Vice President - Plant Operations PSS07617

Factory Manager AVP or VP Plant Operations

Location: Hyderabad

About the Role: PSS has been mandated to hire a Vice President - Plant Operations for a prominent Indian company specializing in the production of premium biscuits and cookies.

Reporting to: Director of Operations. Direct Reports: 7-8 direct reports, including functional managers in manufacturing, maintenance, quality, plant HR, stores, and finance.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee all aspects of plant operations.
• 200Cr capex, 1,000+ workers. One of the largest on the food side. 40k metric tonnes capacity (70% of capacity). 4 lines, 2.75 lakhs square feet, 500-600Cr potential topline from this plant. The company also has third-party manufacturing for other products.
• The current Director Operations (CxO), who is 57 years old - this role would be reporting to him with the view that this candidate selected to head the Hyderabad plant would eventually take over from him, by handling all three plant operations within the next three to four years.
• The plant is in Hyderabad; it is distant, and hence one cannot micromanage and run it. Also difficult to drive operations with junior employees. Hence, our client is looking for a senior person, like a plant manager, to drive the operations at the plant.
  
  
  

• Capable, runs operations, tight-fisted person, high on controls operationally, managing intensity, demonstrated scalability that he can become the head of function and CxO in two to four years. Ideally, the person comes from a pedigree. No age preference: could be 40-47 years or even less than 40 years can be considered if very good. Experience: 15 -18 years, flexible on this.
• Step 1: Hyderabad, Step 2: Supervising all 3 manufacturing units, Step 3: Overseeing own plants and third-party manufacturing operations as direct successor to the Director of Operations.
• Food experience is required, and ideally, biscuit experience. Possibly candidates from the Gulf and GCC manufacturing in foods and FMCG organisations, which have the level of scale that our client is looking for.
• The candidate could also be second in line, like Head of Production for a large plant if the scale is there and the candidate clearly demonstrates the capability to lead a large plant.
• Knowing Telugu or the local language would be a plus, but not necessary.
  
  
  

• Opportunity to become a CxO in 2-4 years. Clear succession plan for the CxO. No line of succession like in other large organisations.
• R&D may or may not come under this role.
• Guesthouse at the plant side if the person wants to stay closer to the plant, if spending time there for several days in the week.