Head - Fleet Operations & Maintenance (Tippers)

Refex Industries; Chennai District; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 5,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Refex Industries requires an experienced Head Fleet Operations & Maintenance to oversee a 500+ open-body tipper fleet across multiple locations. The role emphasizes vehicle availability, safety, and cost efficiency, with hands-on management of drivers, maintenance, and ground-level fleet issues.

The ideal candidate will lead end-to-end fleet operations, drive standardized procedures, and coordinate with workshops, vendors, and site teams while traveling as needed to keep operations running

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in fleet operations and maintenance.
• Mandatory experience in managing open-body tipper fleets.
• Directly managed 500+ company-owned commercial vehicles across multiple sites.
• Strong technical knowledge of heavy commercial vehicles and tippers.
• Experience in workshops, preventive maintenance, breakdown management, and spare parts.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end fleet operations of 500+ company-owned open-body tippers across sites.
• Ensure optimum deployment, utilization, availability and productivity of the fleet.
• Monitor fleet performance via utilization, downtime, turnaround time and vehicle availability.
• Establish standardized fleet operating procedures across locations.
• Coordinate with site teams to resolve day-to-day fleet issues.
• Oversee preventive and breakdown maintenance; manage workshops and vendors.
• Drive driver management, training, discipline and performance standards.
• Handle accidents, breakdowns, insurance claims, police coordination and related processes.
• Develop MIS and dashboards for fleet availability, downtime, maintenance cost, accidents and fuel efficiency.
• Drive cost optimization while maintaining safety and reliability.

Skills

Fleet operations

Driver management

Accident handling

Vendor management

Leadership

Job description

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Head Fleet Operations & Maintenance to manage and oversee a large fleet of 500+ company-owned open-body tippers operating across multiple locations.

The ideal candidate should have strong expertise in tipper fleet operations, vehicle maintenance, driver management, accident handling, and ground-level fleet issues. The candidate must be hands-on and capable of managing a geographically distributed fleet while ensuring maximum vehicle availability, safety, cost efficiency, and operational discipline.

Key Responsibilities

Fleet Operations

• Lead end-to-end operations of 500+ company-owned open-body tippers across multiple sites.
• Ensure optimum vehicle deployment, utilization, availability, and productivity.
• Monitor fleet performance through key operational metrics such as utilization, downtime, turnaround time, and vehicle availability.
• Establish and implement standardized fleet operating procedures across locations.
• Coordinate with site teams to resolve day-to-day operational and fleet-related issues.

Vehicle Maintenance & Technical Management

• Oversee preventive and breakdown maintenance of the entire tipper fleet.
• Develop maintenance schedules and ensure timely servicing, inspections, and repairs.
• Monitor vehicle downtime and identify recurring mechanical/electrical issues.
• Strong technical understanding of engines, transmissions, brakes, suspension, tyres, hydraulics, electrical systems, and other critical vehicle components.
• Manage workshops, service centres, mechanics, vendors, and OEM/dealer relationships.
• Control maintenance costs while maintaining vehicle safety and reliability.
• Ensure availability of critical spare parts and establish appropriate inventory controls.

Driver Management

• Manage and monitor a large workforce of drivers across multiple locations.
• Establish driver discipline, attendance, productivity, and performance standards.
• Ensure proper driver training on vehicle handling, safety, preventive maintenance, and operating procedures.
• Address driver-related issues, grievances, misconduct, absenteeism, and performance concerns.
• Drive initiatives to improve driver retention and reduce driver-related incidents.

Accident & Ground-Level Issue Management

• Take ownership of accidents, breakdowns, vehicle damage, driver disputes, and other critical ground-level issues.
• Ensure quick response and resolution of accidents and breakdowns across locations.
• Coordinate with police, insurance companies, workshops, towing agencies, and other stakeholders during accidents.
• Manage insurance claims, accident documentation, vehicle recovery, and repair processes.
• Conduct root-cause analysis of major accidents and implement corrective/preventive actions.
• Be willing to travel extensively to sites whenever critical operational issues arise.

Fleet Cost & Performance Management

• Monitor and control fuel, maintenance, tyre, spare parts, repair, and other fleet-related costs.
• Analyze vehicle-wise and site-wise maintenance expenses.
• Develop MIS and dashboards covering fleet availability, downtime, maintenance cost, accidents, fuel efficiency, and vehicle utilization.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising safety or vehicle reliability.

Compliance & Safety

• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements relating to commercial vehicles, permits, fitness, insurance, pollution certificates, taxation, and other applicable regulations.
• Ensure periodic vehicle inspections and documentation are completed on time.
• Implement fleet safety standards and monitor compliance across all sites.
• Drive reduction in accidents, breakdowns, and unsafe driving practices.

Key KRAs

• Fleet Availability & Utilization
• Preventive Maintenance Compliance
• Reduction in Vehicle Downtime
• Reduction in Maintenance Cost per Vehicle/KM
• Accident Frequency & Closure
• Fuel Efficiency
• Tyre Life & Cost Management
• Driver Productivity & Retention
• Statutory Compliance
• Breakdown Response & Resolution Time
• Vehicle Deployment & Productivity
• Overall Fleet Operating Cost

Candidate Profile

• 15+ years of experience in fleet operations and maintenance.
• Mandatory experience in managing open-body tipper fleets.
• Should have directly managed 500+ company-owned commercial vehicles, preferably across multiple locations/sites.
• Strong technical knowledge of heavy commercial vehicles and tippers.
• Proven experience in vehicle maintenance, workshops, preventive maintenance, breakdown management, and spare parts.
• Strong experience in driver management and large-scale manpower handling.
• Hands-on experience in managing accidents, breakdowns, insurance claims, police coordination, and other ground-level challenges.
• Strong vendor/OEM/service-centre management experience.
• Excellent operational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Should be comfortable working in a multi-location and highly field-oriented environment.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively across project/site locations.

Preferred Background

Candidates from Ash Handling, Mining, Infrastructure, Construction, Logistics, Transportation, Cement, Aggregates, or other heavy commercial vehicle operations will be preferred.

Important:

Candidates should have specific hands-on experience managing open-body tippers and large company-owned fleets. Experience limited to passenger vehicles, buses, or small commercial vehicles will not be considered.

Candidates should have relevant experience handling Heavy Vehicles - Tippers.

Speaking in Hindi is must