Senior Manager - Factory Operations - FMCG

About the Role:

We are looking for a seasoned Senior Manager to lead factory operations with a dual mandate: stabilise and improve labour relations while consistently meeting production targets. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in industrial relations within an Indian manufacturing context, combined with strong operational discipline on the shopfloor.

Key Responsibilities:

A. Labour Relations & Industrial Relations:

B. Production & Operations Management:

C. Workforce Development & Culture:

Key Performance Indicators:

Area: Metric

Production: Daily / monthly output vs. target (%)

Labour Relations: Formal grievances filed (trend over quarters)

Labour Relations: Number of disciplinary cases escalated to Labour Court

Workforce: Absenteeism rate (shopfloor)

Compliance: Zero statutory penalties / notices

Safety: Lost Time Injury (LTI) frequency rate

Efficiency:

OEE improvement (quarter-on-quarter)

Candidate Qualifications & Profile:

Educational Qualifications:

- B.E. / B.Tech in Mechanical, Industrial, or Production Engineering - OR - MBA / PGDM in Operations / HR from a recognised Indian university

- Diploma or certification in Industrial Relations or Labour Law (preferred; e.g. XLRI PGCIR, NMIMS IR programmes)

- Lean / Six Sigma Green Belt or above

- NEBOSH / IOSH safety certification is an advantage

Work Experience:

Mandatory:

- 12 - 18 years in factory / plant management roles; minimum 3 years in a senior supervisory capacity

- Direct, hands-on experience managing a workforce of 100+ workers - unionised or high-turnover environments strongly preferred

- Demonstrated track record of independently resolving labour disputes without escalation to strikes or work stoppages

- Personal experience navigating conciliation proceedings before a Labour Conciliation Officer or Labour Court

Preferred:

- Prior experience in FMCG, auto-ancillary, packaging, textiles, consumer goods, or similar process manufacturing

- Managed contract labour under the Contract Labour (R&A) Act - including principal employer compliance

- Experience designing and implementing productivity-linked incentive / wage structures

- Exposure to multi-shift or 24x7 plant operations