Vice President - Operations

Happilo International; Nelamangala; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Happilo International seeks a seasoned Vice President - Operations to lead end-to-end operations across manufacturing, procurement, warehousing, supply chain and logistics for its fast-growing dry fruits, nuts and snacks portfolio.

The role requires 15+ years in FMCG operations, strong leadership, and a track record of building scalable processes with a technology-enabled mindset. On-site role in Karnataka, India, reporting to the CEO/MD.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in FMCG operations with leadership roles.
• Strong experience in dry fruits, nuts, snacks or related categories.
• Experience managing multi-location manufacturing and supply chain.
• Strong commercial sense balancing growth, service, quality and profitability.
• Experience building scalable processes and tech-enabled operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end operations across manufacturing, procurement, warehousing, logistics and distribution.
• Drive production planning, capacity utilization and overall efficiency.
• Oversee procurement of dry fruits, nuts, seeds and packaging materials.
• Manage supply chain planning, demand forecasting and OTIF across channels.
• Ensure food safety standards, quality controls and regulatory compliance.
• Build and mentor high-performing, multi-location teams.

Skills

FMCG operations leadership

Dry fruits & snacks domain

Procurement & supply chain

Manufacturing & production planning

Quality & food safety

ERP/WMS & tech adoption

Multi-location leadership

15+ years experience

Education

Bachelor's in Engineering/Related field

MBA/PG in Operations or Supply Chain

Tools

ERP systems

WMS

Demand planning tools

Procurement systems

Job description

Reporting To: CEO / Managing Director

Position Overview

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic Vice President - Operations to lead and drive the end-to-end operations of a fast-growing FMCG business specializing in dry fruits, nuts and snacks.

The role will be responsible for building operational excellence across procurement, manufacturing, production planning, quality, warehousing, supply chain, logistics and distribution, while ensuring high standards of quality, efficiency, cost control and customer service.

The ideal candidate should have strong experience in FMCG operations, preferably in dry fruits, nuts, snacks or related food categories, with a proven ability to manage large-scale operations and build scalable processes.

Key Responsibilities

1. End-to-End Operations Leadership

• Own and drive the complete operations function across manufacturing, supply chain, warehousing, logistics and distribution.
• Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with the company's business and growth objectives.
• Build scalable and efficient operating processes to support business expansion.
• Establish clear operational KPIs and drive performance across all functions.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement corrective and preventive actions.

2. Manufacturing & Production

• Oversee end-to-end manufacturing operations across company-owned and third-party manufacturing facilities.
• Drive production planning, capacity utilization, productivity and overall operational efficiency.
• Ensure optimum utilization of manpower, machinery, materials and production capacity.
• Improve production efficiency while maintaining product quality and food safety standards.
• Plan capacity expansion in line with business growth and future demand.
• Drive lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.

3. Procurement & Raw Material Management

• Lead strategic sourcing and procurement of dry fruits, nuts, seeds, snack ingredients and packaging materials.
• Develop strong relationships with suppliers, farmers, aggregators, importers and strategic vendors.
• Drive procurement cost optimization without compromising quality.
• Establish supplier evaluation, development and performance management systems.
• Monitor commodity price trends and develop appropriate procurement strategies.
• Ensure uninterrupted availability of critical raw materials.

4. Supply Chain Management

• Drive end-to-end supply chain planning from demand forecasting to customer delivery.
• Work closely with Sales, E-commerce, Finance and Business teams to align supply with demand.
• Optimize inventory levels across raw materials, packaging and finished goods.
• Reduce excess inventory, ageing stock and stock-outs.
• Implement robust S&OP / demand and supply planning processes.
• Develop supply chain dashboards and performance metrics.

5. Warehousing & Inventory

• Oversee all warehouses, distribution centres and storage facilities.
• Ensure appropriate storage and handling of dry fruits, nuts and snacks.
• Drive inventory accuracy and effective FIFO/FEFO practices.
• Reduce product damage, wastage, ageing and inventory losses.
• Improve warehouse productivity, space utilization and order fulfilment efficiency.
• Implement appropriate WMS and technology solutions.

6. Logistics & Distribution

• Lead primary and secondary logistics operations across the company's distribution network.
• Optimize transportation costs, delivery timelines and route planning.
• Develop and manage logistics partners and 3PL relationships.
• Improve OTIF (On-Time In-Full) performance.
• Establish robust distribution processes across General Trade, Modern Trade, E-commerce and Quick Commerce channels.

7. Quality, Food Safety & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to applicable FSSAI, food safety, quality and regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with the Quality team to establish stringent quality standards across procurement, production, storage and distribution.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, GMP and other relevant food safety systems.
• Drive reduction in customer complaints, product rejections and quality-related losses.
• Establish robust product traceability and recall processes.

8. Cost & Productivity Improvement

• Own the operations cost structure and drive continuous cost optimization.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manufacturing, procurement, warehousing and logistics costs.
• Improve manpower productivity and asset utilization.
• Drive automation, digitization and process improvement initiatives.
• Establish productivity benchmarks across plants, warehouses and logistics operations.

9. Team Leadership

• Build, lead and develop high-performing operations teams across multiple locations.
• Establish organizational structures, KRAs, KPIs and performance management systems.
• Develop the next level of operational leadership and succession plans.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership and continuous improvement.

10. Technology & Process Transformation

• Drive implementation and effective utilization of ERP, WMS, demand planning, procurement and supply chain technology.
• Use data and analytics to improve operational decision-making.
• Develop real-time dashboards for key operational KPIs.
• Identify opportunities for automation across manufacturing, warehousing and supply chain.

11. Business Expansion & Strategic Projects

• Partner with the CEO/MD in developing and executing the company's long-term operational strategy.
• Support new product launches, new market expansion and channel expansion.
• Evaluate and establish new manufacturing units, warehouses and distribution centres.
• Lead operational evaluation and integration of strategic partnerships, contract manufacturing and expansion initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators

• Manufacturing productivity and capacity utilization
• Production plan adherence
• Cost per unit / conversion cost
• Raw material and packaging cost optimization
• Inventory turns and working capital
• OTIF / service levels
• Logistics cost as a percentage of sales
• Warehouse productivity
• Forecast accuracy
• Stock-out and excess inventory levels
• Product wastage and yield
• Quality rejection and customer complaints
• Supplier performance
• Overall operational cost and EBITDA contribution

Candidate Profile

• 15+ years of overall experience, with significant leadership experience in FMCG operations.
• Strong experience in Dry Fruits, Nuts, Snacks or related FMCG/food categories preferred.
• Proven experience managing large-scale manufacturing and supply chain operations.
• Strong understanding of procurement, production, quality, warehousing and logistics.
• Experience managing multi-location operations and third-party manufacturing will be an advantage.
• Strong commercial understanding with the ability to balance growth, service levels, quality and profitability.
• Strong analytical, strategic planning and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent stakeholder and people-management skills.
• Experience in building processes and teams in a high-growth / entrepreneurial FMCG environment will be preferred.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Food Technology, Management or a related field.
• MBA / PG qualification in Operations, Supply Chain or General Management will be an advantage.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a business-oriented operations leader who can take complete ownership of the operating engine of the business and build a scalable, efficient, technology-enabled and cost-effective operations platform to support the company's growth.