Website:
Job details:
Position: Manager – Supply Chain & Customer Interface (Window Person)
Division: Aluminium High Pressure Die Casting
Location: Sriperumbudur / Chennai
Interfaces with: PPC, Die Casting, Machining, Tool Room, Quality, NPD, Stores, Dispatch, Accounts; Customer SCM, Purchase, Quality & Engineering teams
1. Position Objective
Own the customer-to-shopfloor loop end to end: convert customer schedules into executable production plans, guarantee OTIF dispatch of serial production castings at agreed cost and quality, and act as the single point of contact for all assigned customers on commercial, delivery, quality and technical matters — including NPD parts through to serial handover.
2. Key Responsibilities
A. Schedule Management & Production Planning
- Receive customer schedules (portal, EDI, mail), consolidate part-wise/month-wise and release firm schedules to PPC and manufacturing.
- Convert customer requirements into machine-wise die casting plans considering cavity output, cycle time, die availability and machine tonnage allocation.
- Balance die casting output with downstream machining, deburring, shot blasting and leak testing capacity so that finished-goods readiness — not casting output — drives the plan.
- Maintain rolling 3-month visibility; flag capacity or tooling shortfalls to GM/COO with lead time to act.
B. Material & Consumable Readiness
- Plan inbound requirements against schedule: aluminium (ADC12/A380) and zinc (Zamak) alloy ingots, plunger lubricant, die spray/release agent, hydraulic oil, filters, ceramic filters, flux and degassing tablets, packing material.
- Maintain minimum/reorder levels; ensure no line stoppage due to material or consumable non-availability.
- Track alloy yield, runner-riser return and in-house remelt to control metal cost per part.
- Coordinate bought-out items, inserts, fasteners and outsourced processes (heat treatment, powder coating, plating, anodising) including job-work delivery challans and timely return.
C. Die & Tooling Coordination
- Maintain the die register: shot count, PM due, refurbishment status, insert life, spare core pin availability and die ownership (customer-owned vs in-house).
- Coordinate with Tool Room for planned die maintenance so tool downtime does not collide with schedule peaks.
- Track new die development and customer-funded tooling milestones and payment linkages.
D. Dispatch, Documentation & Logistics
- Ensure dispatch as per customer delivery schedule and window timings; drive OTIF.
- Ensure accuracy of invoices, delivery challans, packing lists, e-way bills, material test certificates and PDIR before gate-out.
- Manage returnable bins/trolleys/pallets — issue, tracking and recovery from customer.
- Optimise freight: milk runs, load consolidation, vehicle selection, and control premium/emergency freight; obtain approval for any air or dedicated vehicle movement.
E. Customer Interface (Window Person)
- Act as primary contact for assigned customers across commercial, delivery, quality and technical matters for all serial production parts.
- Ensure timely response to customer queries on RFQ/quotations, samples, schedules, quality complaints and engineering changes.
- Circulate and drive closure of MOM/open-point action trackers from customer reviews and audits.
- Coordinate sample submission, APQP/PPAP documentation, ECN implementation and customer approvals with NPD and Quality.
- Monitor and defend the customer's supplier rating (delivery score, quality PPM, response index); investigate and correct any rating drop.
- Escalate critical delivery, quality or commercial issues to GM/COO immediately — no surprises.
- Maintain records of customer communication, visit reports and price/schedule revisions.
F. Quality & NPD Support
- Coordinate with Quality for incoming alloy inspection, in-process clearance, PDIR generation and dispatch clearance.
- Handle customer rejections and line returns: arrange return logistics, segregation, replacement stock and debit note reconciliation; follow up 8D closure with Quality.
- Support NPD by confirming material and capacity readiness for trials and sample builds, and by communicating sample/PPAP timelines to the customer.
4. Educational Qualifications & Background
- Bachelor's degree in any discipline, preferably Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain or Materials Management.
- Minimum 10 years' experience in a similar industry, particularly the aluminium die casting industry, having handled a comparable window person role covering both NPD and supply chain.
5. Skills & Competencies
- Excellent written and verbal communication — English and Hindi/Tamil preferred.
- Strong coordination and relationship management ability.
- Able to manage multiple stakeholders across internal teams and customers simultaneously.
- Understands HPDC fundamentals: cycle time, cavity yield, die life and common defects (blow holes, porosity, cold shut, flash) and their impact on delivery.
- Familiarity with customer web portals and EDI.
- Escalates issues early rather than absorbing risk silently.
- Awareness of GST, e-way bill and job-work documentation.
Click on Apply to know more.