Chief Operating Officer

Objective of this role:

The COO will be responsible for driving operational excellence across all divisions and functions, ensuring robust processes, cost competitiveness, and customer-focused delivery. As a key member of the leadership team, the COO will align overall operations with the companys long-term growth vision while strengthening manufacturing, supply chain, technology, and people capabilities to support sustained scalability.

Roles and Responsibility:

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Board to build a compelling long-term vision that motivates teams to achieve the organizations growth targets.
• Define the strategic direction of the company in alignment with the Board of Directors (BOD) and ensure its effective execution.
• Lead the execution of current and future business commitments to expand the companys footprint across targeted markets.
• Strengthen the leadership team by focusing on capability building, succession planning for critical roles, skill enhancement, and fostering a unified organizational culture.

Operational Responsibilities:

• Oversee end-to-end business operations with a strong focus on margin control and achievement of monthly, quarterly, and annual performance goals.
• Develop growth strategies and implementation plans with a sharp focus on market needs, operational deliverables, performance metrics, and long-term sustainability.
• Engage consistently with existing customers and build strong external relationships with clients, vendors, industry leaders, and influencers to reinforce the companys brand and market presence.
• Work closely with the Finance Head and Board to ensure robust financial controls, timely reporting, and adherence to budgets.
• Assess team capabilities and implement development programs to enhance skills and improve productivity across functions.
• Deploy continuous improvement methodologiesTheory of Constraints (TOC), Lean, and Kaizento improve throughput, efficiency, and cost competitiveness.
• Track industry trends, competitive landscape, and emerging technologies to keep operations future-ready.
• Ensure optimal plant capacity utilization aligned with future demand forecasts and upcoming business wins.

'Business Growth Enablement:

• Support business diversification into new product lines
• Build scalable supply chain and vendor ecosystems to minimize lead times and reduce logistics constraints.
• Partner with Sales and Business Development teams to align operational capabilities with customer (OEM & Tier-1) requirements.

'Governance & Compliance

• Drive strong operational governance through structured goal sheets, dashboards, and periodic review mechanisms.
• Ensure compliance with quality standards (IATF, ISO) and all statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Identify and manage risks across production, supply chain, operations, and people functions.

People & Culture:

• Build, mentor, and develop a strong leadership pipeline across all functions.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and customer-centricity.
• Partner with HR to strengthen talent acquisition, leadership development, capability building, and succession planning initiatives.

Key Areas:

Business Performance & Growth:

• Deliver year-on-year revenue and profitability targets in line with the organizations strategic plan.
• Expand the companys presence across key markets by driving new business wins and enabling diversification into new product lines.
• Strengthen customer relationships (OEMs & Tier-1s) and enhance customer satisfaction through consistent delivery, quality, and responsiveness.

Operational Excellence:

• Improve operational efficiency across plants and functions through Lean, TOC, and Kaizen initiatives.
• Achieve targeted improvements in throughput, capacity utilization, cycle time, and OEE.
• Ensure consistent on-time delivery (OTD), reduction of rework, and improved first-pass quality.
• Strengthen supply chain resilience, reduce lead times, and remove logistical bottlenecks

Culture, Governance & Stakeholder Management

• Drive a unified, customer-centric organizational culture across all plants and functions.
• Embed operational discipline, innovation, and agility throughout the workforce.
• Build an engaging work environment that supports employee development, collaboration, and productivity.
• Strengthen governance through structured reviews, dashboards, KPIs, and robust compliance systems.
• Ensure adherence to statutory, regulatory, and quality standards (IATF, ISO).
• Build trusted relationships with key stakeholders including the Board, customers, vendors, partners, and regulatory bodies.
• Proactively identify, mitigate, and manage risks across operations, supply chain, and people functions.

Candidate Criteria:

Educational Qualifications

• Engineering degree in Mechanical / Automobile / Electrical / Polymer (preferred).
• MBA in Business Management or Strategy from a reputed institute (preferred).

Experience Requirements

• 25+ years of experience in the automotive components or manufacturing industry.
• 57 years in a senior leadership role such as COO / Operation Director / Business Head, with full operational responsibility.
• Proven experience in scaling manufacturing operations, managing multi-plant environments, and leading large teams.
• Strong experience working with OEMs and Tier-1 customers, ensuring delivery, quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Exposure to global markets, international customer requirements, and M&A/post-merger integration (preferred).

Technical & Functional Expertise

• Deep expertise in Lean, TOC, Kaizen , and world-class manufacturing practices.
• Strong understanding of automotive component manufacturing , production processes, and shop-floor operations.
• Solid knowledge of supply chain, vendor management, procurement, and production planning .
• Comprehensive understanding of quality systems such as IATF/ISO and statutory compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans , and other automotive-specific processes.
• Exposure to digital manufacturing, Industry 4.0 , automation, and transformation initiatives.

Business & Financial Acumen

• Strong P&L management experience with a track record of improving EBITDA, PBT , and overall financial performance.
• Strong financial discipline with expertise in cost control, budgeting, and operational efficiency .
• Demonstrated ability to drive cost competitiveness , optimize resources, and manage CapEx/OpEx.

Leadership & Behavioral Competencies

• Excellent leadership and team-building capabilities with a strong focus on people development .
• High customer orientation with the ability to build and sustain relationships with OEMs, Tier-1 customers , and other key stakeholders.
• Strong decision-making ability with a strategic mindset and hands-on operational approach.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.