Job Description - General Manager, Quality Control

Position: General Manager - Quality Control

Department: Quality Control / Quality Assurance

Industry: Cement Manufacturing

Reporting To: Plant Head / Unit Head

Location: Cement Manufacturing Plant

1. Job Purpose:

To lead and manage the Quality Control and Quality Assurance function of the cement plant, ensuring consistent product quality, compliance with applicable standards and statutory requirements, optimization of raw materials and process parameters, and continuous improvement across the manufacturing process. The role is responsible for establishing robust quality systems from raw materials through clinker and cement production to dispatch, while supporting plant productivity, cost optimization, customer satisfaction, and new product development.

2. Key Responsibilities:

A. Quality Control & Assurance:

- Establish and maintain quality standards and quality-control systems for the complete manufacturing process.

- Monitor quality of limestone, additives, corrective materials, fuels, raw meal, clinker, gypsum and cement.

- Ensure compliance with applicable BIS/IS standards, ASTM standards, customer specifications and company quality policies, as applicable.

- Define and monitor critical quality parameters and control limits for raw mix, kiln, clinker and cement.

- Review laboratory test results and take corrective/preventive actions for deviations.

- Ensure accuracy, reliability and timely reporting of laboratory results.

B. Process Quality Control:

- Work closely with Production, Process, Maintenance and Mines departments to maintain stable process conditions.

- Optimize raw mix design, kiln feed chemistry, clinker quality and cement formulation.

- Monitor key parameters such as LSF, SM, AM, free lime, C3S/C2S, SO3, alkali, chloride, residue, Blaine, setting time, soundness and strength, as relevant.

- Identify quality trends and implement statistical/process-control techniques.

- Support reduction of quality variability and process-related losses.

C. Laboratory Management:

- Manage the central quality-control laboratory and associated testing facilities.

- Ensure proper calibration, maintenance and validation of laboratory instruments.

- Establish SOPs, test methods and sampling procedures.

- Ensure laboratory personnel follow safety, testing and documentation requirements.

- Evaluate and implement modern testing technologies and laboratory automation where beneficial.

D. Product Quality:

- Ensure consistent compliance of clinker and cement with applicable product specifications.

- Monitor cement performance including physical and chemical properties and strength development.

- Investigate customer complaints related to product quality and coordinate root-cause analysis and corrective action.

- Support technical services/customer interaction where product-quality expertise is required.

E. Quality Systems & Compliance:

- Develop, implement and continuously improve the plant's Quality Management System.

- Lead internal quality audits and support external/customer/statutory audits.

- Ensure proper documentation, traceability and retention of quality records.

- Drive compliance with applicable statutory, regulatory and certification requirements.

- Promote a culture of quality throughout the plant.

F. Cost Optimization:

- Optimize raw material and additive consumption without compromising product quality.

- Identify opportunities for reducing quality-related costs, testing costs, reprocessing/rejection and customer complaints.

- Evaluate alternative raw materials and cementitious/additive materials from a quality perspective.

- Participate in annual budgeting and capital expenditure planning for the Quality function.

G. Team Leadership:

- Lead, coach and develop the Quality Control team, including laboratory, shift quality and technical personnel.

- Define departmental objectives, KPIs and individual performance goals.

- Develop competency and training plans for quality personnel.

- Ensure adequate manpower deployment and succession planning.

- Promote discipline, teamwork, safety and continuous improvement.

H. Continuous Improvement:

- Lead quality-improvement projects using RCA, CAPA, SPC, Six Sigma, Kaizen and other structured improvement methodologies, as appropriate.

- Analyze quality data and identify trends, variability and opportunities for improvement.

- Benchmark quality performance against internal and external industry practices.

- Support development of new cement products and optimization of existing products.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

- Clinker and cement quality compliance

- Standard deviation/variability of key quality parameters

- Cement strength performance

- Customer complaint rate and closure time

- Quality-related rejection/reprocessing

- Raw material and additive optimization

- Laboratory accuracy and turnaround time

- Calibration and testing compliance

- Audit observations and closure

- Cost of quality

- Successful implementation of quality-improvement projects

- Team capability development and training

4. Qualifications:

Essential:

- B.E./B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering, Cement Technology, Ceramic Technology, or related discipline.

- Relevant postgraduate qualification in Quality Management/Technology may be an advantage.

5. Experience:

- Typically 15 - 20+ years of relevant experience in cement manufacturing, with substantial experience in Quality Control/Quality Assurance.

- Strong experience in integrated cement plant operations covering raw materials, raw mill, pyroprocessing, clinker and cement grinding.

- Proven experience in leading a Quality Control laboratory and managing a technical team.

- Experience in quality systems, customer complaints, audits, product certification and process optimization.

6. Technical Competencies:

- Cement chemistry and manufacturing process

- Raw mix design and clinker chemistry

- Cement formulation and performance

- Physical and chemical testing of cement and clinker

- Laboratory management and instrumentation

- Statistical Process Control (SPC)

- Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and CAPA

- Quality Management Systems

- BIS/IS and relevant international standards

- Process optimization and quality-cost optimization

- Data analysis and quality reporting

- Quality audits and certification systems

7. Behavioral & Leadership Competencies:

- Strong leadership and decision-making skills

- Analytical and problem-solving ability

- Cross-functional coordination

- Effective communication and stakeholder management

- Strategic thinking

- Team development and mentoring

- Strong focus on safety, quality and compliance

- Ability to work under production and quality pressures

- Continuous-improvement mindset

8. Key Interfaces:

The General Manager - Quality Control will work closely with:

- Plant Head / Unit Head

- Production Department

- Process/Technical Department

- Mines Department

- Maintenance Department

- Purchase and Stores

- Sales/Marketing and Technical Services

- R&D / Central Technical Services

- EHS Department

- External laboratories, customers, certification bodies and regulatory authorities

9. Authority:

The position will have appropriate authority to:

- Recommend or initiate corrective action for quality deviations.

- Place quality-hold/release recommendations for raw materials, clinker and cement as per company procedures.

- Approve/recommend quality specifications and test procedures within delegated authority.

- Recommend changes to raw mix and cement formulation based on quality requirements.

- Escalate significant quality risks to the Plant Head/Unit Head.

10. Overall Accountability:

The General Manager - Quality Control is accountable for maintaining consistent, compliant and customer-focused product quality, strengthening the plant's quality systems, reducing quality variability and cost, developing the quality team, and ensuring that quality objectives are aligned with overall plant business objectives.