Dispatch Manager

Sterling Tools (STL); Faridabad District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Tools (STL) in Haryana, Faridabad District, seeks a Manager Operations (Dispatch) to own end-to-end delivery management for the plant, from final inspection and packing through WIP control to daily dispatch and on-time delivery to OEM and aftermarket customers.

You will lead and motivate a multi-level shop-floor team, drive cycle time reduction, cost optimization, automation of dispatch processes and adherence to OTIF targets, while coordinating with production, quality, stores and

Responsibilities

• Delivery Management & Daily Dispatch: Own OTIF delivery performance, publish daily dispatch plan, review plan vs actual, coordinate with Marketing/Customer Service, PPC and Logistics, ensure dispatch documentation accuracy, track and reduce delivery-related issues.
• Final Inspection & Packing: Ensure 100% adherence to final inspection standards, standardise packing per customer specs, reduce packing rejections and costs, ensure FIFO discipline at dispatch area.
• WIP & Inventory Control: Monitor and control WIP inventory between production, inspection, packing and dispatch; improve inventory turns and stock reconciliation.
• Productivity, Cycle Time & Cost: Drive cycle time reduction, manpower optimization, reduce handling steps, own departmental cost budget and drive savings.
• Automation & Production Engineering: Identify and implement automation in inspection, packing, material movement and dispatch; prepare capex proposals and ROI justification.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive Kaizen, eliminate waste, deploy 5S and daily work management; support ISO requirements.
• Team Leadership, Motivation & Alignment: Lead staff across shifts, set KRAs, conduct reviews, ensure safety and compliance.

Job description

Role & responsibilities

1. Position Summary

The Manager Operations (Dispatch) owns end-to-end delivery management for the plant from final inspection and packing through WIP control to daily dispatch and on-time delivery to OEM and aftermarket customers. The role carries direct accountability for dispatch schedule adherence, packing quality, cycle time reduction, manpower optimisation and automation of dispatch processes, while leading and motivating a multi-level shop-floor team.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Delivery Management & Daily Dispatch

• - Own plant-level OTIF (On-Time In-Full) delivery performance against customer schedules and dispatch plans.
• - Prepare, publish and drive the daily dispatch plan; conduct daily review of plan vs. actual and close gaps with Production, Quality, Stores and Logistics.
• - Coordinate with Marketing/Customer Service, PPC and Logistics on schedules, priority loads, transporter allocation and vehicle placement.
• - Ensure dispatch documentation accuracy — invoices, e-way bills, packing lists, delivery challans, ASN/EDI updates on customer portals.
• - Track and reduce delivery-related customer complaints, short supplies, wrong dispatches and premium freight.

B. Final Inspection & Packing

• - Ensure 100% adherence to final inspection standards, sampling plans and pre-dispatch inspection (PDI) before release.
• - Standardise packing as per customer-specified packing standards (bins, boxes, VCI, labelling, barcoding, part identification, traceability).
• - Reduce packing rejections, transit damage and packing material cost per unit; drive returnable/reusable packaging wherever feasible.
• - Ensure zero mixing of parts, correct part-to-label matching and FIFO discipline at the dispatch area.

C. WIP & Inventory Control

• - Monitor and control WIP inventory between production, inspection, packing and dispatch stages; drive WIP reduction targets.
• - Maintain finished goods inventory accuracy, stock ageing control and physical vs. system stock reconciliation (ERP/SAP).
• - Improve inventory turns and warehouse space utilisation through layout and storage optimisation.

D. Productivity, Cycle Time & Cost

• - Drive cycle time reduction across final inspection, packing and dispatch operations through line balancing, layout change and method study.
• - Deliver **manpower optimisation / manpower reduction** through work standardisation, multi-skilling and elimination of non-value-added activity.
• - Reduce **number of processes / handling steps** between production and dispatch; minimise man-handling and multiple part touches.
• - Own the departmental cost budget and drive year-on-year cost savings (manpower, packing material, freight, consumables).

E. Automation & Production Engineering

• - Identify and implement automation in inspection, packing, material movement and dispatch (auto-counting, weighing, vision systems, conveyors, barcode/RFID scanning, dispatch software).
• - Prepare capex proposals with payback/ROI justification and lead implementation with Production Engineering and Maintenance.
• - Work with Production Engineering on poka-yoke, fixture and material handling improvements at the packing/dispatch interface.

F. Continuous Improvement (Kaizen / 3M / Lean)

• - Drive Kaizen culture — set targets for kaizen per employee per month and ensure implementation and horizontal deployment.
• - Eliminate 3M (Muda, Mura, Muri) — waste, unevenness and overburden — in dispatch and packing operations.
• - Deploy 5S, visual management, standard work, daily work management (DWM) and layered process audits in the dispatch area.
• - Support IATF 16949, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 requirements; ensure audit readiness and closure of NCs.

G. Team Leadership, Motivation & Alignment

• - Lead, allocate and supervise staff, operators and contract manpower across shifts; ensure shift-wise manpower planning and attendance discipline.
• - Drive **team motivation and alignment** — daily gemba communication meetings, goal cascading, skill matrix, training and multi-skilling plans.
• - Set KRAs for the team, conduct performance reviews, identify and develop successors.
• - Ensure discipline, safety and statutory compliance for contract manpower in coordination with HR.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• | KPI | Focus |
• | 1 | OTIF / Dispatch schedule adherence | Delivery |
• | 2 | Daily dispatch plan vs. actual achievement | Delivery |
• | 3 | WIP and finished goods inventory levels / inventory turns | Inventory |
• | 4 | Cycle time per pack / dispatch lead time | Productivity |
• | 5 | Manpower productivity (units per man-hour) & manpower cost reduction | Cost |
• | 6 | Packing cost per unit & transit damage / packing rejection % | Cost & Quality |
• | 7 | Customer complaints related to dispatch, packing & short supply | Quality |
• | 8 | Number of Kaizens implemented & savings generated | Improvement |
• | 9 | Automation projects completed vs. plan (with ROI) | Improvement |
• | 10 | 5S score, safety incidents, audit compliance | Systems |