Role & responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Own day-to-day performance across all operating departments and act as the main bridge between the CEO and the team.
- Translate company goals into departmental targets, budgets and weekly priorities.
- Resolve cross-department issues before they escape to the CEO.
- Run a weekly operations review and a monthly management report covering KPIs, risks and actions.
Factory & Processing Operations
- Oversee production planning, capacity utilization, processing yields and wastage.
- Ensure product quality, food safety and compliance with relevant standards.
- Drive preventive maintenance, health and safety, and continuous improvement on the shop floor.
- Monitor cost per tonne and conversion efficiency, and take corrective action.
Logistics & Supply Chain
- Manage inbound procurement logistics, warehousing, inventory control and outbound shipments.
- Oversee freight, shipping lines, customs clearance, export/import documentation and letters of credit documentation in coordination with finance.
- Coordinate with trading desk on contract execution, delivery schedules and quality claims.
- Optimize freight and storage costs and reduce demurrage, losses and delays.
Finance & Accounts (Operational Oversight)
- Work with the Finance & Accounts Manager on payables, receivables, collections, cash-flow forecasting and working‑capital management.
- Enforce cost controls, approval limits and purchasing procedures.
- Ensure timely, accurate month‑end reporting and support audits, VAT and corporate tax compliance.
People, HR & Administration
- Lead, coach and hold department heads accountable for clear KPIs.
- Oversee hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, discipline and succession for mid-level and frontline staff.
- Build a culture of ownership, accountability and escalation through proper channels.
- Oversee general administration, facilities, PRO/visa matters and vendor contracts.
Systems & Process
- Document and implement SOPs for every core process: production, quality, dispatch, procurement, payments and approvals.
- Define a clear decision‑rights matrix (who decides, who approves, who is informed).
- Lead adoption of ERP, inventory and reporting tools; build simple dashboards for the CEO.
- Identify operational risks (supply, quality, counterparty, compliance) and put mitigation in place.
Key Performance Indicators
- Processing yield, throughput and capacity utilization
- Cost per tonne (processing, logistics, storage)
- On-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery and shipment turnaround
- Quality claims, rejections and customer complaints
- Inventory accuracy, stock losses and ageing
- Receivables days, payment discipline and cash‑flow forecast accuracy
- Staff turnover, safety incidents and SOP compliance
- Reduction in operational issues escalated to the CEO
Preferred candidate profile
- 12-15+ years of progressive experience, including at least 5 years in a senior multi‑department role (COO, GM Operations, Plant/Site GM or similar).
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Food Technology, Agriculture, Supply Chain or Business.
- MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
- Certifications in Lean, Six Sigma, APICS/CSCP or food safety are a plus.
Skills & Attributes
- Firm, fair and calm people leader who can hold teams accountable without micromanaging.
- Structured problem-solver who fixes root causes, not symptoms.
- Excellent communication with a multicultural workforce; English & Hindi or other regional languages are an advantage.
- High integrity and discretion in handling commercial and financial information.
- Willing to spend significant time on the factory floor and at logistics sites.