Head – Plant Engineering, Maintenance & Automation
Role Overview
The role is responsible for end-to-end leadership of plant engineering, utilities, maintenance, and automation for large-scale, highly automated manufacturing facilities. This position drives plant setup, operational excellence, cost optimization, equipment reliability, digital factory initiatives, and safety compliance across manufacturing operations such as BESS, EV, and automotive plants.
The role requires strong cross-functional leadership, deep technical expertise in utilities and automation, and a strategic mindset to scale operations from project phase to stable, high-performance manufacturing.
Key Responsibilities
Plant Engineering & Infrastructure
Lead
greenfield and brownfield plant setup
, including utilities, infrastructure, and automation systems.
Ensure readiness of critical utilities such as
power distribution (HT/LT), HVAC, compressed air, cooling systems, water treatment, and BMS
.
Drive
statutory compliance
, approvals, and EHS adherence for all plant infrastructure.
Support smooth transition from
project execution to steady-state plant operations
.
Automation & Smart Factory
Define and execute
automation strategy
for manufacturing lines, logistics, and utilities.
Lead deployment of
AGVs, ASRS, MES-integrated systems, IoT solutions
, and smart factory initiatives.
Oversee controls integration and equipment selection aligned with process, capacity, and scalability requirements.
Improve productivity, traceability, and energy efficiency through
digital and data-driven systems
.
Maintenance & Reliability Engineering
Develop and execute
preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance strategies
.
Improve
equipment reliability, uptime, MTBF, and MTTR
across highly automated lines.
Reduce unplanned downtime through structured
RCA, TPM, and reliability improvement programs
.
Build in-house technical expertise to
reduce OEM dependency
.
Operations Excellence & Continuous Improvement
Drive continuous improvement initiatives using
5S, Kaizen, TPM, PDCA, DMAIC, 5M, and Gemba
.
Optimize
cycle time, throughput, energy usage, and asset utilization
.
Standardize equipment, spares, and operating procedures to reduce variability and cost.
Eliminate non-value-added activities and improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Cost, Budget & Vendor Management
Own
CapEx and OpEx budgets
for plant engineering, utilities, and maintenance.
Deliver cost savings through
energy optimization, standardized procurement, and asset lifecycle management
.
Lead vendor strategy including OEMs, EPCs, and IFM partners.
Manage contracts, SLAs, risk mitigation, and business continuity plans.
People & Stakeholder Leadership
Lead and mentor large, multi-disciplinary engineering and operations teams.
Drive cross-functional collaboration across
engineering, operations, quality, safety, IT, and supply chain
.
Develop internal SMEs and succession plans.
Communicate effectively with senior leadership and external stakeholders.
Required Qualifications
Education
B.Tech / BE in Mechanical Engineering (mandatory)
Additional certifications in
QMS, EHS, or automation
preferred
Experience
15+ years
of experience in:
Plant engineering and utilities
Maintenance & reliability engineering
Automation and smart factories
Large-scale manufacturing operations (BESS / EV / Automobile / Heavy Industry)
Proven experience in
greenfield plant setup
, highly automated lines, and utility management.
Strong leadership experience managing large teams and multi-site operations.
Key Skills & Competencies
Plant Engineering & Utilities Management
Automation, Controls & Smart Factory Systems
BESS & EV Manufacturing Operations
Maintenance Strategy & Reliability Engineering
CapEx & OpEx Budgeting
Vendor & Contract Management
Energy & Cost Optimization
EHS & Statutory Compliance
Data-driven Decision Making
Strong People Leadership & Change Management
Preferred Experience
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) manufacturing
EV or Automotive manufacturing plants
MES-integrated automation environments
Large-scale, high-throughput industrial facilities
