Manufacturing Head from Rubber or Polymer industry

Independent Recruitment Consultant (freelancer); Chakan; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Independent Recruitment Consultant is seeking a Head of Manufacturing in Chakan. The role leads overall manufacturing operations, drives productivity and quality, and partners with Safety, Sustainability, and continuous improvement initiatives.

You will shape strategy, manage resources, and build a high-performance plant organization aligned with business objectives. The ideal candidate has 18–22 years in manufacturing with leadership experience, preferably in rubber or plastics, and holds

Qualifications

• 18–22 years in manufacturing with significant leadership experience.
• Experience in Rubber or Plastic industries preferred.
• BE/B.Tech or BE Polymer/Rubber required; additional Plant Management qualification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end manufacturing operations including planning, execution, and dispatch.
• Develop production plans to meet customer demand and delivery commitments.
• Drive OEE improvements, throughput, and productivity.
• Ensure adherence to quality standards and CAPA processes.
• Implement Lean, Kaizen, 5S, TPM and other productivity initiatives.
• Coordinate maintenance, engineering, and supply chain activities.
• Ensure safety, compliance, and sustainability across the plant.
• Develop and mentor production managers and shop-floor teams.

Skills

Manufacturing Leadership

Production Planning

Lean Manufacturing

TPM

Kaizen

ERP/MRP

Cost Management

Cross-functional Leadership

Quality Improvement

Education

BE/BTech

Plant Management preferred

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Manufacturing dashboards

Job description

Head of Manufacturing

Designation: Head of Manufacturing

Department: Manufacturing / Operations

Reporting To: Director / Plant Head

Location: Chakan

Experience: 18 - 22 years in manufacturing, with significant leadership experience or Rubber and Plastic industries. Shall be preferred.

Qualification: B.E. / B.Tech / BE Polymer / Rubber

Additional Qualification of Plant Management shall be preferred.

1. Job Purpose

To lead and manage overall manufacturing operations, ensuring achievement of production targets, product quality, cost efficiency, operational excellence, workplace safety, and timely delivery. The role is responsible for developing manufacturing strategies, optimizing resources, improving productivity, and building a high-performance manufacturing organization aligned with the company's business objectives.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Manufacturing Operations

• Lead end-to-end manufacturing operations, including production planning, execution, assembly, processing, and dispatch coordination.


• Develop and execute production plans to meet customer demand and delivery commitments.


• Ensure optimum utilization of manpower, machinery, materials, and manufacturing capacity.


• Monitor production performance against targets and implement corrective actions for deviations.


• Improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), throughput, capacity utilization, and production efficiency.

B. Quality Management

• Ensure adherence to quality standards, specifications, work instructions, and customer requirements.


• Collaborate with the Quality function to reduce defects, rework, scrap, and customer complaints.


• Promote root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).


• Drive continuous improvement in process capability and product reliability.

C. Cost and Productivity Improvement

• Develop and implement initiatives to reduce manufacturing costs and improve profitability.


• Control material consumption, conversion costs, overtime, energy usage, and manufacturing overheads.


• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, Six Sigma, TPM, and other productivity improvement initiatives as appropriate.


• Identify and eliminate operational waste and bottlenecks.

D. Maintenance and Engineering

• Coordinate with maintenance and engineering teams to minimize breakdowns and production losses.


• Support plant expansion, new equipment installation, process improvement, and automation projects.

E. Safety, Compliance, and Sustainability

• Ensure compliance with applicable statutory requirements, environmental regulations, and occupational health and safety standards.


• Establish a strong safety culture and ensure implementation of safe operating procedures.


• Drive initiatives to reduce workplace incidents, energy consumption, waste generation, and environmental impact.

F. People and Leadership

• Lead and develop production managers, engineers, supervisors, and shop-floor teams.


• Establish clear performance objectives and accountability across manufacturing functions.


• Identify training needs and develop technical, leadership, and problem-solving capabilities.


• Promote employee engagement, teamwork, discipline, and a continuous improvement culture.

G. Planning and Supply Chain Coordination

• Work closely with Supply Chain, Procurement, Quality, Engineering, Sales, and Finance teams.


• Align production plans with customer demand, inventory availability, and delivery schedules.


• Ensure effective coordination of raw materials, work-in-progress, finished goods, and capacity planning.


• Participate in Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), where applicable.

H. Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement

• Develop manufacturing strategies aligned with business growth and profitability objectives.


• Prepare annual operating plans, production budgets, capital expenditure proposals, and manpower plans.


• Review operational performance regularly and present improvement plans to senior management.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance will be measured against agreed targets for:

• Production plan achievement.


• On-time delivery and schedule adherence.


• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).


• Manufacturing cost per unit and cost reduction.


• First-pass yield, rejection rate, scrap, and rework.


• Equipment downtime and breakdown frequency.


• Labor productivity and capacity utilization.


• Inventory levels and work-in-progress.


• Safety performance and statutory compliance.


• Continuous improvement savings and project completion.

4. Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong manufacturing and operations leadership.


• Excellent production planning and execution capabilities.


• Expertise in Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Kaizen, and continuous improvement.


• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.


• Cost management, budgeting, and financial awareness.


• People management, team building, and stakeholder management.


• Knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing performance dashboards.


• Strong communication, negotiation, and execution skills.

5. Experience Requirements

• 1520+ years of experience in manufacturing or industrial operations.


• At least 5 years in a senior manufacturing leadership role, preferably managing a large plant or multiple production units.


• Demonstrated success in improving productivity, reducing costs, improving quality, and achieving delivery targets.


• Experience managing cross-functional teams, capital investments, and manufacturing transformation initiatives.

6. Key Interfaces

Internal: Production, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Supply Chain, Procurement, HR, Finance, Sales, and Senior Management.

External: Customers, suppliers, equipment manufacturers, consultants, auditors, and regulatory authorities, as applicable.