Factory Manager – Greenfield

About the role: The Operations / Factory Manager will play a critical leadership role in setting up and running the company’s new greenfield manufacturing facility near Jaipur. The incumbent will work closely with the Projects team during the design, installation, commissioning, and stabilization phases of the plant and will subsequently take full ownership of plant operations. This role requires a strong blend of project execution capability, operational leadership, manufacturing excellence, food safety orientation, people management, and commercial understanding.

The ideal candidate should have prior experience in setting up and operationalizing greenfield food and beverage manufacturing facilities and managing end-to-end plant operations in a structured, quality-driven environment. The role will be based at the plant site near Jaipur and will require periodic travel, including approximately one week every month at the corporate office in Gurugram. Duties & responsibilities: Greenfield Project Setup & Commissioning Partner with the Projects team to support end-to-end setup of the manufacturing facility.

Participate in plant layout planning, process flow optimization, utilities planning, and equipment selection. Coordinate installation, testing, commissioning, and validation of production lines and utilities. Ensure operational readiness for manufacturing, warehousing, quality, maintenance, safety, and dispatch functions.

Develop SOPs, operational workflows, manpower plans, and production processes prior to plant go-live. Support vendor coordination, contractor management, and site readiness activities. Drive timely commissioning and ramp-up of operations while ensuring quality and compliance standards.

Plant Operations Management Lead day-to-day factory operations including production, maintenance, warehouse, dispatch, utilities, and manpower management. Deliver production targets while maintaining efficiency, quality, safety, and cost parameters. Ensure smooth production planning and execution aligned with business demand forecasts.

Drive plant productivity, capacity utilization, waste reduction, and operational efficiencies. Monitor and improve KPIs related to output, OEE, downtime, wastage, yield, quality, and delivery timelines. Establish strong systems for preventive maintenance and operational reliability.

Ensure uninterrupted availability of utilities and production infrastructure. Quality, Food Safety & Compliance Ensure adherence to food safety and quality systems including GMP, HACCP, FSSAI, and other relevant standards. Build a strong culture of hygiene, food safety, process discipline, and compliance.

Coordinate with QA/QC teams to ensure customer and regulatory compliance. Support customer audits, certifications, and external inspections. Ensure all statutory, environmental, health, and safety requirements are complied with.

Team Leadership & Capability Building Build and lead the plant operations team across production, maintenance, warehouse, and support functions. Drive recruitment, training, capability development, and performance management for the plant workforce. Foster a high-performance, ownership-driven, and collaborative culture.

Implement structured shift management and workforce planning systems. Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement Drive continuous improvement initiatives across productivity, quality, cost, and safety. Implement manufacturing best practices and lean operations principles.

Develop systems for operational governance, reporting, and review mechanisms. Identify opportunities for automation, process optimization, and scalability. Cross-functional Coordination Work closely with Supply Chain, Procurement, QA, NPD, Finance, and Projects teams to ensure seamless operations.

Collaborate with corporate leadership on operational planning, capacity expansion, and strategic initiatives. Spend approximately one week every month at the Gurugram head office for alignment, planning, reviews, and cross-functional collaboration. Qualifications and Experience: Education : Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Technology, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline.

Postgraduate qualification in Operations / Manufacturing Management will be an advantage. Experience : 10–15+ years of relevant experience in food and beverage manufacturing operations. Proven experience in setting up and operationalizing greenfield manufacturing facilities is mandatory.

Strong experience in factory operations within food ingredients, food processing, beverages, dairy, sauces, seasonings, premixes, or related categories preferred. Experience working with customers in HoReCa, QSR, and large FMCG/CPG environments will be highly preferred. Strong understanding of food safety, quality systems, and manufacturing compliance.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Greenfield project execution Plant operations management Food manufacturing processes Production planning & control Team leadership and people management Operational excellence and continuous improvement Problem-solving and decision-making Stakeholder management Cost and efficiency management Food safety and compliance orientation Strong execution focus with hands-on leadership style