Operation HEAD, Plant Head

Position Title: Head of Operations

Department: Operations / Manufacturing

Reports To:

Location: Prithla (Palwal)

1. Position Overview

The Head of Operations is responsible for overseeing and optimizing all manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and operational processes within the fastener production environment. This role ensures efficient production, cost control, product quality, and timely delivery while driving continuous improvement, safety, and operational excellence across the facility.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Production & Manufacturing Management

• Lead end-to-end fastener manufacturing operations (cold forging, hot forging, threading, heat treatment, surface coating/plating, packing).
• Ensure production schedules are met with optimum machine utilization and manpower planning.
• Implement lean manufacturing, TPM, 5S, Kaizen, and other productivity improvement initiatives.
• Develop and enforce SOPs, work instructions, and process control systems.

B. Quality Control & Compliance

• Ensure all products meet industry standards (ISO, IATF 16949, DIN, ASTM, JIS, etc.).
• Collaborate with the QC/QA team to reduce defects, scrap, and rework.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA), CAPA, and process audits.
• Ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety regulations.

C. Supply Chain & Inventory Management

• Oversee procurement of raw materials (steel wire rods, alloy steel, coatings, etc.).
• Optimize inventory, reduce material shortages, and minimize holding costs.
• Develop vendor relationships and ensure timely delivery of materials.
• Coordinate with logistics for on-time shipment to customers.

D. Planning & Forecasting

• Work with sales teams to understand demand forecasts and convert them into actionable production plans.
• Set annual/quarterly production targets aligned with business goals.
• Monitor daily/weekly production KPIs.

E. Cost & Budget Control

• Manage operational budgets, including production, maintenance, labor costs, and energy consumption.
• Identify cost-optimization opportunities without compromising quality.
• Reduce downtime through preventive and predictive maintenance planning.

F. Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and mentor production managers, supervisors, engineers, and plant staff.
• Conduct training programs for skill development and performance improvement.
• Build a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

G. Customer & Stakeholder Communication

• Work with sales and customer service teams to address customer complaints, quality issues, and delivery commitments.
• Participate in customer audits and technical discussions.
• Ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.

3. Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of fastener manufacturing processes (forming, threading, heat treatment, plating).
• Expertise in quality standards (IATF 16949, ISO 9001).
• Excellent leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM.
• Strong analytical and data-driven mindset.
• Effective communication and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Ability to manage high-volume, high-precision manufacturing environments.

4. Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical / Industrial Engineering (preferred).
• 10–20 years of experience in the fastener industry or precision manufacturing.
• At least 5 years in a senior operations or plant leadership role.
• Experience with automation, CNC machines, forging equipment, and heat treatment furnaces is an advantage.

5. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Production efficiency & OEE
• On-time delivery (OTD)
• Scrap & rejection rate
• Inventory turnover
• Machine downtime
• Customer complaint reduction
• Cost per unit improvement
• Safety compliance (LTI, incidents)