Manager - Production (TCD)

Liebherr Group; Pune District; On-site; INR 3,000,000 - 5,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Liebherr Group in Pune, India is seeking a seasoned Production/Manufacturing Manager to lead end-to-end tower crane fabrication, welding, blasting, painting and assembly. You will drive capacity planning, scheduling and productivity, ensuring conformance to drawings, routes and quality gates.

The role requires strong hands-on leadership across multiple shifts and a focus on continuous improvement. Ideal candidates have 10–15+ years in heavy fabrication with track record in welding, dimensional

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering; Strong technical understanding of heavy fabrication, welding and mechanical assembly.

Responsibilities

• Lead production of tower crane components and assemblies across fabrication, welding, finishing and assembly processes.
• Drive capacity planning, scheduling, and productivity improvements across multi-shift operations.
• Ensure compliance with WPS/PQR, inspection plans and quality gates; manage QC and NCRs.

Job description

Creating Passion: Your Responsibilities

Roles & Responsibilities:

A. Production Strategy, Planning & Execution

• Own end-to-end production performance for tower crane fabrication, welding, machining coordination, blasting, painting, sub-assembly and final assembly.
• Translate monthly/weekly production requirements into process-wise capacity, manpower, machine and shift plans in coordination with PPC/IE.
• Ensure production execution as per approved BOM, drawings, routing, process flow, standard times and production orders.
• Establish and monitor daily/weekly/monthly production targets and recovery plans for deviations.
• Identify and eliminate bottlenecks related to material, manpower, machine, method, tooling and capacity.
• Ensure controlled WIP flow between fabrication, surface treatment and assembly processes.
• Ensure manufacturing readiness before production release, including material, drawings, tooling, fixtures, equipment, manpower and inspection readiness.

B. Fabrication & Welding Process Management

• Lead manufacturing of tower sections, jib sections, counter-jib, slewing platforms, machinery frames, outriggers, brackets and other structural assemblies.
• Ensure compliance with approved WPS/PQR, welding parameters, qualified welder requirements and applicable welding standards.
• Control critical welding parameters including preheat, interpass temperature, current, voltage, travel speed, heat input and welding sequence.
• Ensure control of fit-up, root gap, alignment, weld size, distortion and dimensional stability.
• Ensure welding consumable identification, storage, baking, issue and traceability.
• Monitor weld repair/NDT rejection and drive systematic reduction of welding defects.
• Establish effective distortion-control, fixture-control and first-off approval practices.

C. Dimensional & Process Control

• Ensure manufacturing compliance with drawing requirements, GD&T, tolerances and defined CTQs.
• Establish controls for straightness, flatness, squareness, parallelism, hole diameter, hole pitch, positional accuracy and structural alignment.
• Ensure first-off, in-process and final dimensional verification.
• Ensure availability, capability and periodic verification of gauges, fixtures, templates and measuring equipment.
• Drive Poka-Yoke and error-proofing for critical/repetitive manufacturing operations.

D. Blasting & Painting Process

• Own production performance for surface preparation, shot blasting, primer, intermediate coat, top coat and curing.
• Ensure compliance with approved coating systems and process specifications.
• Control blasting parameters, surface preparation, surface profile and environmental conditions.
• Ensure control of paint mixing ratio, pot life, application parameters, DFT, inter-coat interval and curing.
• Drive improvement in paint consumption, booth utilization, throughput, rejection and rework.

E. Assembly Process Management

• Ensure assembly is executed according to approved BOM, drawings, routing and Work Instructions.
• Control critical assembly parameters including fitment, alignment, clearances, bolt torque, lubrication, pin/bushing fit and functional condition.
• Ensure operator self-inspection and Quality verification for identified critical characteristics.
• Ensure proper handling and protection of components throughout assembly.

F. Quality & Process Governance

• Own production-related quality performance while maintaining independent Quality verification/release.
• Ensure adherence to Process Flow, PFMEA, Control Plan, Work Instructions, Inspection Plans and Quality Gates.
• Monitor and improve FPY, internal PPM, rework, scrap, welding defects, dimensional rejection and assembly defects.
• Lead structured RCA using 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto and other problem-solving methodologies.
• Ensure effective corrective/preventive action and standardization of improvements.
• Prevent unauthorized process deviations, rework or component modifications.

G. Quality Gate, NCR & Rework Management

• Ensure compliance with defined manufacturing Quality Gates from material release through final product release.
• Ensure NOK material is identified, segregated and controlled.
• Ensure rework/repair is performed only against approved instructions and authorized disposition.
• Ensure reworked components undergo defined reinspection and release.
• Ensure NCR, deviation, concession and rework records are linked to relevant production orders/serial numbers.

H. Capacity, Productivity & Cost Management

• Establish process capacity based on cycle time, available hours, efficiency, manpower and equipment capability.
• Monitor OEE, cycle time, output/man-hour, machine utilization and bottleneck capacity.
• Drive line balancing, layout optimization, material-flow improvement and manpower optimization.
• Reduce manufacturing losses related to waiting, movement, setup, downtime, rework, scrap and excess consumption.
• Own production cost performance including labour, welding consumables, paint, gas, energy, overtime and rework.
• Identify and justify CAPEX requirements for capacity, quality and productivity improvement.

I. Manpower & Competency Development

• Define manpower requirements based on production volume, process loading and shift pattern.
• Maintain and improve production skill matrix.
• Ensure qualified personnel for welding, fabrication, painting, assembly and other critical operations.
• Develop multi-skilled workforce and succession capability.
• Identify skill gaps and establish technical training/qualification plans.
• Optimize permanent and contractual manpower deployment.

J. Equipment, Tooling & Maintenance

• Ensure availability and capability of production-critical equipment, cranes, welding machines, fixtures, blasting and painting systems.
• Coordinate with Maintenance for preventive maintenance and equipment reliability.
• Monitor breakdown, MTBF, MTTR and equipment availability.
• Participate in URS, technical evaluation, FAT/SAT, commissioning and process validation for new equipment.
• Ensure production tooling and fixtures remain capable and fit for use.

K. New Product / Process Industrialization

• Support NPD and product transfer activities through DFM/DFA, process feasibility, capacity assessment and manufacturing risk evaluation.
• Lead preparation/review of:
  • Process Flow
  • PFMEA
  • Control Plan
  • Work Instructions
  • Inspection Plans
  • Quality Gates.
• Coordinate pilot production, first-off approval, process validation and series-production release.
• Ensure lessons learned from existing products are incorporated into new processes.

L. Supplier & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate with PPC, Quality, IE, SQM, Purchase, Engineering, Maintenance, Logistics, Customer Quality and Finance.
• Support supplier development for production-critical components/processes.
• Escalate material, supplier, quality and capacity risks affecting production delivery.
• Drive cross-functional closure of chronic manufacturing issues.

M. Safety & Compliance

• Own production safety performance and ensure compliance with applicable EHS requirements.
• Ensure safe practices for heavy lifting, welding, gas cutting, grinding, blasting, painting, crane operation and material handling.
• Ensure PPE, LOTO, fire protection, chemical handling and safe lifting requirements are implemented.
• Drive near-miss identification, risk reduction and corrective actions.

N. Continuous Improvement & Digitalization

• Lead Lean Manufacturing, VSM, Kaizen, 5S, Poka-Yoke and standard-work initiatives.
• Drive reduction of manufacturing waste and process variability.
• Promote ERP/MES-based production reporting and traceability.
• Establish data-driven production dashboards and loss analysis.
• Standardize successful improvements across relevant production processes.

Contributing Your Strengths: Your Qualifications

Qualification and Education Requirements:

Essential

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering / Production Engineering / Manufacturing Engineering / Industrial Engineering.
• Strong technical understanding of heavy fabrication, welding and mechanical assembly.

Preferred

• Master's / PG qualification in Manufacturing / Operations / Industrial Engineering.
• IWE / IWT / Welding Technology qualification – highly desirable.
• Lean Six Sigma certification.
• Formal training in:
  • PFMEA
  • Control Plan
  • SPC
  • MSA
  • 8D / RCA
  • Manufacturing process improvement.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001, ISO 3834 and DIN EN 1090.

Experience:

• 10-15+ years of relevant manufacturing experience, preferably in heavy engineering/heavy fabrication.
• Minimum 5 years in Production/Manufacturing Managerial responsibility.
• Strong hands-on experience in:
  • Structural fabrication
  • Welding
  • Dimensional control
  • Machining interface
  • Blasting & painting
  • Mechanical assembly.
• Experience managing multi-shift production operations.
• Proven experience in capacity planning, manpower planning, production scheduling and productivity improvement.
• Demonstrated track record of improving SQDCP performance.
• Experience with production KPIs, OEE, cycle-time improvement and cost reduction.
• Experience in new product/process industrialization is preferred.

Experience in tower cranes, construction equipment, heavy machinery, material handling, wind-energy equipment or similar heavy-engineering products is highly preferred

One Passion. Many Opportunities.