Zonal Operations Lead

UltraTech Cement; Gujarat; On-site; INR 1,100,000 - 2,600,000; Full time

Job summary

UltraTech Cement is the largest cement manufacturer in India, with extensive distribution networks and a critical supply chain focused on on-time deliveries and cost optimization. The role emphasizes planning, vendor management, cost control, and safety across multiple plants and zones to sustain market leadership.

The incumbent will drive logistics efficiency through planning, performance reviews, and strategic partnerships, balancing urban-rural demand and ensuring seamless movement of cement

Responsibilities

• KRA1 DISTRIBUTION & DISPATCH PLANNING: Analyze and manage exigencies during the month due to source/market variations from the pre-defined plan.
• KRA2 DISTRIBUTION & DISPATCH PLANNING: Plan and standardize all processes across various locations; track inter-zonal movements; review vendor performance and plan vendor engagement.
• KRA3 COST MANAGEMENT: Evaluate freight proposals, seek market intelligence, manage freight approvals and cost metrics, foresee zonal logistics costs.
• KRA4 TRANSPORT SAFETY: Update changes to safety standards for inbound and outbound vehicles and ensure compliance.

Job description

Job Context & Major Challenges

UltraTech Cement is the largest cement manufacturer in India with an installed capacity of about 116 million tonnes. The company has production facilities in 50+ locations spread across the country and has plans to grow further through acquisition and green field expansion. The UltraTech brand occupies a premium position with a market capitalization of 1.5 lakh+ crores. The Indian cement industry has a capacity of 545 million tonnes and a supply demand gap putting pressure of prices due to excess capacity. The market has strong regional players in each Zone and has strong brand competition.

Job Purpose

Job Purpose Description

Job Context & Major Challenges

UltraTech Cement is the largest cement manufacturer in India with an installed capacity of about 116 million tonnes. The company has production facilities in 50+ locations spread across the country and has plans to grow further through acquisition and green field expansion. The UltraTech brand occupies a premium position with a market capitalization of 1.5 lakh+ crores. The Indian cement industry has a capacity of 545 million tonnes and a supply demand gap putting pressure of prices due to excess capacity. The market has strong regional players in each Zone and has strong brand competition.

Supply chain is extremely critical in ensuring the delivery of cement from the manufacturing locations to the consumption centers. Further, cement is a distribution intensive product with focus in cement movement being on high volumes and low distribution cost. Logistics function plays a key differentiator role through its distribution network and the focus has been on creating continuous value and service differentiation at each stage right from planning to delivery. The nature of cement consumption in urban locations is quite different from the nature of cement consumption in rural locations which calls for differentiated supply chain strategies to serve urban and rural customers. Keeping these factors in mind, having an agile and responsive supply chain is absolutely essential for attaining industry leadership.

An effective Vendor Management ensures an alignment of different categories of service providers to satisfy both internal and external customers, building relationship with Railways for long term policies and improving loading / unloading infrastructure. It is vital to focus on multiple variables like cost of delivery, mode of delivery, expected service level, protecting quality, creating facilities, use of technology, lot size, lead time, inventory management and optimal handling operations.

The major challenges include serving diversified customers across India, managing complex supply chain and maintaining strong customer interface by ensuring “On time in full supplies” to the customers at optimum cost.

Key Result Areas

KRA (Accountabilities) (Max 1325 Characters)

Supporting Actions (Max 1325 Characters)

KRA1 DISTRIBUTION & DISPATCH PLANNING 1.

Analyze and manage exigencies during the month due to source/market variations from the pre-defined plan

• Synergize inbound / outbound opportunities based on monthly plan for efficiency improvement
• Create plans to maximize dispatches from individual plants with special focus on core markets of the zone
• Ensure clinker movement as per the plan
• Get various market intelligence report w.r.t. competitors' activities and putting the same in the model to find out the output to compare with UltraTech's existing distribution system against competitors

KRA2 DISTRIBUTION & DISPATCH PLANNING 6.

Plan and standardize all processes across various locations

• Plan inventory with regional logistics head
• Track inter-zonal movements
• Review Vendor performance with all PLH’s and RLH’s
• Create plans for Vendor engagement and development

Plan to scale up capacity utilization of Strategic units

KRA3 COST MANAGEMENT 1.

Evaluate freight proposals in line with national benchmarks, seasonal trends, peer practices

• Seek market intelligence on regular basis for all zonal units
• Manage approvals for freight & New Godown Network Location
• Plan and manager Handling rate evaluation
• Standardize cost metrics across locations
• Evaluate ways to control the zonal logistics cost

Provide comprehensive data analyzing dump / RH performance considering lead and slab wise dispersion to analyze the viability and profitability of the network

KRA4 TRANSPORT SAFETY

Update any changes to safety standards for inbound and outbound vehicles