Head - Production

Experience: 20+ Years
Industry: Agrochemicals Pesticides Specialty Chemicals
Reporting to: Plant Head Unit Head COO

Role Purpose

Lead and manage the complete production function at the Dahej manufacturing facility, ensuring safe, efficient, cost-effective and timely manufacturing of agrochemical products while maintaining high standards of quality, EHS, regulatory compliance and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Operations

• Lead end-to-end production operations for agrochemical/pesticide manufacturing processes.
• Ensure achievement of production targets as per the annual operating plan and customer requirements.
• Optimize plant capacity utilization, batch cycle time, yields and productivity.
• Ensure adherence to approved manufacturing processes, SOPs, batch records and operating procedures.
• Monitor production performance and take corrective actions for deviations, delays and bottlenecks.
• Coordinate with Production Planning, QA/QC, Maintenance, Engineering, R&D and Supply Chain functions.

Process & Productivity Improvement

• Drive initiatives for improving process yields, throughput, productivity and overall equipment effectiveness.
• Identify opportunities for reduction in raw-material consumption, solvent losses, energy consumption and manufacturing costs.
• Lead process optimization, debottlenecking and capacity-enhancement initiatives.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S and other operational excellence initiatives.

EHS & Process Safety

• Ensure strict compliance with company EHS standards and statutory requirements.
• Provide strong leadership for process safety management, particularly for hazardous chemical operations.
• Ensure safe handling, storage and processing of hazardous chemicals, solvents and intermediates.
• Drive HAZOP recommendations, MOC, PSSR, risk assessments and process safety improvement initiatives.
• Ensure effective implementation of emergency response, fire safety and occupational safety systems.
• Develop a strong safety culture with zero tolerance for unsafe operating practices.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure production operations comply with quality standards and approved specifications.
• Work closely with QA/QC to minimize batch failures, deviations, reprocessing and customer complaints.
• Ensure proper documentation and traceability of manufacturing activities.
• Support regulatory, customer and statutory audits.

People & Team Leadership

• Lead a large production team comprising Production Managers, Shift In-charges, Engineers, Officers, Operators and contract manpower.
• Build a performance-oriented culture with clear KPIs and accountability.
• Develop second-line leadership and succession plans.
• Identify training requirements and ensure technical, safety and operational competency development.
• Manage manpower productivity and optimize shift deployment.

Cost Management

• Prepare and monitor the production budget.
• Drive manufacturing cost reduction without compromising safety or quality.
• Monitor key cost parameters including raw materials, utilities, solvents, consumables, manpower and reprocessing.
• Establish production KPIs and review performance against targets.

Maintenance & Reliability

• Coordinate with Maintenance and Engineering teams to ensure maximum equipment availability.
• Support preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Identify recurring equipment/process-related issues and drive root-cause analysis.
• Participate in plant modification, expansion and new-project implementation.

New Product Scale-up

• Support technology transfer and scale-up of new agrochemical products/processes from R&D or pilot scale to commercial production.
• Work with R&D, Process Development and Engineering teams on commercialization.
• Ensure successful commissioning and stabilization of new processes and equipment.

Key Performance Indicators

• Production volume and plan adherence
• Capacity utilization
• Batch cycle time
• Yield and productivity
• Manufacturing cost per MT
• OEE equipment utilization
• Batch rejection and reprocessing
• Solvent/raw-material recovery
• Energy and utility consumption
• Safety incidents process safety compliance
• Customer complaints related to manufacturing
• Manpower productivity
• Successful implementation of debottlenecking and cost-reduction projects

Candidate Profile

Education

• B.E./B.Tech in Chemical Engineering preferred.
• M.Tech/MBA/PG qualification would be an added advantage.

Experience

• 20+ years of relevant manufacturing experience, with substantial experience in a senior Production/Manufacturing leadership role.
• Mandatory experience in Agrochemicals Pesticides Crop Protection Chemicals.
• Experience in batch chemical manufacturing and hazardous chemical processes is essential.
• Should have handled a sizeable manufacturing plant and a large production workforce.
• Experience in plant expansion, capacity enhancement, commissioning and technology transfer would be preferred.

Technical Competencies

• Agrochemical/pesticide manufacturing processes
• Batch process operations
• Process optimization and scale-up
• Process safety and HAZOP
• Manufacturing cost optimization
• Production planning and scheduling
• Root Cause Analysis CAPA
• Lean Manufacturing Operational Excellence
• EHS and statutory compliance
• ERP/SAP-based production systems

Leadership Competencies

• Strong plant-floor leadership and decision-making ability
• Ability to manage production under pressure and meet delivery commitments
• Strong cross-functional coordination
• Data-driven approach to productivity and cost improvement
• Excellent people-management and communication skills
• Ability to develop and retain a strong second line
• Strong safety and compliance orientation

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate should currently be working as Head/GM/VP Production, Plant Head, or Senior Production Head in an established agrochemical, pesticide or crop-protection chemical manufacturing company, with approximately 2025+ years of experience and proven experience managing a complex chemical manufacturing operation.