General Manager - Operations

Role & responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Own day-to-day performance across all operating departments and act as the main bridge between the CEO and the team.
• Translate company goals into departmental targets, budgets and weekly priorities.
• Resolve cross-department issues before they escalate to the CEO.
• Run a weekly operations review and a monthly management report covering KPIs, risks and actions.

Factory & Processing Operations

• Oversee production planning, capacity utilization, processing yields and wastage.
• Ensure product quality, food safety and compliance with relevant standards.
• Drive preventive maintenance, health and safety, and continuous improvement on the shop floor.
• Monitor cost per tonne and conversion efficiency, and take corrective action.

Logistics & Supply Chain

• Manage inbound procurement logistics, warehousing, inventory control and outbound shipments.
• Oversee freight, shipping lines, customs clearance, export/import documentation and letters of credit documentation in coordination with finance.
• Coordinate with trading desk on contract execution, delivery schedules and quality claims.
• Optimize freight and storage costs and reduce demurrage, losses and delays.

Finance & Accounts (Operational Oversight)

• Work with the Finance & Accounts Manager on payables, receivables, collections, cash-flow forecasting and working-capital management.
• Enforce cost controls, approval limits and purchasing procedures.
• Ensure timely, accurate month-end reporting and support audits, VAT and corporate tax compliance.

People, HR & Administration

• Lead, coach and hold department heads accountable for clear KPIs.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, discipline and succession for mid-level and frontline staff.
• Build a culture of ownership, accountability and escalation through proper channels.
• Oversee general administration, facilities, PRO/visa matters and vendor contracts.

Systems & Process

• Document and implement SOPs for every core process: production, quality, dispatch, procurement, payments and approvals.
• Define a clear decision-rights matrix (who decides, who approves, who is informed).
• Lead adoption of ERP, inventory and reporting tools; build simple dashboards for the CEO.
• Identify operational risks (supply, quality, counterparty, compliance) and put mitigation in place.

Key Performance Indicators

• Processing yield, throughput and capacity utilization
• Cost per tonne (processing, logistics, storage)
• On-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery and shipment turnaround
• Quality claims, rejections and customer complaints
• Inventory accuracy, stock losses and ageing
• Receivables days, payment discipline and cash-flow forecast accuracy
• Staff turnover, safety incidents and SOP compliance
• Reduction in operational issues escalated to the CEO

Preferred candidate profile

• 12-15+ years of progressive experience, including at least 5 years in a senior multi-department role (COO, GM Operations, Plant/Site GM or similar).

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Food Technology, Agriculture, Supply Chain or Business.
• MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
• Certifications in Lean, Six Sigma, APICS/CSCP or food safety are a plus.

Skills & Attributes

• Firm, fair and calm people leader who can hold teams accountable without micromanaging.
• Structured problem-solver who fixes root causes, not symptoms.
• Excellent communication with a multicultural workforce; English & Hindi or other regional languages are an advantage.
• High integrity and discretion in handling commercial and financial information.
• Willing to spend significant time on the factory floor and at logistics sites.

Please send your CV or can reach out on HR - 7775953769