General Manager - Plant Operations - Carbon Composite Products

We are looking for a General Manager - Plant for our client, an Engineering Manufacturing company making Carboon Composite products.
The General Manager (GM) shall be responsible for the overall management and performance of the manufacturing operations of the company. The role includes strategic planning, production management, operational excellence, quality assurance, cost optimization, manpower management, safety compliance, and coordination among all functional departments to achieve organizational objectives.
The GM will ensure smooth plant operations while maintaining productivity, quality standards, profitability, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement across the organization.
Key Roles & Responsibilities
1. Overall Plant Operations Management

- Lead and manage overall manufacturing plant operations.
- Ensure smooth coordination among Production, Maintenance, Quality, Planning, Purchase, Stores, Dispatch, HR, and Administration departments.
- Monitor daily operational activities and ensure achievement of organizational goals.
- Ensure optimum utilization of manpower, machinery, utilities, and resources.
- Develop systems and controls for efficient operational management.
- Drive operational discipline and accountability across departments.
2. Production Planning & Control

- Ensure achievement of daily, weekly, monthly, and annual production targets.
- Monitor production schedules and coordinate with planning teams.
- Improve production efficiency, productivity, and throughput.
- Minimize production losses, rejection, breakdowns, and idle time.
- Review production reports and implement corrective actions where necessary.
- Ensure timely execution of customer orders and delivery commitments.
3. Strategic Planning & Business Development Support

- Develop and implement operational strategies aligned with company objectives.
- Participate in long-term business planning and capacity expansion activities.
- Support implementation of automation and modernization initiatives.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement and operational excellence.
- Contribute to organizational growth through effective resource planning.
4. Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement

- Ensure adherence to company quality standards and customer specifications.
- Monitor rejection levels, customer complaints, and corrective actions.
- Coordinate with Quality Assurance teams for audits and process compliance.
- Promote continuous improvement initiatives such as Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, and Six Sigma practices.
- Ensure implementation of preventive and corrective action systems.
5. Cost Control & Financial Management

- Monitor manufacturing and operational costs.
- Identify opportunities for cost reduction without compromising quality and productivity.
- Control wastage, scrap generation, rework, and unnecessary expenditures.
- Participate in budgeting and financial planning activities.

- Monitor departmental spending against approved budgets.
- Improve operational profitability through process optimization.
6. Maintenance & Engineering Management

- Ensure effective preventive and breakdown maintenance systems.
- Monitor machine health, utility systems, and infrastructure maintenance.
- Minimize equipment downtime and production interruptions.
- Coordinate installation, commissioning, and upgrading of machinery and equipment.
- Ensure availability of spare parts and maintenance resources.
7. Human Resource & Team Management

- Lead, motivate, and supervise departmental heads and operational teams.
- Ensure manpower planning as per operational requirements.
- Support recruitment, training, skill development, and performance management initiatives.
- Maintain discipline, productivity, and employee engagement across the organization.
- Foster teamwork, leadership development, and positive workplace culture.
8. Safety, Compliance & Regulatory Management

- Ensure implementation of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) standards across the plant.
- Monitor compliance with statutory regulations, labor laws, factory rules, and safety policies.
- Conduct regular safety reviews and risk assessments.
- Ensure corrective actions for unsafe conditions and incidents.
- Coordinate with regulatory authorities and auditors as required.
9. Supply Chain & Coordination

- Coordinate with Purchase and Stores departments for uninterrupted material availability.
- Monitor inventory control and material utilization.
- Support vendor development and supplier performance improvement.
- Ensure smooth dispatch operations and timely product deliveries.
10. Customer Relationship Management

- Support customer satisfaction through quality products and timely delivery.
- Attend customer meetings and handle critical operational escalations when required.
- Coordinate with Sales and Marketing teams regarding customer requirements and delivery schedules.
- Ensure quick resolution of customer complaints related to operations.
11. Reporting & Management Reviews

- Prepare and present MIS reports to senior management.
- Review key operational KPIs and performance indicators regularly.
- Participate in Monthly Review Meetings (MRM), Annual General Meetings (AGM), and strategic review discussions.
- Submit reports related to production, efficiency, costs, quality, manpower, and safety performance.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The performance of the General Manager shall be evaluated based on:
- Production target achievement
- Plant efficiency and productivity
- OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
- Rejection and rework reduction
- Cost optimization and profitability improvement
- On-time delivery performance
- Inventory control
- Machine downtime reduction
- Safety compliance and incident reduction
- Employee productivity and retention
- Customer satisfaction levels
Required Qualifications
Educational Qualification
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering / Production Engineering / Industrial Engineering or related field.
- MBA in Operations Management shall be preferred.
Experience

- Minimum 18-23 years of experience in engineering/manufacturing industry.
- At least 5-8 years in leadership or plant management role.
- Experience in handling large manufacturing operations preferred.
Required Skills & Competencies
Technical Skills

- Manufacturing operations management
- Production planning and process control
- Quality systems and process improvement
- Maintenance management
- Budgeting and cost control
- ERP/MIS systems knowledge
Managerial Skills

- Leadership and team management
- Strategic thinking
- Decision-making ability
- Problem-solving and analytical skills
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Conflict resolution and negotiation