Country Manager

Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Pune District; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Pune, India seeks an experienced industrial leader to head manufacturing operations. The role covers operational leadership, P&L ownership, and long-term organizational development with integration into European standards and culture.

The General Manager will stabilize, scale, and optimize operations after launch, including governance, supplier ecosystems, and building a strong local leadership team, with a six-month immersion in Europe.

Qualifications

• 15–25 years of progressive leadership experience in automotive, industrial, or precision manufacturing.
• Minimum 5–8 years in a Plant Head / Factory Manager / General Manager role in India.
• Exposure to greenfield or plant ramp-up environments and strategic contribution.
• Experience with European industrial organizations and operating standards (HSE, governance, reporting).

Responsibilities

• Provide input and oversight during plant setup and industrialization.
• Support operations, organization, and standards decisions with global alignment.
• Own plant performance with high autonomy post-launch and manage core functions.
• Lead customer relationships with OEMs/Tier-1 suppliers and ensure delivery excellence.
• Complete a 6‑month immersion in Europe to transfer European practices to India.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Kaizen

TPM

Quality & Compliance

P&L ownership

Strategic leadership

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Engineering or related field

MBA preferred

Tools

ISO standards

Job description

Location: Pune, India (Includes a 6-month onboarding and training assignment at the facility in Europe)

Role Overview

An experienced and entrepreneurial industrial leader to lead its manufacturing operations in India. This role combinesoperational leadership,P&L ownership, andlong-term organizational development, with strong integration into the company's European standards and culture.While the General Manager will contribute to key decisions during the plant establishment phase,their primary focus will be on stabilizing, scaling, andoptimizingoperations post-launch.

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering , Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field/MBA preferred

Professional Experience

• 15–25 years of progressive leadership experience in automotive, industrial, or precision manufacturing
• Minimum 5–8 years in a Plant Head / Factory Manager / General Manager role in India
• Exposure to greenfield or plant ramp-up environments , with the ability to contribute at a strategic level (without requiring full operational ownership of the setup phase)
• Experience working with or within European industrial organizations (e.g., Tier-1 suppliers, OEM ecosystems)
• Strong understanding of European operating standards , including HSE, governance, and reporting transparency
• Demonstrated experience managing:
  Customer relationships with major OEMs / Tier-1 suppliers
  Quality, environmental, and safety systems (QMS / EMS / HSE)
  P&L responsibility, CAPEX planning, and budgeting
• Comfortable operating within a matrix organization with structured reporting to international headquarters

Core Competencies

Technical & Operational Excellence:

• Deep expertise in manufacturing processes (preferably metal forming, stamping, sealing, or precision components)
• Strong background in: Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen and Continuous Improvement, Total Productive Maintenance, (TPM), Cost optimization and operational efficiency
• Advanced knowledge of quality and compliance systems: ISO 9001, IATF 16949, ISO 14001

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Contribution to Plant Setup

• Provide targeted input and oversight during the plant setup and industrialization phase
• Support key decisions related to operations, organization, and standards
• Ensure alignment with global requirements without direct day-to-day involvement

2. Operations & Business Leadership

• Assume full responsibility for plant performance with high autonomy and accountability post-launch
• Manage all core functions: Production,Quality,Maintenance,Supply Chain,HR & Administration, Finance
• Drive operational excellence, cost control, and productivity improvements
• Build and develop a strong local leadership team

3. Customer & Business Development

• Act as the senior representative for key customer accounts
• Ensure delivery excellence and contractual compliance
• Support business growth by developing relationships andidentifyingnew opportunities in India

4. Integration & Knowledge Transfer

• Complete a 6-month immersion in Europe to acquire operational standards and culture
• Transfer European manufacturing practices and quality expectations to the Indian operation
• Foster strong alignment and collaboration between India and Europe

5. Governance & Performance Management

• Provide clear, structured, and transparent reporting to European leadership
• Monitor and drive key KPIs, including:
  Production efficiency,Quality performance,Cost management,Safety metrics, Workforce performance
• Ensure full transparency on risks, challenges, and progress