Chief Operating Officer

Objective of the Role: COO (Operations Strategy)

To lead and drive operations for a large multinational manufacturing organization by applying global best practices across multi-plant and multi-business environments. The role focuses on operational excellence, post-merger integration, and enterprise transformation, leveraging Lean, TPS, and world-class production systems from Japanese, American, and European manufacturing cultures. It will advance digitalization, automation, and data-driven operations aligned with Industry 4.0, while optimizing capacity, manufacturing footprint, cost governance, and compliance to position India as a globally competitive manufacturing hub supporting global operations.

Key Roles & Responsibilities:

A. Operational Excellence & Integration

- Drive a common Production System across all manufacturing plants, aligned with global standards and best practices. - Lead process standardization and integration across plants following multiple integrations, ensuring consistency in execution and governance. - Improve overall plant culture, discipline, accountability, and alignment with enterprise values and performance expectations. - Lead enterprise-wide Lean transformation, combining Lean Manufacturing principles with TPS philosophy to improve productivity, quality, delivery, and cost.

B. Manufacturing Footprint & Capacity Strategy

- Develop and own the long-term capacity and manufacturing footprint roadmap for India. - Work closely with Business Unit Heads on future expansion plans, localization strategies, and demand planning. - Support and enable the India growth vision of 2.5x scale by 2030, ensuring operational readiness and scalability.

C. Quality & Customer Performance

- Drive sustained reduction in customer complaints, quality issues, and escalations. - Improve demand–supply synchronization across plants to enhance delivery reliability and customer satisfaction. - Support plants in effectively managing volatile OEM forecasts while maintaining service levels and operational stability.

D. Digitalization & Automation

- Lead the organization’s global push toward plant digitalization, positioning India as a benchmark region. - Introduce automation, efficiency improvement initiatives, and data-driven operations across manufacturing facilities. - Enable real-time performance visibility and analytics-driven decision-making.

E. ESG & Sustainability

- Drive plant-level sustainability initiatives, including: - Waste reduction and recycling improvements - Water neutrality and conservation programs - Environmental and statutory compliance - Embed ESG metrics into plant performance KPIs and leadership scorecards.

F. Compliance & Labor Strategy

- Establish and sustain a deep-rooted compliance culture, beyond surface-level adherence. - Support enterprise labor and industrial relations strategy across all unionized plants, including: - Labor law compliance - Working hours and statutory adherence - Union environment management - Act as a strategic advisor during labour, regulatory, or compliance-sensitive situations.

Candidate Profile:

- 20+ years of experience in operations and manufacturing leadership roles within large multinational organizations, preferably with minimum ₹5000+ crore turnover - Strong exposure to global manufacturing practices (Lean, TPS, World-Class Manufacturing) - Proven experience managing multiple plants and business verticals in complex manufacturing environments - Extensive experience in enterprise-wide transformation initiatives, including post-merger integration and operating model redesign - Strong track record of leading continuous improvement and productivity enhancement projects across manufacturing and supply chain - Hands-on experience in manufacturing digitalization, automation, and Industry 4.0 initiatives - Solid understanding of capacity planning, manufacturing footprint strategy, and scalability - Strong focus on operational excellence, quality improvement, and customer performance - Experience working in global matrix organizations with teams across Europe, the US, and other regions - Sound understanding of cost governance, capital efficiency, and investment decision-making - Effective change leader with the ability to influence stakeholders and build high-performing leadership teams