Lead - Production (BESS)

Suzlon Group · Gujarat, India

ROLE MANDATE

Suzlon is building a BESS business in which the factory must behave like a product operation, not a project workshop. The Lead - Production stands up, stabilizes and continuously improves Suzlon's BESS pack assembly and containerization operations - with takt-based planning, quality gates, full traceability and strong EHS governance - so the BU can ship a standardized, certifiable, warranty-ready product at competitive cost.

This is a foundational hire and a build role rather than a caretaker role. It owns safety readiness, right-first-time quality and predictable delivery, taking the plant from brownfield integration and commissioning through pilot builds, rate builds and stable multi-shift operation at 3 GWh. The role suits a strong, hands-on manager ready to step up - depth of ownership and industrialization instinct matter more than years served.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Brownfield Integration, Commissioning & Ramp-Up

• Lead retrofit and integration of new pack and container lines within an existing plant environment - layout, utilities, material flow, EHS zoning, and controlled storage and handling for Li-ion
• Own plant infrastructure readiness for Li-ion operations: HV safety controls, zoning, controlled storage, emergency-response preparedness, and operator training and certification
• Oversee FAT / SAT, installation, commissioning and performance acceptance of imported equipment with clear acceptance criteria and enforceable vendor accountability
• Deliver a structured ramp to stable 3 GWh capacity through defined ramp gates - pilot builds, rate builds, steady state - with exit criteria at each gate

Industrialization & Process Stabilization

• Run pack assembly as a product operation - takt-based planning, standard work, quality gates and traceability as non-negotiables
• Own the industrialization bridge with Head - Technical / Product Engineering: DFM / DFA, process windows, CTQs, line balancing and manufacturability-driven design feedback - while respecting central design and change authority
• Build a lean but high-impact process-engineering bench focused on yield, ramp-up and factory learning, not only on running shifts
• Establish standard work instructions, operator certification matrices and process-capability baselines for every critical station

Manufacturing Operations & Multi-Shift Leadership

• Convert annual capacity targets into monthly, weekly and daily production plans with clear WIP controls and dispatch-readiness gates
• Implement scalable 2 / 3-shift operations with a tiered daily management cadence - SQDC boards, tier reviews and disciplined escalation governance
• Lead plant functions: Production, Industrial / Process Engineering, Maintenance & Utilities, Warehouse / Stores, and plant-level EHS execution
• Recruit, train and deploy the shop-floor and supervisory team from scratch, building supervisory bench strength ahead of the ramp

Quality, Compliance & EHS Execution

• Deploy the manufacturing QMS on the shop floor with Lead - QHSE - PFMEA, control plans, layered process audits, CAPA, deviation management, containment and MRB
• Operate end-to-end traceability (cell module pack container) with test-data retention and audit-ready documentation
• Institutionalize high-voltage safety - HV work permits, LOTO, interlock validation, arc-flash practice, thermal-incident response drills, and safe storage and handling
• Maintain compliance readiness for applicable battery and BESS norms (IEC / UL system safety as applicable, UN 38.3 transport readiness, Indian statutory requirements)
• Support incoming-quality gates, PPAP / qualification and supplier audits for imported and domestic components alongside Procurement and QHSE

Container Integration & Dispatch Readiness

• Oversee mechanical, electrical and thermal integration into containerized systems - grounding, interlocks, insulation and HV safety controls, and safe cable routing
• Own end-of-line testing, validation evidence and the dispatch documentation pack - traceability dossier, test certificates and FAT-readiness packs per shipment
• Enforce dispatch discipline: no release without complete test records and quality clearance
• Interface with Product Engineering and Projects / EPC for controlled change management, with zero uncontrolled deviations on the line

Planning, Logistics & Cost

• Own the factory S&OP handshake - demand signal from the BU and BD, material readiness with Procurement, and dispatch alignment with EPC site schedules
• Define SLAs and escalation paths with shared Wind functions (Procurement, EPC, OMS) to protect resourcing and decision speed
• Own the conversion-cost roadmap - labour productivity, yield and scrap, rework reduction, cycle time and line-balance improvement
• Drive OEE through TPM discipline: preventive-maintenance adherence, spares strategy and uptime governance for imported equipment

Field Feedback & Continuous Improvement

• Run the closed-loop OMS Manufacturing Product Engineering learning loop with structured RCA and verified corrective actions to cut warranty exposure
• Build a problem-solving and continuous-improvement culture on the floor, with visible kaizen and daily-management discipline
• Maintain a defect-and-resolution knowledge base so recurring build issues drive permanent process and design fixes

SUCCESS MEASURES

• Capacity & delivery: Ramp milestones to stable 3 GWh achieved; throughput (MWh/month vs plan), OTIF dispatch and schedule adherence on target
• Operational excellence: OEE, First Pass Yield, cycle-time reduction, labour productivity and stable takt attainment
• Quality & traceability: DPPM / defect rate on target; containment effectiveness; audit NCs closed on time; 100% genealogy and test-data availability
• Safety: TRIR / LTIFR within limits; HV safety compliance; near-miss closure discipline; emergency-response drill readiness
• Cost & efficiency: Conversion cost per kWh, scrap and rework %, inventory turns, PM adherence and equipment uptime
• Team & cadence: Plant team recruited and certified per plan; daily management system running with disciplined escalation

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Experience & Background

• 5-10 years in manufacturing across battery pack / EV systems, power electronics, heavy electrical assembly or industrial product operations, with hands-on shop-floor ownership
• Exposure to setting up or stabilizing a new manufacturing line - industrialization, ramp-up and yield stabilization - even if as a core team member rather than the overall plant head
• Track record of operating within rigorous quality, traceability and safety systems in a high-risk manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated ownership of line- or plant-level KPIs across safety, quality, delivery and cost
• Experience leading shop-floor teams and running a shift or line cadence; readiness to scale into multi-shift plant leadership

Domain Expertise

• Strong understanding of pack / module assembly processes, quality gates and typical failure modes - electrical isolation, connection integrity, thermal issues and workmanship variation
• Familiarity with containerized BESS integration: mechanical fitment, electrical integration and system-level testing
• Working knowledge of battery safety and regulatory frameworks (UL / IEC, UN 38.3, Indian compliance environment)
• Exposure to MES, traceability systems and semi-automated or automated assembly environments
• Working command of Lean manufacturing, OEE-driven plant management, TPM and structured problem solving (8D / 5-Why)

Attributes

• Builder's mindset - equally comfortable writing the first SOP and standing on the line during a pilot build
• Bias for daily discipline and escalation clarity over ad-hoc firefighting
• Willingness to stop the line on a safety or quality concern, and the credibility to make it stick

Education

• B.E. / B.Tech in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics or Industrial Engineering
• Postgraduate qualification in Operations / Manufacturing (MBA or equivalent) preferred; Lean / Six Sigma certification an advantage