DGM – Lean Manufacturing Implementation

Agratas – A Tata Enterprise; Sanand; On-site; INR 3,000,000 - 5,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Agratas – A Tata Enterprise seeks a DGM to lead lean manufacturing implementation at the cell plant in India. You will design, deploy, and sustain a world-class Production System grounded in Lean principles, embedding a continuous improvement culture across production, maintenance, quality, and supply chain.

The role demands extensive experience in leading large-scale lean transformations with measurable outcomes, and close collaboration with HR, operations, and external partners.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree in Mechanical / Industrial / Manufacturing Engineering or equivalent.
• Formal Lean / Production System training from automotive OEM, Tier-1, or recognised institute.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deploy Agratas Production System (APS) framework aligned with Lean principles.
• Lead end-to-end lean transformation across all shop floors (Electrode, Assembly, Formation, EOL).
• Conduct VSM exercises for current and future state.
• Establish SOPs, standardised work, and operator work instructions.
• Drive Kaizen events and CI projects with measurable savings.

Skills

Lean tools

Kaizen

5S

VSM

Kanban

Poka-Yoke

Jidoka

Standardised Work

OEE

Project Management

Data analysis

MS Excel (Advanced)

Power BI

Power Apps

Minitab

Education

Engineering degree in Mechanical / Industrial / Manufacturing Engineering

Formal Lean / Production System training

Tools

MS Excel

Power BI

Power Apps

Minitab

Job description

JOB TITLE DGM – Lean Manufacturing Implementation

JOB ROLE Responsible for Lean Manufacturing Implementation & Production System Development

FUNCTION / DEPARTMENT Manufacturing

REPORTING TO GM – Manufacturing / VP – Operations

JOB LOCATION Cell Manufacturing Plant (E-Zone)

JOB SCOPE National

PEOPLE MANGEMENT RESPONSBILITY Yes

ABOUT AGRATAS

Agratas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons. We design, develop and manufacture high-quality, high-performance, sustainable batteries applied to multiple use cases in the mobility and energy sectors, to match our customers’ requirements.

Agratas is a scale-up business with a start-up mentality, driven by our pursuit of green growth and technological progress.

We develop next-generation battery technologies at our state-of-the-art R&D Innovation Hubs in India and the UK.

ROLE SUMMARY

Managing and leading a cross-functional team of engineers and production specialists to design, deploy, and sustain a world-class Production System (PS) grounded in Lean Manufacturing principles. The role is pivotal in driving cultural and operational transformation across the cell manufacturing plant by embedding lean tools, methodologies, and a continuous improvement mindset at every level of the organisation. The DGM will be responsible for developing and implementing the Agratas Production System (APS) framework, standardising work processes, eliminating waste, and enabling measurable improvements in people, safety, quality, delivery, cost, maintenance, energy and environment (PPSQDCMEE). The role requires close collaboration with production, maintenance, quality, supply chain, and HR functions, as well as engagement with external partners and benchmarking organisations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical / Functional

• Agratas Production System (APS) Development & Deployment: Design, develop, and implement a comprehensive Production System framework aligned with Lean principles (LEAN MANUFACTURING -PS-derived), covering all manufacturing areas of the cell plant.
• Lean Transformation Leadership: Lead end-to-end lean transformation initiatives across all shop floors, including Electrode, Assembly, Formation, and End-of-Line, ensuring sustained change management and cultural adoption.
• Value Stream Mapping (VSM): Conduct detailed current-state and future-state VSM exercises to identify waste, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities across the manufacturing value chain.
• Standardised Work & Work Instruction Management: Establish, maintain, and continuously improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), standardised work documents, and operator work instructions.
• Kaizen & Continuous Improvement Programme: Plan, facilitate, and drive structured Kaizen events, improvement workshops, and CI projects targeting PSQDCME metrics. Track and report savings and impact.
• 5S & Visual Management: Design and sustain 5S systems, visual factory standards, shadow boards, andon systems, and production control boards across all production areas.
• Line Balancing & Flow Optimisation: Lead cycle time studies, takt time analysis, line balancing exercises, and layout optimisation to enhance throughput and reduce WIP.
• OEE Improvement: Drive Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improvement programmes in collaboration with maintenance and production teams; identify and eliminate losses across availability, performance, and quality.
• Pull System & Kanban Implementation: Design and implement pull-based material flow systems, supermarkets, and Kanban replenishment loops across internal logistics and production areas.
• People Development & Lean Capability Building: Develop and deliver lean training programmes for all levels of the organisation, from operator to senior management. Coach and mentor internal lean champions.
• Production System Governance & Lean Maturity Model Adherence: Establish LMM frameworks to assess PS maturity, compliance, and sustainability. Drive corrective action plans based on findings.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Launch Integration, Supply Chain, and HR to align lean initiatives with overall plant and business objectives.
• Benchmarking & Best Practice: Lead external benchmarking activities across automotive and adjacent industries. Adapt and integrate best practices into the Agratas Production System.
• Project Management: Manage multiple lean and PS projects simultaneously, ensuring on-time delivery, resource allocation, budget adherence, and stakeholder communication.
• KPI Monitoring & Reporting: Define, track, and report on lean KPIs including lead time, cycle time, defect rates, first-pass yield, scrap, OEE, and cost savings to senior leadership.
• Establish metrics: Ability to identify and drive the drill down of organisational metrics to the front-line leadership level
• Ability to integrate concepts such as TPM with the broader Production System and lean transformation

IT Skills

• Proficiency in MS Excel (advanced), PowerPoint, and data analysis tools such as Minitab and project management.
• Familiarity with digital lean tools, plant simulation software, or Industry 4.0 platforms is an advantage.
• Good presentation and facilitation skills for senior stakeholder engagement and shop-floor coaching.

PREREQUISITES – TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

• In-depth knowledge and hands‑on experience of core Lean tools: VSM, 5S, SMED, Poka-Yoke, Kaizen, Kanban, Heijunka, Jidoka, and Standardised Work.
• Strong understanding of the Lean manufacturing - Production System philosophy and its application in high-volume high-speed discrete or process manufacturing.
• Proven experience in leading large-scale lean transformations with measurable business impact.
• Knowledge of statistical process control (SPC), Six Sigma methodologies (Black Belt preferred), and problem-solving tools (A3, 8D, PDCA).
• Understanding of battery cell manufacturing processes (Mixing, Coating, Calendaring, Slitting, Assembly, Formation) is desirable.
• Experience with layout design, ergonomics, and material flow optimisation in greenfield or brownfield plants is desirable

ROLE-SPECIFIC QUALIFICATION / CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT

Mandatory / Desired:

• Engineering degree in Mechanical / Industrial Engineering / Manufacturing Engineering or equivalent.
• Formal Lean / Production System training from an automotive OEM, Tier-1 supplier, or recognised lean institute.

Suitable / Optional:

• Post-graduate qualification in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or MBA (Operations).
• Certification in TPM (JIPM standard), Shingo Prize framework or similar
• Working knowhow of data analytics tool such as Power Bi, Power Apps

Role Specific knowledge, Skills and Experience

Mandatory Desired:

• 15 to 20 years of experience in manufacturing operations with at least 8 to 10 years in a dedicated Lean / Production System role.
• Demonstrated track record of implementing Production Systems in high-volume manufacturing industries such as Automotive, Battery / EV, Pharma, Electronics, FMCG, Tyre, or Aerospace.
• Proven experience in building and leading lean teams, coaching frontline supervisors and managers, and driving cultural change.
• Experience working in greenfield manufacturing set-ups or transformative lean journeys from inception is strongly preferred.

Suitable / Optional:

• Prior exposure to Lithium-ion Cell Manufacturing, Battery Technology, or New Energy Vehicle production environments.
• Experience in deploying digital/Industry 4.0 solutions as part of a lean transformation (e-Kanban, real-time OEE monitoring, digital SOPs).

Role Specific Behavioural Skills

Mandatory / Desired:

• Transformational Leadership: Ability to inspire, influence, and mobilise people at all levels towards a common vision of operational excellence.
• Collaborative & Cross-functional: Works effectively across departmental boundaries; builds trust and alignment with diverse stakeholders.
• Innovative & Problem-Solving Mindset: Challenges the status quo, experiments with new ideas, and drives creative solutions to complex manufacturing challenges.
• Strong Communication Skills: Able to articulate lean concepts clearly to both shop-floor teams and senior leadership; confident presenter and facilitator.
• PDCA / Scientific Thinking: Consistently applies Plan-Do-Check-Act discipline; data-driven decision-making grounded in Gemba observations.

Suitable / Optional:

• Resilience & Persistence: Committed to sustaining long-term change despite organisational resistance or setbacks.
• Coaching & Mentoring: Passionate about developing people’s lean capability and nurturing the next generation of internal champions.
• Focused & Results-Oriented: Sets ambitious targets, maintains accountability, and drives initiatives through to measurable completion.