Head - Operational Excellence (Bhopal)

Role & responsibilities Role Summary The Operational Excellence Head will be responsible for leading enterprise-level process excellence, performance transformation, and continuous improvement initiatives across the business and other assigned business units. This role will shape and execute the Operational Excellence (OpEx) strategy, embed Lean, Kaizen, TPM, and digital transformation practices, and drive best-in-class performance in productivity, quality, cost, safety, and customer experience. The incumbent will act as a change leader and thought partner to business leadership, institutionalizing a culture of continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, and total employee involvement across manufacturing and support functions. Key Responsibilities Continuous Improvement & Lean - Deploy Lean, Kaizen and TPM practices and strengthen the corporate OpEx frameworks - CG EDGE, across operations. - Lead 3P (deploy VSM, MFID and TPI) initiatives to improve flow, productivity, and automation across Greenfield/Brownfield set up - Identify and execute high-impact cost optimization initiatives like VAVE, DOE/i2V, Manpower Optimization, etc. - Lead and facilitate Simple Problem Solving (SPS) activities. Operational Excellence & Digital Enablement - Partner with Business and Plant Leadership to define, deploy, and govern the Operational Excellence roadmap in line with organizational strategy. - Lead manufacturing operations across production, planning, quality, and maintenance, to ensure OTIF, quality, productivity, and cost targets are achieved. - Implement automations and digital tools for operational tracking and reporting. - Monitor and improve overall plant performance through KPIs and dashboards to standardize, sustain, and scale improvement initiatives across the plant. Industrial Engineering & Process Optimization - Apply Industrial Engineering principles including Time & Motion Study, MOST, Standard Work, Takt Time analysis, line balancing, and capacity mapping. - Support recent product introductions (NPD) with optimal layout, manpower, and process design. People Leadership & Capability Building - Build and develop a high-performing operations team; coach supervisors and frontline leaders. - Partner with HR on manpower planning, skill development, and shopfloor discipline. - Strengthen Total Employee Involvement (TEI) and ownership culture across the plant. Safety, Quality & Compliance - Foster a strong safety culture with the goal of zero LTIs and full statutory compliance. - Ensure robust quality systems to minimize defects, rework, and COPQ. Educational Qualifications & Experience - Bachelors degree in Mechanical / Industrial / Production Engineering - Masters degree in Operations Management or Industrial Engineering is an added advantage - 10+ years of experience in Manufacturing / Operations / Operational Excellence - Proven experience of working closely with plant heads, or factory leadership. - Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification preferred. Key Competencies - Deep understanding of Lean, TPM, and process discipline. - Continuous improvement and change leadership mindset - Structured problem-solving and analytical skills - Strong leadership and people management capabilities - Exposure to Digital Manufacturing / Industry 4.0 initiatives is an advantage .