Head of Operations - Hyderabad

This is a key plant leadership role reporting to the Plant Head. This role calls for a hands-on operations professional who takes ownership of daily plant performance, drives a culture of discipline and continuous improvement, and manages a large, structured team with clarity and accountability. The ideal candidate brings strong manufacturing execution skills, comfort with technology and automation, and the ability to develop people at scale. Plant Operations & Ownership - Manage end-to-end manufacturing operations with accountability for daily output, quality, and efficiency targets. - Drive daily and periodic production targets with an unrelenting focus on on-time delivery and throughput. - Report plant performance, risks, and operational updates to the Plant Head on a structured basis. Automation & Technology - Support adoption and optimisation of existing automation systems; identify opportunities for improvement and escalate proposals for new automation investments. - Work with engineering and technology teams on automation improvements across assembly, QC, and related processes; provide floor-level inputs for technology planning. - Stay current on smart manufacturing trends and bring relevant innovations to the floor. People Leadership - Lead and develop managers and supervisors across production, quality, and dispatch. - Oversee performance, skilling, and engagement of 500+ blue-collar operators with varied skill sets. - Develop supervisors and team leads; contribute to succession planning and foster a high performance, accountable culture on the floor. - Ensure fair, transparent people practices — with particular focus on operator welfare and retention. Quality, Safety & Compliance - Maintain high product quality through robust QC frameworks, SOP adherence, and rapid defect resolution. - Drive a non-negotiable safety culture; ensure all statutory and regulatory compliance requirements are met. - Embed lean manufacturing, 5S, and structured problem-solving practices across all production lines. Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement - Identify and eliminate waste, inefficiencies, and bottlenecks through data-driven analysis and root cause resolution. - Lead Kaizen and CI initiatives; institutionalize a culture where improvement is everyone's responsibility. - Track and drive key operational metrics — OEE, yield, cycle time, and throughput — with rigor. Cross-Functional Collaboration - Work closely with Supply Chain, Planning, Technology, and Quality teams for seamless end-to-end operations. - Collaborate with demand and commercial teams to align production capacity with business requirements.