Production Head - D2C Dairy Business

Job Purpose

To lead the end-to-end operations of the dairy production unit, ensuring that products are manufactured efficiently, safely, cost-effectively, and to the highest quality standards in alignment with company goals.

Key Responsibilities

- Oversee the entire production process, including pasteurization, homogenization, fermentation, packaging, cold chain logistics, and dispatch.

- Develop and execute daily, weekly, and monthly production plans aligned with demand forecasts and sales projections.

- Maintain product quality and safety through adherence to GMP, GHP, and HACCP standards while supporting ISO and FSSAI compliance audits.

- Monitor key parameters such as FAT, SNF, and temperature to ensure process efficiency and minimize solid losses.

- Collaborate closely with Procurement, QA, Engineering, and R&D teams to ensure uninterrupted operations and product innovation.

- Optimize utilization of raw materials, utilities, labor, and machinery to reduce costs and improve yield efficiency.

- Implement preventive maintenance schedules for production equipment to minimize downtime.

- Lead a team of supervisors, operators, and maintenance staff-recruiting, training, and mentoring them for performance excellence.

- Manage production metrics, submit periodic MIS reports, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

- Coordinate with the supply chain and warehousing teams to manage inventory of raw materials, packaging materials, and finished goods.

- Enforce employee safety, plant hygiene, and environmental sustainability in operations.

Key Skills & Competencies

- Expertise in dairy processing-including ghee, butter, curd, yogurt, paneer, and flavored milk production.

- Strong leadership, team management, and problem-solving abilities.

- Proficiency in production planning tools and ERP/SAP systems.

- Understanding of D2C business dynamics-batch control, traceability, and shelf-life optimization for quick distribution.

- Deep knowledge of FSSAI, ISO 22000, and HACCP standards.

- Detail-oriented with strong analytical and cost control capabilities.

Qualifications & Experience

- B.Tech/M.Tech in Dairy Technology, Food Technology, or Mechanical/Production Engineering.

- 10-20 years of experience in dairy or FMCG production, with at least 5 years in a senior plant management role.

- Proven experience managing large-scale dairy units or start-up scale operations for D2C dairy brands.

- Familiarity with automation, cold chain management, and SKU diversification.