Plant Head - Speciality Chemicals

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.