Operations Head | Mumbai

Michael Page; Mumbai; On-site; INR 12,000,000 - 18,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Michael Page is seeking a senior operations leader for an established heavy engineering organization in Mumbai. The role oversees engineering, projects, manufacturing, procurement, supply chain, quality, logistics, installation and commissioning to drive capacity, throughput and profitability.

You will champion Lean, TPM, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S and continuous improvement, while aligning engineering, project management, procurement and production with customers and end-users.

Qualifications

• 20-30+ years of experience in heavy engineering and steel equipment manufacturing.
• Proven leader across manufacturing, projects and operational excellence.
• Strong understanding of engineered-to-order equipment and EPC-related manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead overall operations strategy including engineering, projects, manufacturing, procurement and supply chain.
• Drive safe, on-time, cost-effective, high-quality execution of complex steel plant equipment projects.
• Oversee heavy fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, testing, painting and dispatch operations.

Skills

Leadership

Operational excellence

Strategic planning

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma/Kaizen

People leadership

Education

Engineering degree (Mechanical/Production)

Job description

• 20-30+ yrs' exp. in heavy engineering & steel equipment manufacturing
• Proven leader across manufacturing, projects & operational excellence

About Our Client

Our client is an established engineering and manufacturing organization delivering complex, engineered-to-order equipment and solutions for the steel, infrastructure, and process industries. With strong capabilities across heavy fabrication, machining, engineering, and project execution, the organization is focused on scaling its operations, strengthening execution capabilities, and driving profitable growth.

Job Description

Reporting to the Managing Director / CEO, you will:

• Lead the overall operations strategy covering engineering, projects, manufacturing, procurement, supply chain, quality, logistics, installation, and commissioning.
• Drive safe, timely, cost-effective, and high-quality execution of complex steel plant equipment projects.
• Oversee heavy fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, testing, painting, and dispatch operations.
• Improve plant capacity, throughput, OEE, machine utilization, manpower productivity, and manufacturing lead times.
• Lead project execution and ensure delivery against agreed timelines, budgets, quality standards, and contractual commitments.
• Drive alignment between Engineering, Project Management, Procurement, Production, Quality, Finance, and customers.
• Strengthen engineering-to-manufacturing integration through DFM/DFA, standardization, and timely drawing and BOM releases.
• Optimize procurement, vendor development, inventory, subcontracting, and long-lead material strategies.
• Establish a strong quality culture focused on Right First Time, Zero Defect, CAPA, welding quality, NDT, and traceability.
• Drive operational cost optimization and improve project profitability and EBITDA performance.
• Lead capacity planning and evaluate investments in plant, machinery, machining, fabrication, material handling, and digital manufacturing capabilities.
• Institutionalize Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, and continuous improvement practices.
• Act as a senior escalation point for customers, EPC contractors, consultants, and other strategic stakeholders.
• Build and develop a strong second line of operational leadership with clear KRAs, KPIs, and succession plans.
• Champion a Zero Harm culture and ensure adherence to safety, environmental, statutory, and regulatory requirements.

The Successful Applicant

• Holds a full-time Engineering degree, preferably in Mechanical, Production, or a related discipline.
• Brings 20-30+ years of experience in heavy engineering, steel plant equipment, capital goods, or EPC-related manufacturing.
• Has deep exposure to engineered-to-order equipment involving heavy fabrication, machining, welding, and assembly.
• Demonstrates a strong track record of leading large and complex manufacturing and project operations.
• Brings strong understanding of steel plant equipment and associated project execution requirements.
• Has experience integrating engineering, manufacturing, procurement, supply chain, quality, and project management functions.
• Demonstrates strong commercial orientation with exposure to project costing, profitability, working capital, and operational budgets.
• Has successfully driven operational excellence, capacity enhancement, productivity, and cost improvement initiatives.
• Is a strong people leader capable of managing senior functional heads and building high-performance teams.

What's on Offer

• Enterprise-level leadership role with ownership of end-to-end operations and business execution.
• Opportunity to drive transformation and scale within an established heavy engineering organization.
• Direct partnership with the Managing Director / CEO on operational and growth priorities.
• Platform to influence manufacturing excellence, project delivery, profitability, and future capacity expansion.