Chief Operating Officer

Best Group; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Best Group is seeking a COO to lead the business unit with a focus on profitable growth, operational excellence, and disciplined execution. The role drives EBITDA margins while strengthening market position and customer trust, backed by data-driven decision making and strong Gemba leadership across a 400–600 employee span.

The ideal candidate brings 25+ years in manufacturing with P&L responsibility, experience scaling teams and improving profitability, and deep Lean, ISO/IATF, and SAP

Qualifications

• 25+ years of experience, including 10+ years in a leadership role with P&L responsibility, preferably from Automotive/Manufacturing.
• Proven track record of scaling operations and improving profitability.
• Experience managing large teams (300+ workforce).
• Should have risen from the ranks to understand the dynamics of the Manufacturing Industry.

Responsibilities

• Drive achievement of revenue targets in line with the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and ensure YoY growth.
• Lead CAPEX and OPEX planning to support Manufacturing, R&D, D&D, Projects and NPD functions.
• Ensure new business acquisitions are financially viable and largely self-sustaining with minimal capital investments.
• Champion cost optimization initiatives across functions to enhance profitability and strengthen the bottom line.

Skills

P&L leadership

Lean manufacturing

Quality systems

Stakeholder management

Cost optimization

Data-driven

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in Engineering

Tools

SAP

Job description

·Reporting To: Business Council (via Managing Director)

·Span: 400-600 employees | 8-10 direct reports

Role Purpose

The COO will be a critical member of the leadership team responsible for driving profitable growth, operational excellence, and execution discipline across the assigned business unit.

The incumbent will be accountable for building and sustaining a high-growth culture aligned with the 5x5y vision,deliver sustained double-digit EBITDA margins while strengthening market position and customer trust.

The role requires a deep understanding of market dynamics, customer expectations, and core business fundamentals, coupled with a strong execution mindset focused on performance outcomes (BSC, PQCDSM). The incumbent must demonstrate financial discipline, a data-driven approach to decision-making, and the ability to accelerate business growth and market share.

Strong on-ground leadership with regular Gemba engagement is essential to ensure operational excellence, superior customer satisfaction, and long-term trust with stakeholders. This role will be on a full-time basis with 6 days working.

Ideal Candidate Profile

A. Experience

·25+ yrs(10yrs+atLeadershipRole as a P&L responsibility), preferably fromAutomotive/ Manufacturing Industry

·Proven track record of scaling operations and improving profitability

·Experience managing large teams (300+ workforce)

B. Capabilities

·Strong techno-commercial acumen (costing, negotiations, margins)

·Deep expertise in Lean Manufacturing, TQM, TPM

·Strong understanding of quality systems (ISO/IATF)

·Experience with SAP and analytics-driven decision-making

• Strong manufacturing & quality mindset to monitor business operations in depth

·Proven ability to manage key customer relationships

·High ownership and accountability mindset

·Strong execution bias with attention to detail

·Data-driven and financially disciplined

·Ability to operate at both strategic and shop-floor levels

·Influential stakeholder management (internal & external)

Key Responsibilities Areas

·Drive achievement of revenue targets in line with the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and ensure consistent year-on-year (YoY) growth trajectory.

·Lead CAPEX and OPEX planning, including advance assessment of working capital requirements to support Manufacturing, R&D, D&D, Projects, and NPD functions.

·Ensure new business acquisitions are financially viable and largely self-sustaining with minimal dependency on additional capital investments.

·Champion cost optimization initiatives across functions to enhance profitability and strengthen the bottom line.

KPIs

·Business growth YoY as per AOP

·EBITDA growth as per AOP

·New account additions to support target achievement

·Monthly Balance Scorecard tracking and review in Business Council meetings

·Build and strengthen strategic relationships with existing customers to enhance business share, drive volume growth, and enable price realization.

·Establish a high-response culture for customer concerns, ensuring timely communication, resolution, and closure of all open issues.

·Develop a robust and diversified product portfolio for OEMs and global markets to position the organization as a preferred partner.

·Identify and expand opportunities in domestic and international markets to drive both horizontal and vertical business growth while reducing dependency on existing customers.

·Continuously track market trends and customer requirements to strengthen in-house capabilities and innovation pipeline.

KPIs

·Increased business share from existing products/customers

·New product additions for existing customers

·New customer acquisition through existing products

·New product + new customer development

·Customer ranking and satisfaction index

·Customer awards and recognition

·NPD delivery within committed timelines

3. Process Excellence

·Drive implementation of automation and Industry 4.0 initiatives to improve productivity, reduce manual dependency, and optimize cycle times.

·Build a strong digital and data-driven operating environment across functions.

·Ensure efficient inventory management (RM, WIP, FG) through structured analysis (ABC, etc.) to optimize working capital.

·Develop and execute a resilient supply chain strategy with strong risk mitigation mechanisms.

·Strengthen supplier ecosystem (domestic & global) to reduce dependency risks, optimize material costs, and improve COGS.

·Institutionalize robust quality systems (QMS, SPC, CAPA, Poke-Yoke, COPQ) to enhance product quality and achieve superior FTR performance, including supplier-side improvements.

KPIs

·Reduction in Inventory Days

·PPC plan adherence vs material availability with optimal ITR

·Raw material cost reduction vs revenue/COGS

·Reduction in COPQ, improved PPM and CSI scores

·Progress in digitization and centralized data systems

4. Organization Capability

·Drive centralized data systems across functions in alignment with digitization initiatives.

·Build leadership pipeline by developing successors (2IC) for all critical roles.

·Act as a custodian of organizational values, ensuring strict adherence and zero tolerance for deviations.

·Embed the Group’s vision, mission, and value system across the organization.

·Foster a high-performance, growth-oriented culture with strong team engagement and collaboration.

·Monitor and optimize manpower costs while ensuring high retention and productivity levels.

·Promote a "Quality First" culture across all levels of the organization.

KPIs

·Number of ready 2ICs developed

·Team productivity >90%

·Team retention >85%

·Building succession pipeline for all N-1 level

Qualifications:

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Engineering
• Should have risen from the ranks to understand the dynamics of the Manufacturing Industry
• Have had excellent relationships with customers and understand Quality is first principal
• Has exposure to world class shop floor practices and led the excellence in operations