Director of Manufacturing

People Konnect; Salem; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

People Konnect is seeking a Head of Manufacturing in Tamil Nadu to lead end-to-end production across sites, align capacity with demand, and drive cost efficiency. The role requires 15 to 16+ years of progressive leadership in FMCG manufacturing, with deep experience in Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, and Industry 4.0.

You will partner with Supply Chain, QA, and R&D to ensure seamless product launches and continuous improvement, while building strong plant leadership teams and KPI-driven performance

Qualifications

• 15 to 16+ years of progressive manufacturing and plant leadership experience in FMCG, food, beverage, or process-driven manufacturing.
• Strong track record in cost optimization, capacity planning, and CapEx the role demands.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and implement Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, and Industry 4.0 initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead overall manufacturing strategy, capacity planning, and execution across multiple facilities.
• Ensure capacity aligns with sales forecasts and business demand.
• Oversee end-to-end plant operations including daily production, maintenance, and warehousing.
• Drive CapEx planning for plant expansions and technology upgrades.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Operational excellence

OEE optimization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Industrial)

MBA or Master’s in Operations/Supply Chain

Job description

The Head of Manufacturing provides end-to-end strategic and operational leadership for the production function across sites. The role ensures high production output, optimal cost efficiency, strict quality and regulatory compliance, and seamless integration with commercial and supply chain demands.

Key Responsibilities

1. Manufacturing Strategy & Operations

• Lead overall manufacturing strategy, capacity planning, and execution across multiple production facilities.
• Ensure production capacity aligns seamlessly with commercial sales forecasts and business demand.
• Oversee end-to-end plant operations, including daily production, engineering, maintenance, and warehousing.
• Drive capital expenditure (CapEx) planning for future plant expansions, line additions, and technological upgrades.

2. Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Implement best-in-class manufacturing frameworks, including Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM (Total Productive Maintenance), and 5S/Kaizen.
• Track and continuously improve OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), plant utilization, throughput, and product yield.
• Spearhead cost-reduction initiatives covering conversion costs, energy consumption, and raw material/packaging waste.
• Champion smart automation, digitization, and Industry 4.0/IoT-enabled shop-floor tracking.

3. Quality, Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain rigorous compliance with food safety, HACCP, GMP, statutory regulations, and local environmental/safety laws.
• Partner with Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) teams to eliminate market complaints, root-cause deviations, and batch rejections.
• Enforce zero-harm workplace safety cultures and strict occupational health standards.

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration & People Leadership

• Partner closely with Supply Chain, Procurement, R&D, and Commercial/Sales teams to ensure uninterrupted inventory and new product introductions (NPI).
• Build, mentor, and scale high-performing plant leadership teams.
• Establish KPI-driven performance management, talent pipelines, and succession planning across the shop floor.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Industrial); MBA or Master’s in Operations/Supply Chain preferred.
• Experience: 15 to 16+ years of progressive manufacturing and plant leadership experience within the FMCG, food, beverage, or process-driven manufacturing sectors.