Sr. Manager, Manufacturing , Chiller

Carrier; Chennai; On-site; INR 3,000,000 - 6,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedules

Parental leave

Professional development

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

Carrier is seeking a General Manager – HVAC Chillers to lead end-to-end manufacturing of air‑cooled, water‑cooled, centrifugal, scroll, and data centre chillers. The role requires directing production execution, planning, quality, and tooling readiness while coordinating with Engineering, Quality, Procurement, and Supply Chain to meet customer delivery commitments.

The ideal candidate will have extensive HVAC manufacturing leadership experience, a strong track record in improving productivity

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 15+ years in HVAC or industrial refrigeration/manufacturing operations with leadership.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and complex production environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end manufacturing operations for HVAC chillers (air-cooled, water-cooled, centrifugal, scroll, data centre).
• Oversee production planning, scheduling, and material availability to meet delivery commitments.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce costs, waste, and lead times while ensuring safety and quality.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Sourcing, and Supply Chain for product development and changes.
• Support FoAK builds, prototype production, and transition to mass production.
• Ensure compliance with EHS requirements and manufacturing standards.

Skills

Leadership

HVAC knowledge

Manufacturing operations

Production planning

Quality management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Postgraduate in Operations Management or MBA

Job description

Role: Sr.Manager, Manufacturing , Chiller Location: Sricity Full/ Part-time: Full time About Carrier Carrier Global Corporation, global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, is committed to creating innovations that bring comfort, safety and sustainability to life. Through cutting‑edge advancements in climate solutions such as temperature control, air quality and transportation, we improve lives, empower critical industries and ensure safe transport of food, life‑saving medicines and more. Since inventing modern air conditioning in 1902, we lead with purpose: enhancing the lives we live and the world we share. We continue to lead because of our world‑class, inclusive workforce that puts the customer at the centre of everything we do. For more information, visit corporate.carrier.com or follow Carrier on social media at @Carrier. About The Role The General Manager – HVAC Chillers will lead end‑to‑end manufacturing operations for a comprehensive range of HVAC chiller products, including air‑cooled chillers, water‑cooled chillers, centrifugal chillers, scroll chillers, and data centre cooling chillers. The role is responsible for production execution, manufacturing planning, quality control, engineering collaboration, laboratory testing, customer witness testing, and material availability. The position requires close coordination with Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Sourcing, Supply Chain, and other cross‑functional teams to ensure safe, efficient, and cost‑effective manufacturing while meeting customer delivery commitments and product performance requirements. Job Responsibility

• Manufacturing and Production Operations
• Lead daily manufacturing operations for air‑cooled, water‑cooled, centrifugal, scroll, and data centre chillers.
• Ensure production targets, customer delivery schedules, productivity, and capacity utilization are achieved.
• Establish standardised work processes, manufacturing procedures, and shop‑floor operating discipline.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to improve productivity, reduce manufacturing costs, minimise waste, and optimise resource utilisation.
• Ensure compliance with EHS requirements, operational standards, and applicable manufacturing procedures.
• Production Planning and Execution
• Develop and execute production plans aligned with customer demand, sales forecasts, and delivery commitments.
• Coordinate with Planning, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Sourcing teams to ensure timely availability of critical components and materials.
• Monitor production schedules, work‑in‑progress, capacity constraints, and material shortages to minimise line stoppages.
• Identify production risks and implement recovery plans to protect customer deliveries.
• Optimize production sequencing, manpower deployment, equipment utilisation, and manufacturing lead times.
• Quality Control and Process Excellence
• Ensure process quality throughout all stages of chiller manufacturing, assembly, testing, and dispatch.
• Work closely with Quality teams to establish and maintain process controls, inspection standards, and corrective‑action systems.
• Drive root‑cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions for manufacturing defects, rework, and customer complaints.
• Ensure adherence to engineering specifications, product standards, approved processes, and customer‑specific requirements.
• Promote a culture of first‑time‑right manufacturing and continuous quality improvement.
• Engineering and New Product Development
• Collaborate with Product Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Design Engineering teams on new product introductions, engineering changes, and product improvements.
• Support first‑of‑a‑kind (FoAK) builds, prototype builds, pilot production, and transition to serial or mass production.
• Ensure manufacturing readiness through process validation, tooling readiness, work instructions, operator training, and capacity planning.
• Provide manufacturing feedback to Engineering on design‑for‑manufacturability, assembly processes, serviceability, and cost optimisation.
• Support the resolution of technical issues encountered during product development, production, and performance testing.
• Laboratory Testing and Customer Witness Testing
• Ensure readiness and effective utilisation of chiller testing laboratories and associated test infrastructure.
• Possess a strong understanding of chiller performance testing, functional testing, test procedures, instrumentation, and test data interpretation.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Quality, and Laboratory teams to ensure products meet specified performance and reliability requirements.
• Plan and manage customer witness testing, factory acceptance testing (FAT), and other customer inspection requirements.
• Ensure test documentation, results, traceability, and customer approvals are completed on schedule.
• Coordinate the resolution of test failures, technical deviations, and customer observations before product release.
• Procurement, Sourcing and Material Availability
• Work closely with Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, and Supplier Quality teams to ensure uninterrupted availability of production materials.
• Review critical material shortages, supplier delivery performance, long‑lead‑time components, and supply constraints.
• Participate in supplier recovery planning and escalation to resolve material availability issues affecting production.
• Support supplier development, localisation initiatives, alternate‑source qualification, and cost‑reduction programmes.
• Align material procurement plans with the production schedule, product mix, and customer delivery priorities.
• People Leadership and Cross‑Functional Collaboration
• Lead and develop production, planning, and manufacturing teams, building a strong culture of accountability and ownership.
• Establish clear performance objectives, operational reviews, and capability‑development plans for the team.
• Work collaboratively with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Procurement, Sales, and Customer Service to resolve business challenges.
• Drive structured daily management, performance reviews, escalation processes, and cross‑functional problem‑solving.
• Develop technical capabilities within the organisation through training, standardisation, and knowledge sharing.
• Operational Performance and Business Excellence
• Monitor and improve key operational metrics, including safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, inventory, and manufacturing lead time.
• Drive lean manufacturing, waste elimination, process standardisation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and manage operational budgets, manufacturing cost targets, and resource requirements.
• Identify capacity expansion and process improvement opportunities to support business growth, particularly in data centre cooling applications.
• Provide regular operational performance updates, risk assessments, and improvement plans to senior management.
• Qualifications and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• A postgraduate qualification in Operations Management or Business Administration is desirable.
• Typically 15+ years of experience in HVAC, industrial refrigeration, chiller manufacturing, or related engineering and manufacturing operations, including significant leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing production operations and planning for complex HVAC equipment or industrial cooling systems.
• Strong technical knowledge of air‑cooled chillers, water‑cooled chillers, centrifugal chillers, scroll chillers, and data centre cooling solutions.
• Practical understanding of chiller assembly processes, performance testing, quality systems, and factory acceptance or customer witness testing.
• Experience in new product introduction, first‑unit builds, manufacturing scale‑up, and mass‑production readiness.
• Proven experience in cross‑functional coordination with Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Sourcing, and Supply Chain teams.
• Technical and Leadership Competencies
• Strong knowledge of HVAC chiller systems, manufacturing processes, and product performance requirements.
• Understanding of chiller testing, laboratory operations, performance validation, and customer acceptance requirements.
• Expertise in production planning, capacity management, material planning, and delivery execution.
• Strong problem‑solving, root‑cause analysis, and continuous improvement capabilities.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing large teams and driving cross‑functional accountability.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, decision‑making, and customer‑facing skills.
• Ability to balance customer commitments, product quality, manufacturing efficiency, and cost objectives.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance Will Be Measured Against The Following Key Indicators

• Safety: EHS compliance, incident reduction, and adherence to safe operating practices.
• Delivery: On‑time production completion and on‑time customer delivery performance.
• Quality: First‑pass yield, defect rate, rework, warranty issues, and customer complaints.
• Productivity: Production output, labour productivity, capacity utilisation, and manufacturing lead time.
• Material Availability: Production line stoppages due to material shortages and supplier delivery performance.
• Testing and Customer Satisfaction: On‑time completion of laboratory testing, customer witness tests, and factory acceptance testing.
• New Product Introduction: Timely completion of FoAK builds, production readiness, and mass‑production ramp‑up.
• Cost and Inventory: Manufacturing cost improvement, scrap reduction, inventory control, and working capital optimisation.
• People Development: Team capability, technical competency, employee engagement, and leadership development.
• Expected Outcome

The General Manager – HVAC Chillers will ensure a safe, reliable, quality‑driven, and customer‑focused manufacturing operation capable of delivering the full chiller portfolio on time. The role will strengthen cross‑functional execution, improve material availability and production efficiency, support product development and industrialisation, and build the manufacturing capabilities required to support future business growth, particularly in data centre cooling and high‑performance chiller applications. Benefits We offer a competitive total rewards package that may include other benefits and wellbeing programmes. Offerings vary by role and location and are designed to support employees’ health, security, and success.

• Make yourself a priority with flexible schedules, parental leave
• Drive forward your career through professional development opportunities
• Achieve your personal goals with our Employee Assistance Programme

Carrier is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.