Associate Manager - Production

Education & Experience:

BE/B.Tech into Mechanical/Electrical/Chemical Engineering from Tier 1 & 2 College with 5-10 years of experience in production

WHAT YOU WILL DO

To manage plant operations during the assigned shift, ensuring safe, efficient and quality-driven manufacturing operations while delivering agreed functional KPIs across Safety, Quality, OEE, Volume, Manpower Productivity, Material Efficiency and Factory GMP. The role will work closely with Engineering, Quality, R&D, Supply Chain, Warehouse, HR and Safety to ensure smooth operations, continuous improvement and sustainable business performance.

Production Planning & Operations

• Plan and execute daily, weekly and monthly production as per the agreed production plan.
• Optimize utilization of manpower, machines, materials and production capacity.
• Monitor production performance against targets and take corrective actions for deviations.
• Ensure smooth functioning of production lines with minimum downtime and interruptions.
• Coordinate with Planning, Quality, Engineering, Warehouse and other functions for uninterrupted production.
• Ensure adherence to SOPs, work instructions and manufacturing standards.

Productivity & OEE Improvement

• Drive improvement in OEE, line efficiency, productivity and machine utilization.
• Identify and eliminate key sources of downtime, speed losses and process inefficiencies.
• Analyse production data and implement action plans for recurring losses.
• Lead productivity improvement, cost reduction and waste reduction initiatives.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing, TPM and Kaizen initiatives within the production area.
• Drive reduction in material, energy and process wastage.

Quality & Food Safety

• Ensure production processes comply with quality, food safety and hygiene standards.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance to prevent defects and customer complaints.
• Ensure adherence to GMP, HACCP and applicable food safety requirements.
• Investigate process deviations and implement effective CAPA.
• Promote a strong Right First Time culture across the production team.

Safety & Environment

• Ensure strict compliance with EHS and statutory requirements.
• Promote a zero-accident culture and safe working practices on the shop floor.
• Conduct safety observations, risk assessments and ensure timely corrective actions.
• Ensure proper use of PPE and adherence to safety procedures.
• Support environmental sustainability, energy conservation and waste reduction initiatives.

People Management & Development

• Ensure effective manpower deployment across shifts.
• Identify skill gaps and coordinate with HR/L&D for training and capability development.
• Build a multi-skilled and flexible production workforce.
• Conduct performance discussions and provide regular feedback to team members.
• Drive employee engagement, discipline and teamwork on the shop floor.
• Develop potential talent for future leadership requirements.

Maintenance & Equipment Coordination

• Coordinate with Engineering/Maintenance teams for preventive and breakdown maintenance.
• Ensure timely resolution of equipment issues affecting production.
• Support commissioning, trials and installation of new machines and processes.
• Participate in root-cause analysis of recurring equipment failures.
• Ensure effective autonomous maintenance practices by production teams.