Sr Manager - Production and Manufacturing

Role Overview

We are looking for a dynamic and hands-on Sr. Manager – Production & Manufacturing to lead operations across our network of co-manufacturing partners. This role is pivotal to ensuring seamless production execution, cost efficiency, and consistent quality delivery in a fast-growing FMCG environment. The ideal candidate is a strong executor and collaborator who thrives in high-growth, high-accountability environments and brings operational discipline with strategic foresight.

Key Responsibilities

A. Production Oversight & Execution

• Manage end-to-end production operations across all co-manufacturing units pan India.
• Conduct daily/weekly reviews with internal teams and co-man partners to monitor progress, flag risks, and drive accountability.
• Ensure on-time dispatch of finished goods (FG) aligned to demand plans and customer requirements.

B. Planning & Coordination

• Lead weekly/monthly production planning aligned to sales forecasts and capacity availability.
• Collaborate with the Procurement team for RM/PM availability and capacity scheduling.
• Represent production in EOS/ L10 weekly meetings to align goals and report operational performance.

C. Quality, Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure adherence to SOPs and quality standards across all production units.
• Conduct monthly cycle count for RM, PM, and FG inventory at co-manufacturers; review and validate monthly stock reports.
• Drive RCA and CAPA for process deviations and implement preventive controls.
• Ensure complete documentation of production batches, checklists, and reporting formats as per regulatory and internal requirements.

D. Packaging & Artwork Coordination

• Collaborate with design, marketing, and procurement teams to review and finalize packaging artworks from a manufacturability and compliance lens.

E. Process Excellence & Strategic Initiatives

• Drive continuous improvement in production processes, line efficiency, changeover time, wastages and material yields.
• Support strategic initiatives like capacity expansion, SKU rationalization, or alternate vendor onboarding.
• Implement best practices to scale operations with agility while maintaining cost and quality benchmarks.

F. Stakeholder Management

• Act as the single point of contact for internal stakeholders and external co-man partners on all production, compliance and accounting matters.
• Facilitate proactive communication to ensure alignment between demand, production, supply chain, and procurement teams.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong domain knowledge of FMCG food production and co-manufacturing conversion cost models
• Proven experience in production planning, shop floor execution, and performance monitoring
• Familiarity with food safety, quality audits, and statutory compliance requirements
• Process-oriented with a continuous improvement mindset
• Analytical thinker with attention to detail
• Strong people leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to manage ambiguity, scale complexity, and deliver under pressure

Location:

1 week in Gurgaon (HO), 2 weeks of travel to manufacturing sites, 1 week in Bangalore.

Reporting To:

Head of Operations

Experience Required:

8–12 years in FMCG/Food Manufacturing, preferably with hands-on experience managing production and quality at external co-manufacturing setups