Head of Operations

The Head of Operations is responsible for leading and integrating all plant operations, including Production, Supply Chain Planning, Quality, Engineering & Maintenance, Warehousing, Logistics, and HSE, to deliver operational excellence, customer satisfaction, cost efficiency, and sustainable business growth.The role serves as the central coordination point across operational and support functions, ensuring alignment between demand, production capacity, inventory, procurement, quality standards, and business objectives. The incumbent leads operationalgovernancethroughdailyreviews,weeklyperformancemeetings,and monthly Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes.Principal Duties & Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead all manufacturing and operational activities to achieve production, quality, cost, safety, and service objectives.

• Ensure optimal utilization of people, assets, materials, and plant capacity.

• Driveoperational excellence, productivity,andcontinuousimprovement initiatives.

Planning & Supply Chain Management

• Leadproductionplanning,inventorymanagement,andsupplychain coordination.

• Chair and coordinate the monthly S&OP process to align demand, supply, inventory, and capacity plans.

• Ensure timely availability of raw materials and finished goods to meet customer requirements.

Engineering, Quality & HSE

• Ensure equipment reliability through effective maintenance programs.

• Drive compliance with quality, regulatory, and safety requirements.

• Promote a culture of zero harm, continuous improvement, and operational discipline.

Performance Management & Governance

• Lead the daily Operations Review Meeting to monitor production performance, safety, quality, maintenance, inventory availability, customer service levels, and operational risks.

• Chair weekly Operations Performance Review Meetings to assess KPI performance, address bottlenecks, and drive cross-functional accountability.

• Facilitate weekly Demand & Supply Review meetings to align customer demand, inventory levels, production plans, procurement activities, and capacity requirements.

• Lead the monthly Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process to ensure alignment between demand forecasts, production capacity, inventory strategy, procurement plans, and business objectives.

• Establish and monitor operational KPIs, dashboards, and performance reports.

• Drive timely closure of actions arising from operational reviews, S&OP meetings, audits, and leadership reviews.

• Prepare and present operational performance reports and recommendations to the General Manager and Executive Management.

Cost & Business Performance

• Manage operational budgets and cost optimization initiatives.

• Improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance asset utilization.

• Support achievement of plant profitability and overall business objectives.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Provide leadership and development for operational teams.

• Foster collaboration across Operations, Sales, Finance, Procurement, and HR.

• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, execution, and results.

Facilities & Infrastructure Management

• Ensure the effective management, maintenance, and continuous improvement of plant facilities, utilities, buildings, and infrastructure.

• Oversee the availability and reliability of critical utilities, including power, water, and waste management systems.

• Ensure facility complies with quality, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

• Coordinate facility improvement, refurbishment, and capital infrastructure projects.

• Maintain a safe, clean, and efficient working environment that supports operational excellence.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Industrial Chemistry, or a related field.

• MBA or Master's Degree is an added advantage.

• Relevant professional certifications (Lean Six Sigma, PMP, APICS/CSCP, NEBOSH, etc.) are desirable.

• Minimum of 10 years' manufacturing experience, including at least 5 years in a senior operations leadership role.

• Proven experience managing multi-functional manufacturing operations.

• FMCG, manufacturing, chemical, or industrial operations experience preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Manufacturing Operations Management

• Production Planning & Inventory Management

• S&OP Leadership

• Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Supply Chain Management

• Budgeting & Cost Optimization

• Leadership & People Management

• Stakeholder Management

• Problem Solving & Decision Making

• ERP Systems and Operational Analytics (e.g. Odoo, SAP, Power BI)

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Operational Performance (40%)

• Production Target Achievement (%)

• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

• Capacity Utilization (%)

• Production Schedule Adherence (%)

• Production Yield (%)

• Material Yield Variance (%)

• Waste/Scrap Rate (%)

• Rework Rate (%)

• Facility Uptime (%)

• Facility Audit Compliance Score (%)

• Maintenance SLA Compliance (%)

Supply Chain & Customer Service (20%)

• OTIF (On-Time-In-Full Delivery)

• Forecast Accuracy

• Inventory Turnover