Senior Executive / Assistant Manager - Production

Job Description:

Lead and manage the Alumina/Zeolite production stream to achieve safe, reliable and cost-effective manufacturing while meeting production and quality targets. The role will have end-to-end operational responsibility for the entire manufacturing process, with strong focus on process stability, yield improvement, productivity, equipment utilization, cost optimization and continuous improvement. 1. Production & Process Management • Own and deliver the daily/monthly production plan for the Alumina/Zeolite stream. • Ensure stable operation of precipitation, hydro synthesis, filtration, washing, drying and calcination processes. • Monitor critical process parameters and ensure operation within defined process limits. • Optimize manpower, equipment, raw materials and utilities for maximum productivity. • Drive reduction in process losses, downtime and production variability. 2. Process & Quality Improvement • Troubleshoot process and product-quality issues using data-driven RCA. • Identify process–quality correlations and establish robust operating windows. • Lead plant trials, process optimization and implementation of process improvements. • Work closely with Quality, R&D and Process Development teams for product/process development. 3. Productivity & Cost Optimization • Drive improvement in OEE, throughput and cycle time. • Reduce energy, water, raw material and manpower consumption per MT. • Identify and eliminate process bottlenecks. • Lead capacity debottlenecking and productivity improvement initiatives. • Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities within the production stream. 4. Equipment & Reliability • Ensure optimum utilization and availability of production equipment. • Coordinate with Maintenance for preventive and breakdown maintenance. • Identify chronic equipment/process losses and drive permanent corrective actions. • Support equipment modification, commissioning, scale-up and capacity enhancement projects. 5. Safety & Compliance • Ensure zero-compromise compliance with EHS standards, SOPs and safe operating practices. • Drive safety observations, risk identification and corrective actions. • Ensure compliance with MOC, LOTO, Permit-to-Work, PPE and statutory requirements. • Lead investigation and closure of process-related incidents and near misses. 6. People & Team Leadership • Lead and develop production engineers, supervisors and operators. • Build team capability through training, coaching and skill-matrix development. • Establish clear accountability for Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost. • Develop a culture of ownership, discipline, problem-solving and continuous improvement. 7. Continuous Improvement • Lead Lean / Six Sigma / Operational Excellence initiatives. • Use tools such as RCA, 5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto, CAPA and Kaizen. • Identify opportunities for process simplification, automation and digitalization. • Deliver measurable improvements in capacity, cost, quality, productivity and resource consumption. Key Performance Indicators • Safety: Zero major safety incidents; safety action / observation closure. • Production: Production plan achievement; throughput / capacity utilization; OEE and equipment availability. • Quality: RFT / First Pass Quality; off-specification reduction; product quality consistency. • Cost & Productivity: OPEX / cost per MT; energy and water consumption per MT; raw material yield; manpower productivity. • Improvement: Process improvement projects; cost savings / productivity gains; capacity debottlenecking; downtime reduction. • People: Skill-matrix improvement; training completion; team engagement and performance. Technical Competencies • Alumina/Zeolite precipitation and crystallization; solid-liquid separation and filtration; cake washing and impurity removal. • Drying and moisture control; calcination and thermal processing. • Particle Size Distribution – D10/D50/D90; BET / Surface Area; Pore Volume; LBD / CBD; LOI and chemical purity. • Process mass balance and yield calculation; DCS / PLC-based process control; industrial troubleshooting and process optimization. Equipment Exposure Preferred hands-on exposure to: Reactors / Precipitators → Filter Press / Vacuum / Pressure Filters → Washing Systems → Dryers / Spray Dryers → Calciners / Rotary Kilns → Material Handling & Dust Collection Systems. Experience & Candidate Profile • 6–8 years of experience in process manufacturing / chemical manufacturing. • Preferably experience in Alumina, Catalyst, Specialty Chemicals or Inorganic Chemicals. • Strong hands-on experience in plant operations and process troubleshooting. • Experience in managing production teams and shop-floor activities. • Demonstrated experience in process optimization, productivity improvement or capacity debottlenecking. • Strong analytical and problem-solving capability. • Ability to work effectively with Maintenance, Quality, R&D, Engineering, EHS and Supply Chain functions. Preferred Qualifications • B.E./B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering. • Lean Six Sigma certification is an advantage. • Experience with DCS/automation and data analytics is an advantage. Ideal Candidate A hands-on process leader who can independently manage the Alumina/Zeolite production stream, stabilize processes, troubleshoot complex production problems and continuously improve Safety, Quality, Productivity, Capacity and Cost.