Production Head

Job Purpose

The Production Head will take full ownership of end-to-end production operations, ensuring optimal production performance, operational efficiency, and product quality, while driving safety, cost, delivery, and customer satisfaction objectives. This role requires a seasoned professional with hands-on experience in production management, a deep understanding of shop floor operations, strong leadership qualities, and the ability to drive continuous improvement across all production activities overseeing complex production processes while leading a team to achieve operational excellence and company goals.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Production Oversight & Planning

• Lead and manage day-to-day production operations, ensuring efficient planning, scheduling, and execution of all production processes to achieve production targets.
• Develop and execute production plans aligned with business requirements and company goals, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality products while managing costs effectively.
• Optimize production workflows, resolve bottlenecks, and support process optimization, automation, and capacity expansion projects.

2. Operational Efficiency & Process Optimization

• Monitor KPIs and OEE, machine utilization, productivity, and process efficiency, implementing corrective actions to achieve operational excellence.
• Oversee production schedules, resource allocation, material management, and inventory controls to ensure smooth operations with minimum downtime.
• Identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks, conduct root cause analysis (RCA), and lead the development and implementation of corrective/preventive actions to improve productivity.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, and other continuous improvement initiatives to reduce waste and cycle times.

3. Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to customer requirements, quality standards, SOPs, and manufacturing processes across the production line, from raw material sourcing to final product delivery.
• Initiate quality audits and develop corrective/preventive measures to ensure zero-defect production; champion continuous improvement to enhance product quality and process reliability.
• Ensure compliance with IATF / ISO systems (where applicable), safety regulations, and company policies; exposure to IATF and ISO audits required.
• Enforce strict adherence to safety protocols, ensuring the work environment complies with OSHA standards and all applicable regulatory requirements, and proactively addressing potential hazards.

4. Leadership & Team Development

• Lead manpower planning, team development, performance management, and cross-functional collaboration across engineers, supervisors, and operators.
• Develop high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities, fostering accountability, ownership, and collaboration.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and implement corrective actions as needed to sustain team performance.

5. Cross-Functional Coordination & Reporting

• Coordinate with Planning, Quality, Maintenance, Dispatch, and Sales teams to ensure aligned production execution.
• Prepare and review production reports, MIS, KPI dashboards, and operational data using SAP, MS Excel, and other digital tools; present performance against key metrics such as production rates, cost savings, and quality outcomes to senior management.
• Implement robust documentation practices for all production activities, ensuring traceability and accountability.
• Drive customer satisfaction through on-time delivery, quality improvement, and consistent achievement of production targets.

Qualification

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Metallurgy or Manufacturing Engineering.

Experience

• 18 - 22 years of experience in production/manufacturing operations, with a proven track record in a leadership role.
• Experience in the Steel Processing / Steel Service Center Industry is highly preferred.
• Proven expertise in managing day-to-day production operations, shop floor management, and production planning, with a strong record of leading large teams and improving operational efficiency.
• Hands-on experience with SAP in production planning, production execution, inventory transactions, and reporting preferred.

Key Skills

• Production Operations Management & Production Planning and Control (PPC)
• Production & Quality Management
• Team Leadership & People Management
• Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen & Continuous Improvement
• OEE Improvement & Productivity Enhancement
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA) & Problem-Solving
• Inventory & Resource Management
• 5S & Safety Management
• Cost Reduction & Cross-Functional Coordination
• SAP, MS Excel & MIS Report Generation
• Decision-Making under pressure in fast-paced environments

Personal Attributes

• Highly driven, results-oriented, and capable of making critical decisions under pressure.
• Strong communicator able to engage with stakeholders at all levels of the organization, suppliers, and customers.
• In-depth understanding of industry trends and a commitment to staying ahead of technological advancements in manufacturing.
• High attention to detail with a relentless focus on process and product quality.
• A proactive, strategic thinker who drives innovation and operational excellence in the manufacturing domain.