing.
• Proven experience in EAF/IF,AOD/VOD, LF and CCM operations.
• Strong knowledge of Stainless Steel grades, melting, refining and casting processes.