Manufacturing Operations Specialist (cosmetics)

Job Description – General Manager – Operations (Cosmetics & Personal Care Manufacturing)

Position Summary

The General Manager – Operations will lead the overall manufacturing operations of a cosmetics and personal care manufacturing facility, ensuring safe, efficient, GMP-compliant, and cost-effective production. The role will oversee Production, Filling & Packing, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Warehouse, Planning, Procurement Coordination, and EHS while driving operational excellence, productivity, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Operations

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• Lead end-to-end plant operations, including manufacturing, filling, packaging, engineering, maintenance, warehouse, and dispatch.
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• Ensure achievement of production plans while maintaining quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.
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• Improve plant productivity, capacity utilization, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
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• Optimize manpower and machine utilization to maximize operational efficiency.
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Production Management

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• Oversee manufacturing of creams, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, serums, oils, face wash, body wash, gels, deodorants, perfumes, and other personal care products.
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• Ensure adherence to batch manufacturing records (BMR) and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
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• Coordinate production planning to achieve delivery commitments.
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• Minimize changeover time and production losses.
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Filling & Packaging Operations

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• Manage filling, labeling, coding, sealing, cartoning, and secondary packaging operations.
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• Improve line efficiency and packaging productivity.
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• Reduce packaging material wastage and optimize packaging costs.
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Quality & Regulatory Compliance

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• Ensure compliance with GMP, ISO 9001, ISO 22716 (Cosmetic GMP), and applicable regulatory requirements.
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• Work closely with QA/QC to reduce deviations, rejections, and customer complaints.
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• Ensure successful completion of customer and regulatory audits.
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Engineering & Maintenance

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• Develop preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
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• Improve equipment reliability and minimize downtime.
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• Lead automation, debottlenecking, and plant expansion projects.
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• Monitor utilities including boilers, compressors, HVAC, purified water systems, and ETP/STP.
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Supply Chain Coordination

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• Coordinate with Procurement for timely availability of raw materials and packaging materials.
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• Ensure inventory optimization without affecting production continuity.
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• Work closely with Planning, Sales, and Logistics for timely dispatches.
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Cost Optimization

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• Prepare and manage annual operating budgets.
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• Drive initiatives to reduce manufacturing costs, energy consumption, and wastage.
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• Improve material yield and reduce batch losses.
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Safety & Environment

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• Ensure compliance with EHS policies and statutory regulations.
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• Promote a zero-accident culture through regular safety audits and training.
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• Ensure proper waste management and environmental compliance.
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Continuous Improvement

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• Implement Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and 5S initiatives.
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• Lead productivity improvement and operational excellence projects.
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• Monitor KPIs and implement corrective actions to achieve operational targets.
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Team Leadership

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• Lead and mentor Production, QA, QC, Maintenance, Engineering, Warehouse, and Planning teams.
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• Build a high-performance culture through coaching, performance management, and employee development.
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• Drive employee engagement and succession planning.
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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

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• Production target achievement
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• OEE improvement
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• Capacity utilization
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• Manufacturing cost reduction
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• Batch Right First Time (RFT)
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• Rejection and scrap reduction
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• Customer complaint reduction
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• On-time delivery
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• Equipment uptime
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• Energy consumption reduction
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• Inventory accuracy
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• Safety performance (Zero Lost Time Incidents)
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Qualifications

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• Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Pharmacy, Cosmetic Technology, or a related discipline.
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• MBA in Operations or Manufacturing is preferred.
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Experience

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• 20 –25 years of experience in cosmetics, personal care, FMCG, skincare, haircare, toiletries, or beauty product manufacturing.
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• Minimum 5 years in a Plant Head, Operations Head, Factory Manager, or General Manager – Operations role.
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Required Skills

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• Plant Operations Management
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• Cosmetic Manufacturing Processes
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• GMP & ISO 22716
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• Production Planning & Control
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• Filling & Packaging Operations
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• Lean Manufacturing
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• TPM
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• Six Sigma
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• Kaizen & 5S
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• Cost Control & Budgeting
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• SAP/ERP
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• Inventory Management
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• Preventive Maintenance
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• Quality Systems
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• Team Leadership
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• Continuous Improvement
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• CAPEX & Project Management
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Preferred Industry

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• Cosmetics
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• Personal Care
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• Skin Care
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• Hair Care
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• Toiletries
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• Beauty Products
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• Contract Manufacturing (Third-Party Manufacturing)
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