Head - Planning & Warehouse

Nokia; Chennai District; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Nokia in Chennai, India seeks a senior production planning and factory operations leader to oversee end-to-end planning, capacity, material flow and warehouse operations in a high-volume telecom manufacturing environment. You will align customer demand with factory capacity and material availability to ensure seamless production execution and on-time shipment.

You will drive operational excellence through data-driven decisions, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous improvement, aiming

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
• 20+ years of experience in production planning, capacity planning, materials management, or factory operations.
• Experience with S&OP, demand planning, inventory management, and production scheduling.
• Strong data-driven decision making and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead demand and capacity planning by translating forecasts into executable manufacturing and resource plans.
• Drive shipment fulfillment by ensuring factory readiness and proactive management of constraints.
• Optimize loading, capacity utilization, and production flow to maximize efficiency.
• Ensure material availability and optimal inventory levels to support production and working capital.
• Lead warehouse operations including inbound logistics, inventory control, and distribution to lines.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Logistics, and Finance to resolve challenges.

Skills

Production Planning

Capacity Planning

Materials Management

Factory Operations

S&OP

Demand Planning

Inventory Management

Production Scheduling

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Education

Engineering or related discipline

Tools

SAP

ERP/MRP

Job description

Job Description

As a key member of the Factory Leadership Team, you will lead end-to-end Production Planning, Factory Capacity Management, Material Flow, and Warehouse Operations within a high-volume 24x7 telecom manufacturing environment. The role is responsible for aligning customer demand, factory capacity, and material availability to ensure seamless production execution and shipment fulfillment. You will drive operational excellence through data-driven decision-making, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, inventory performance, and operational resilience. This position plays a critical role in supporting business growth while optimizing working capital, manufacturing efficiency, and customer delivery performance.

Job Description

As a key member of the Factory Leadership Team, you will lead end-to-end Production Planning, Factory Capacity Management, Material Flow, and Warehouse Operations within a high-volume 24x7 telecom manufacturing environment. The role is responsible for aligning customer demand, factory capacity, and material availability to ensure seamless production execution and shipment fulfillment. You will drive operational excellence through data-driven decision-making, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, inventory performance, and operational resilience. This position plays a critical role in supporting business growth while optimizing working capital, manufacturing efficiency, and customer delivery performance.

How You Will Contribute And What You Will Learn

• Lead demand and capacity planning activities by translating business forecasts into executable manufacturing and resource plans.
• Drive shipment fulfillment performance by ensuring factory readiness and proactive management of production and material constraints.
• Optimize factory loading, capacity utilization, and production flow to maximize operational efficiency and manufacturing productivity.
• Ensure material availability and readiness to support uninterrupted production while maintaining optimal inventory levels and working capital performance.
• Lead warehouse operations, including inbound logistics, inventory control, material storage, traceability, and distribution to manufacturing lines.
• Govern the implementation of engineering and product lifecycle changes, ensuring material readiness and minimal impact to manufacturing operations.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Logistics, and Finance teams to resolve operational challenges and achieve business objectives.
• Drive Lean, digitalization, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance planning effectiveness, inventory management, responsiveness, and overall factory competitiveness.

Key Skills And Experience

Must Have:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or a related discipline with 20 plus years of experience.
• Proven experience leading Production Planning, Capacity Planning, Materials Management, or Factory Operations in a manufacturing environment.
• Expertise in Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), demand planning, inventory management, and production scheduling processes.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving capabilities with experience leveraging data to drive operational decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate across cross-functional and global stakeholder groups.
• Experience leading high-performing teams in a fast-paced, high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement methodologies.

Nice to Have:

• Experience within Telecom, Electronics, EMS, or High-Tech Manufacturing industries.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP and advanced planning tools.
• Experience driving factory transformation, digitalization, and automation initiatives.

About Us

Advancing connectivity to secure a brighter world.

Nokia is a global leader in connectivity for the AI era. With expertise across fixed, mobile and transport networks, powered by the innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we’re advancing connectivity to secure a brighter world.

Learn more about life at Nokia .

Our recruitment process

We act inclusively and respect the uniqueness of people. Our employment decisions are made regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. We are committed to a culture of inclusion built upon our core value of respect.

If you’re interested in this role but don’t meet every listed requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences enrich our teams, and you may be just the right candidate for this or another opportunity.

The length of the recruitment process may vary depending on the specific role's requirements. We strive to ensure a smooth and inclusive experience for all candidates. Discover more about the recruitment process at Nokia .