Website:
nvistra.com
Job details:
Company Overview
Our client is one of India’s leading pharmaceutical machinery manufacturers, headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Established in 2004, the company designs, manufactures, and exports a comprehensive range of process equipment for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, chemical, and food industries. With over 1,000 machines installed across 65+ countries and a 10,000 m² manufacturing facility, the company serves 800+ global clients with solutions spanning granulation, drying, mixing, milling, tabletting, coating, pelletizing, material conveying, CIP/WIP washing systems, and process automation.
Role Summary
The Plant Head/Head of Manufacturing Operations will assume complete ownership of all manufacturing operations at the company, reporting directly to the Managing Director and Board of Directors. This is a senior leadership role responsible for the end-to-end manufacturing lifecycle — from production planning and shop floor execution through quality assurance, supply chain coordination, and on-time delivery of pharmaceutical process equipment to domestic and international clients.
Key Responsibilities
Production Planning & Shop Floor Management
- Own the entire manufacturing operation across all product lines including mixers, blenders, dryers, fluid bed equipment, tablet presses, coating machines, roll compactors, pelletising systems, milling equipment, material conveyors, CIP/WIP systems, and sterile vessels.
- Develop and execute monthly and quarterly production plans aligned with the sales order book, export shipment schedules, and inventory targets.
- Manage daily shop floor operations across fabrication, machining, welding, surface finishing (mirror polish, electro-polish), assembly, and testing departments.
- Ensure optimal utilisation of the 10,000 m² manufacturing facility, including machine shop, fabrication bays, assembly areas, and testing zones.
- Implement and monitor production KPIs including OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), on-time delivery rate, first-pass yield, cycle time, and WIP inventory levels.
Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance
- Establish and maintain a robust quality management system (QMS) aligned with WHO-GMP, CE marking, ISO 9001, and customer-specific quality requirements.
- Oversee incoming material inspection, in-process quality checks, final inspection, FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing), and SAT (Site Acceptance Testing) protocols.
- Ensure all manufactured equipment meets pharmaceutical-grade surface finish standards (Ra values), dimensional tolerances, and documentation requirements (IQ/OQ/DQ protocols).
- Drive CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) processes, root cause analysis, and continuous quality improvement across all manufacturing stages.
- Manage regulatory audits, customer audits, and third-party inspection agency visits (TUV, Bureau Veritas, SGS, Lloyd’s).
Engineering & Technical Leadership
- Collaborate with the Design and R&D teams to ensure manufacturability of new products, providing DFM (Design for Manufacturing) input during the engineering phase.
- Drive process engineering improvements including fixture design, jig optimisation, welding procedure qualifications (WPQ/PQR), and CNC programming enhancements.
- Oversee maintenance of all plant and machinery through a robust preventive maintenance programme, minimising unplanned downtime.
- Evaluate and recommend capital expenditure for new machinery, tooling, and facility upgrades to support capacity expansion and technology advancement.
- Manage the technical documentation lifecycle including manufacturing drawings, BOMs, process sheets, and inspection checklists.
Supply Chain & Vendor Management
- Coordinate with the Procurement team to ensure timely availability of raw materials (SS 304/316L, speciality alloys, gaskets, instrumentation) and bought-out components.
- Develop and manage a reliable vendor base for sub-contracted processes including precision machining, heat treatment, specialised welding, and surface treatment.
- Optimise inventory management to balance material availability with working capital efficiency, implementing JIT practices where feasible.
- Drive vendor qualification, performance evaluation, and development programmes to improve supply chain reliability and cost competitiveness.
Export & Project Delivery
- Ensure manufacturing readiness for export orders across 65+ countries, including compliance with country-specific packaging, documentation, and shipping requirements.
- Coordinate with the Sales and Projects teams on customer-specific customisations, technical submittals, and delivery timelines.
- Oversee pre-dispatch inspection, export packing (seaworthy/airworthy), and coordination with logistics teams for timely shipment.
- Support installation and commissioning teams with technical guidance, spare parts kitting, and after-sales service documentation.
Team Leadership & Organisational Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop a multi-disciplinary manufacturing team including production managers, quality engineers, maintenance staff, and shop floor supervisors.
- Build a culture of safety, accountability, continuous improvement, and operational discipline across the entire manufacturing organisation.
- Implement structured training programmes covering technical skills, safety protocols, GMP awareness, and leadership development for shop floor personnel.
- Drive employee engagement, retention, and succession planning for critical manufacturing roles.
- Ensure full compliance with the Factories Act 1948, Gujarat Factories Rules, and all applicable EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) regulations.
Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement
- Champion lean manufacturing initiatives including 5S, Kaizen, value stream mapping, TPM (Total Productive Maintenance), and waste elimination across all operations.
- Establish and lead a structured continuous improvement programme with measurable targets for cost reduction, cycle time improvement, and quality enhancement.
- Benchmark manufacturing performance against industry best practices and drive adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies where commercially justified.
- Present monthly operations review to the Managing Director and Board, covering production performance, quality metrics, capacity utilisation, and improvement initiatives.
Qualifications & Requirements
Experience
- 18–25 years of progressive manufacturing experience, with at least 8–10 years heading an entire plant or manufacturing unit.
- Significant experience in pharmaceutical machinery, capital equipment, process equipment, or precision heavy engineering manufacturing is strongly preferred.
- Proven track record of managing large-scale fabrication and assembly operations involving stainless steel (SS 304/316L), precision machining, and GMP-compliant surface finishing.
- Demonstrated experience scaling production capacity, commissioning new production lines, and managing facility expansion projects.
- Hands-on experience with export manufacturing, including international packaging standards, pre-shipment inspections, and multi-country regulatory compliance.
- Experience managing manufacturing operations supporting 800+ clients across 65+ countries with diverse product configurations.
Education
B.E. / B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, or Industrial Engineering — mandatory.
M.E. / M.Tech or MBA (Operations / Supply Chain) is a strong plus.
Certifications in Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt / Black Belt), PMP, or TPM Instructor are highly desirable.
Technical Skills
- Deep knowledge of fabrication processes: TIG/MIG welding (SS and alloys), CNC machining, sheet metal forming, mirror/electro-polishing, and precision assembly.
- Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems (SAP PP, Oracle Manufacturing, or equivalent) for production planning, scheduling, and shop floor control.
- Working knowledge of CAD/CAM systems (AutoCAD, SolidWorks) sufficient to review manufacturing drawings and provide DFM feedback.
- Strong understanding of quality standards relevant to pharmaceutical equipment: WHO-GMP, ASME BPE, ISO 9001, CE marking, ATEX (where applicable).
- Experience with manufacturing analytics, OEE tracking tools, and digital shop floor management systems.
Core Competencies
- Strong operational leadership with the ability to manage 100+ shop floor personnel across multiple departments and shifts.
- Exceptional problem-solving skills with a data-driven approach to root cause analysis and decision-making.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills for Board-level reporting and cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Design, and Finance teams.
- High standards for safety, quality, and housekeeping with zero tolerance for EHS non-compliance.
- Commercial acumen to balance quality, cost, and delivery objectives in a competitive manufacturing environment.
- Ability to thrive under pressure and manage multiple concurrent projects with tight export delivery deadlines.
Preferred Attributes
- Prior experience in an Ahmedabad / Gujarat-based manufacturing environment with familiarity with the local vendor ecosystem and skilled labour market.
- Experience working with international pharmaceutical companies, EPC contractors, or OEM customers who conduct factory audits and FAT inspections.
- Exposure to process automation, PLC/SCADA integration for manufactured equipment, and Industry 4.0 concepts (IoT-enabled manufacturing, digital twins).
- Experience with sustainability initiatives including energy efficiency, waste reduction, and environmental compliance in manufacturing operations.
Compensation & Benefits
- Attractive salary
- Performance-linked incentive / annual bonus tied to production KPIs, quality metrics, and delivery targets.
- Group mediclaim / health insurance.
- Company-provided transport or conveyance allowance.
- Professional development support including industry conferences, technical training, and certification programmes.
- Opportunities for international travel for customer site visits, FAT/SAT support, and industry exhibitions.
Contact Details
Contact: Neethu Narambrath
Email: neethu@nvistra.com
Phone: +91 6282-377780
Click on Apply to know more.