O & M Manager (Operations & Maintenance) - Water Treatment Plant

About Gradiant:

Gradiant is a Different Kind of Water Company. With a full suite of differentiated and proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment powered by the top minds in water, the company serves its clients mission-critical operations in the worlds essential industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, and renewable energy. Gradiants innovative solutions reduce water used and wastewater discharged, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. The Boston-headquartered company was founded at MIT and has over 1,400 employees worldwide.

Discover us at www.gradiant.com.

Job Overview : O&M Manager

The Service Manager (Operation & Maintenance) is responsible for leading and managing the overall operations, maintenance, and service performance of water and wastewater treatment facilities under the companys portfolio. This role ensures reliable plant operation, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction while driving process optimization, cost efficiency, and digital transformation. The Service Manager provides technical leadership, manages service teams, oversees contracts, and ensures operational excellence through continuous improvement and innovation.

Primary work location: Chennai; however, the role involves extensive travel across various sites throughout India.

Responsibilities :

Leadership

• Lead and supervise a team of Service Engineers, Technicians, and Operators across assigned facilities.
• Plan and coordinate daily, weekly, and monthly operational and maintenance schedules.
• Provide technical guidance, coaching, and performance evaluations for team members.
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance staff competency in plant operations, safety, and digital tools.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee daily plant operations across multiple sites to ensure efficient, safe, and compliant performance.
• Review and approve process control strategies for treatment systems (coagulation, filtration, disinfection, RO, UF, etc.).
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives for energy efficiency, chemical optimization, and operational reliability.
• Ensure compliance with water quality standards, discharge regulations, and environmental permits.
• Collaborate with engineering and project teams during commissioning, upgrades, or new system integrations.
• Develop action plans to achieve productivity, efficiency, and profitability targets.

Maintenance Management

• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs to ensure high equipment uptime and reliability.
• Manage critical spares inventory, vendor relationships, and procurement planning.
• Approve maintenance schedules, technical reports, and root cause analyses for major breakdowns.
• Ensure implementation of predictive maintenance strategies and digital monitoring tools.

Digitalization, data analytics and reporting

• Champion the use of SCADA/DCS systems, IoT sensors, and data dashboards to monitor performance and drive insights.
• Review and interpret operational data trends to guide decision-making and performance optimization.
• Collaborate with digital transformation teams to enhance system automation, reporting, and analytics capabilities.
• Ensure data integrity and timely reporting in CMMS/FSM and digital performance platforms.
• Prepare consolidated operational, maintenance, and performance reports for management review.
• Monitor operational budgets, cost efficiencies, and resource utilization.

Customer and Contract Management

• Serve as the primary contact for clients on all operational and maintenance matters.
• Ensure contractual obligations (SLAs, KPIs, compliance standards) are met or exceeded.
• Prepare and present performance reports, audits, and improvement plans to clients and management.
• Support business development and sales teams in preparing technical proposals, quotations, and client presentations.

Quality, Safety and Compliance

• Enforce HSE policies, ensuring a strong safety culture and zero-incident mindset across all teams.
• Conduct safety audits, risk assessments, and incident investigations, ensuring corrective actions are implemented.
• Ensure full compliance with ISO standards, regulatory requirements, and environmental best practices.

Qualifications, Skills, Experience :

Qualification

• Bachelors degree in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a relevant field.
• Professional certifications such as CePIETSO, CePSWaM, CePSO, or equivalent will be an advantage.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel to multiple sites in India.

Skills

• Strong ability to lead diverse technical teams and drive accountability.
• In-depth understanding of water treatment processes and plant equipment.
• Skilled in data interpretation, performance analysis, and root cause identification.
• Competent with SCADA, CMMS, and digital reporting systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; adept at preparing technical and management reports.
• Strong client relationship management and service orientation.
• Deep commitment to operational safety and environmental compliance.

Experience

• 15+ years of experience in water or wastewater treatment operations, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or managerial role.
• Proven track record in managing multi-site O&M activities, process optimization, and team leadership.
• Strong familiarity with treatment technologies (MBR, RO, UF, Activated Sludge, Coagulation/Flocculation, Filtration, Disinfection).
• Experience with SCADA, CMMS, IoT-based monitoring, and digital performance platforms.

Candidates can send in the applications using the below link :

https://careers.gradiant.com/job/Manager-Services/1366-en_US/

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Gradiant is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.