A fast-growing, innovation-led manufacturing organization is looking for a seasoned Head - Manufacturing & Operations to lead and scale commercial production operations. This role will be part of the core leadership team and will be responsible for end-to-end manufacturing, production planning, supply chain coordination, and operational excellence across third-party and/or owned manufacturing facilities.

Key Responsibilities

Operations & Production Management

- Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations, including production, supply chain, and logistics

- Ensure achievement of production volumes, efficiency, yield, and delivery targets

- Oversee production at third-party and/or in-house manufacturing units

Production Planning & Supply Chain

- Develop monthly and quarterly production plans in coordination with sales and commercial teams

- Ensure timely availability of raw and packaging materials

- Coordinate logistics for movement and storage of RM and finished goods

Manufacturing Excellence

- Manage process adherence, critical parameters, and batch manufacturing records (BMRs)

- Drive efficiency improvements, capacity utilization, yield enhancement, and cost optimization

- Lead commissioning of new equipment, process upgrades, and plant modifications

Plant Setup & Expansion

- Lead greenfield and brownfield plant setup initiatives

- Identify manufacturing partners, engineering firms, equipment suppliers, and vendors

- Oversee feasibility studies, trials, commissioning, and scale-up

Technology Transfer & Scale-Up

- Support R&D for process scale-up and technology transfer from pilot to commercial stage

- Develop SOPs, tech transfer protocols, and coordinate trials at manufacturing sites

Quality, Compliance & Audits

- Oversee QA/QC systems and ensure compliance with cGMP and safety standards

- Manage customer, regulatory, and certification audits (e.g., Organic, Halal, Kosher)

- Ensure documentation, testing, and quality systems are robust and audit-ready

Candidate Profile

Education

- BE/BTech in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering

- MBA in Operations / Supply Chain preferred (from reputed institutes)

Experience

- 15+ years of experience in manufacturing and operations leadership

- Background in food, nutraceuticals, pharma, FMCG, or natural extracts

- Proven experience in process scale-up and commercial production management

Key Skills

- Strong understanding of manufacturing technologies and equipment

- Hands-on experience with third-party manufacturing management

- Leadership, decision-making, and execution excellence

- Ability to work independently in a high-growth, dynamic environment

Additional Information

- Senior leadership role with high ownership

- Frequent travel to manufacturing locations required