Head of Operations

Stellantis; Gurun; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Stellantis is seeking an experienced Plant Operations Leader in Malaysia to steer the entire manufacturing plant toward safety, quality, and efficiency. You will direct production planning, KPI governance, and continuous improvement initiatives across multiple functions to meet customer requirements and company targets.

The ideal candidate has extensive automotive manufacturing leadership experience, strong Lean/Kaizen expertise, and a proven ability to develop high‑performing teams while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10–15 years of experience in manufacturing/operations, preferably automotive.
• Minimum 5 years in a senior operations or manufacturing leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, production planning, quality systems and operational excellence.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, continuous improvement and problem‑solving methodologies.
• Strong leadership, people management and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and decision‑making capabilities with a results‑oriented mindset.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills in cross‑functional and multicultural environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage overall plant operations to achieve production, quality, cost, delivery and safety targets.
• Drive operational excellence and manufacturing productivity across all production areas.
• Ensure production plans align with customer requirements and business objectives.
• Monitor KPIs and implement corrective actions for performance gaps.
• Optimize manpower, equipment, materials and other resources.
• Lead capacity planning, production readiness, new model launches and ramp‑up activities.
• Develop and coach operational leaders and build a high‑performing culture.
• Manage operational risks, production disruptions and escalation of critical issues.
• Support cost reduction initiatives and effective management of budgets.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Lean Manufacturing

Kaizen

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations Management

Job description

Lead and oversee overall plant operations to ensure safe, efficient and high-quality production performance. Responsible for driving operational excellence, achieving production, cost, quality and delivery targets, optimizing resources, and ensuring strong collaboration across manufacturing functions while maintaining compliance with company standards and business objectives

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage overall plant operations to achieve production, quality, cost, delivery and safety targets.
• Drive operational excellence, productivity improvement and manufacturing efficiency across all production areas.
• Ensure production plans are achieved in line with customer requirements and business objectives.
• Monitor key operational KPIs and implement corrective actions for performance gaps.
• Optimize manpower, equipment, materials and other operational resources.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen and problem-solving methodologies.
• Ensure compliance with Health, Safety, Environment (HSE), quality standards and company policies.
• Collaborate closely with Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Logistics, Supply Chain and other support functions.
• Lead capacity planning, production readiness, new model launches and operational ramp‑up activities.
• Develop and coach operational leaders and build a high-performance culture.
• Manage operational risks, production disruptions and escalation of critical issues.
• Support cost reduction initiatives and ensure effective management of operational budgets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10–15 years of experience in manufacturing/operations, preferably within the automotive industry.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in a senior operations or manufacturing leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, production planning, quality systems and operational excellence.
• Good understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, continuous improvement and problem‑solving methodologies.
• Strong leadership, people management and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and decision‑making capabilities with a results‑oriented mindset.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a cross‑functional and multicultural environment.
• Experience in new product/model launches and manufacturing ramp‑up would be an advantage.

When you join us, you’re not just building a career — you’re joining a company that supports you, inside and outside of work.

At Stellantis, we assess candidates based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We welcome applications from all people without regard to sex, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any characteristic protected by law. We believe that diverse teams reflect our identity as a global company, enabling us to better address the evolving needs of our customers and care for our future.