Role Overview:

The Plant Head will be expected to challenge existing practices, drive positive change, develop future leaders, and create a culture of accountability, discipline, and continuous improvement across the manufacturing organization.

Key Responsibilities:

- Lead all manufacturing operations across the plant complex.

- Ensure safe, stable, and efficient production in accordance with business requirements.

- Achieve production targets while maintaining quality, cost, safety, and environmental standards.

- Drive optimum utilization of plant assets and manufacturing infrastructure.

- Build a culture of operational discipline and manufacturing excellence.

- Continuously improve plant productivity, efficiency, and overall equipment effectiveness.

- Identify and eliminate operational losses, inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and waste.

- Drive initiatives that improve profitability through better resource utilization and process optimization.

- Improve yields, reduce consumption norms, and lower manufacturing costs.

- Work closely with management to improve overall plant contribution to company EBITDA.

- Establish robust systems, procedures, controls, and performance monitoring mechanisms across all manufacturing functions.

- Reduce dependence on individuals by building process-driven operations.

- Strengthen manufacturing dashboards, MIS, operating procedures, and review mechanisms.

- Ensure operational decisions are supported by accurate data and performance metrics.

- Promote a culture of accountability, discipline, and ownership.

- Drive a zero-compromise approach towards safety.

- Ensure full compliance with statutory requirements and industry best practices.

- Strengthen safety systems, audits, training programs, and risk management processes.

- Build a proactive safety culture across all levels of the organization.

- Ensure compliance with environmental regulations and sustainability commitments.

- Ensure all manufacturing activities operate in accordance with ISO systems and documented procedures.

- Strengthen process controls, audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement programs.

- Promote best practices in quality management, operational excellence, and process standardization.

- Lead internal and external audits and ensure compliance with all applicable standards.

- Drive the plant towards becoming a Zero Waste Discharge manufacturing complex.

- Continuously reduce waste generation, emissions, rejections, and process losses.

- Maximize recovery and utilization of by-products and waste streams.

- Improve utilization of steam, off-gases, utilities, and process energy.

- Minimize flaring and eliminate avoidable losses through engineering and operational improvements.

- Lead initiatives focused on energy efficiency, water conservation, and sustainable manufacturing.

- Ensure high equipment reliability and plant availability.

- Strengthen preventive and predictive maintenance systems.

- Reduce breakdowns and improve equipment life cycles.

- Develop maintenance teams capable of supporting long-term operational excellence.

- Lead, mentor, and develop plant leadership teams and departmental heads.

- Build a culture of learning, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

- Develop future leaders and strengthen succession planning within the plant.

- Conduct regular training and capability-building programs across departments.

- Foster employee engagement and ownership of plant performance.

- Challenge the status quo and drive a culture of continuous improvement.

- Lead productivity enhancement, automation, digitization, and modernization initiatives.

- Encourage innovation and practical problem-solving throughout the organization.

- Drive implementation of best manufacturing practices and benchmark performance against leading organizations.

- Work closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Projects, Safety, Supply Chain, Commercial, Finance, and HR teams.

- Ensure alignment between manufacturing objectives and overall business goals.

- Support expansion projects, debottlenecking initiatives, and future growth plans.

Desired Profile:

- Bachelors Degree in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering from a reputed institution.

- Additional qualifications in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Excellence, Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, or related disciplines will be an advantage.

- Minimum 15 years of manufacturing experience, preferably 20+ years.

- Significant experience in chemical, specialty chemical, petrochemical, resin, polymer, process manufacturing, or related industries.

- Proven experience in leading large manufacturing operations and multidisciplinary teams.

- Experience managing integrated manufacturing complexes will be preferred.

- Strong exposure to production, maintenance, engineering, utilities, safety, quality, and continuous improvement functions.

Technical Competencies:

- Manufacturing Operations, Process Optimization, Cost Reduction & Productivity Improvement, Utilities Management, Energy Management, Maintenance & Reliability, ISO Systems, SHE Management, Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Root Cause Analysis, Process Safety Management, Waste Reduction & Sustainability.

Leadership Competencies:

- Strong leadership presence and decision-making capability.

- Ability to inspire, mentor, and develop teams.

- Hands-on approach with strong execution capability.

- High degree of accountability and ownership.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

- Ability to drive organizational change and challenge conventional thinking.

- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Career Stability:

- Candidates with stable and progressive career growth will be preferred.

- Ideally should have spent meaningful tenures with previous organizations and demonstrated long-term commitment.

- Frequent job changes will be viewed negatively.

- Candidates must have a track record of delivering measurable operational improvements and sustainable results.