Plant Director

Objective of the Role:

To lead the overall plant operations and drive business performance, profitability, operational excellence and sustainable growth across multiple product lines and applications. Ensure optimal utilisation of resources, high standards of quality, safety and delivery, cost competitiveness, and workforce productivity while building a high-performance organisation aligned with the company's strategic objectives.

Key Roles & Responsibilities:

1. Plant Leadership & Business Performance

• Lead the overall plant operations for a large-scale manufacturing facility with multiple product lines serving diverse applications across different Business Units (BUs).
• Drive plant-level business performance, profitability, cost optimisation, productivity and operational efficiency in alignment with global business objectives.
• Translate global manufacturing strategies into plant-level operating plans, budgets, KPIs and execution priorities.
• Balance competing priorities across multiple BUs, ensuring optimal utilisation of plant capacity, resources and infrastructure.

2. Multi-Business Unit & Matrix Organisation Management

• Manage manufacturing operations supporting multiple BUs, each with distinct product portfolios, customer requirements, quality standards and business priorities.
• Operate effectively within a global matrix organisation, collaborating with BU Heads, Global Operations, Regional Leadership and Corporate Functions.
• Align plant priorities with global BU requirements while maintaining overall plant efficiency, profitability and operational excellence.
• Establish clear governance, decision-making processes, performance reviews and accountability across cross-functional and matrix teams.

3. Manufacturing Excellence & Operational Performance

• Drive end-to-end manufacturing excellence across multiple production processes, product categories and manufacturing technologies.
• Improve capacity utilisation, OEE, throughput, production planning, schedule adherence and workforce productivity.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma, Kaizen and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational performance.
• Optimise manufacturing costs, reduce waste, scrap, rework and downtime, and implement global best practices across the plant.

4. Global Stakeholder Management & Collaboration

• Build strong working relationships with global and regional leadership, BU stakeholders, manufacturing centres of excellence and corporate functions.
• Participate in global operational reviews, strategic planning, performance discussions and cross-country improvement initiatives.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment between local plant operations and global business requirements.
• Facilitate the transfer of technology, manufacturing practices, operational standards and process improvements across global locations.
• Manage diverse stakeholder expectations across geographies, cultures and organisational structures.

5. Quality, Customer Satisfaction & Delivery

• Ensure consistent product quality, process reliability and compliance with global quality standards and customer-specific requirements.
• Drive on-time delivery, customer satisfaction and responsiveness across diverse products and applications.
• Collaborate with global quality, engineering, R&D and customer teams to resolve complex technical and operational issues.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, defect prevention and customer-centric manufacturing.

6. Workforce Leadership & Industrial Relations

• Lead a large, multi-layered workforce comprising permanent employees, workmen, contract labour and management teams.
• Drive workforce productivity, manpower planning, capability development, employee engagement and leadership succession.
• Manage industrial relations, trade union engagement, collective bargaining and labour-related matters in unionised manufacturing environments, where applicable.
• Foster constructive employee relations, discipline, collaboration and a performance-oriented work culture.
• Build a strong leadership team capable of managing operational complexity and driving sustainable results.

7. Safety, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements, environmental regulations, occupational health and safety standards, and global corporate policies.
• Drive a strong safety culture, risk mitigation, incident prevention and operational continuity.
• Maintain robust governance, audit readiness and adherence to global manufacturing and compliance standards.

8. Strategic Planning, Transformation & Growth

• Develop plant strategies for capacity expansion, productivity improvement, automation, digitalisation and manufacturing transformation.
• Partner with global BUs to support new product introductions, technology transfers and industrialisation initiatives.
• Drive capital investment planning, asset utilisation and return on investment.
• Benchmark plant performance against global manufacturing facilities and implement best practices to improve competitiveness.
• Build a future-ready manufacturing organisation aligned with the company's long-term growth strategy.

Candidate Requirements

• Experience: 20+ years of overall experience in manufacturing, plant operations and leadership.
• Business Scale: Proven experience managing a manufacturing business or plant with a turnover of ₹1,000 Cr or above.
• Multi-BU Exposure: Experience managing multiple product lines catering to diverse applications across different Business Units.
• MNC Experience: Prior experience in a multinational manufacturing organisation with global matrix reporting and international stakeholder interaction.
• Operational Expertise: Strong track record in P&L management, operational excellence, productivity improvement, cost optimisation and quality management.
• Workforce Management: Experience leading a large workforce and managing complex manufacturing operations.
• Industrial Relations: Experience in a unionised manufacturing environment will be an added advantage.
• Leadership Competencies: Strong strategic thinking, stakeholder management, people leadership and change management capabilities.