Operations Manager (Lubricant & Grease)

Job Summary

We are looking for an experienced Operations Manager to oversee and coordinate overall plant operations for a lubricant and grease manufacturing facility.

The role will be responsible for ensuring smooth, safe and cost-effective operations across Procurement, Stores & Warehousing, Logistics & Dispatch, Maintenance & Engineering, Utilities and HSE, while working closely with Production, Planning, Quality, Finance and Commercial teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day plant operations and ensure operational readiness.

• Coordinate with Production and Planning teams to support production requirements.

• Ensure timely availability of raw materials, packaging materials, equipment and manpower.

• Manage procurement activities, supplier performance and material availability.

• Oversee Stores & Warehouse operations, inventory accuracy and SAP transactions.

• Coordinate logistics, export container bookings, dispatches and vessel schedules.

• Ensure effective preventive and predictive maintenance of plant equipment.

• Monitor utilities, infrastructure and energy consumption.

• Work closely with HSE to ensure safety and regulatory compliance.

• Drive SAP Business One discipline and operational dashboards.

• Identify opportunities to reduce procurement, inventory, logistics, maintenance and utility costs.

• Establish and monitor operational KPIs and continuous improvement initiatives.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain or related field.

• 10 15+ years of manufacturing experience, including meaningful experience in plant operations leadership.

• Experience in lubricants, grease, chemicals, petrochemicals, automotive fluids or process manufacturing is strongly preferred.

• Strong exposure to multiple functions such as:

  • Procurement

  • Warehouse

  • Logistics

  • Maintenance

  • Engineering

  • Production Support

  • HSE

• Experience with ERP systems; SAP Business One experience is an advantage.

• Strong knowledge of inventory management, supply-chain planning, preventive maintenance and operational cost control.

• Experience in automated or semi-automated manufacturing environments is preferred.

Key Competencies

• Strong operational and team leadership

• Planning and execution

• Problem-solving and root-cause analysis

• Inventory and supply-chain management

• Cost control

• Technical understanding of plant machinery

• ERP/SAP knowledge

• Vendor and contractor management

• Cross-functional coordination

• Strong communication and escalation skills

• Safety and compliance orientation

• Ability to manage demanding production and dispatch schedules

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate should be capable of managing multiple operational functions and building a planned, system-driven and accountable manufacturing environment, with a strong focus on material availability, equipment reliability, inventory accuracy, timely dispatch, cost control and safety.