Job Description

Job Title: Senior Manager- Manufacturing Excellence & Digital Transformation
Location: Mumbai, India
Function: Supply Chain- Manufacturing Excellence
Req ID: R-1168528
Role Overview
The Senior Manager - Manufacturing Excellence will play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence, continuous improvement, and digital transformation across Unilever's manufacturing network in India. The incumbent will be responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining Unilever's manufacturing excellence frameworks (WCM/TPM), ensuring alignment with the organization's global standards and strategic priorities.
The role demands a strong balance of technical expertise, leadership, and change management skills to foster a culture of excellence, efficiency, and innovation within our factory operations.
Key Responsibilities
Manufacturing Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the deployment of Unilever's Manufacturing Excellence framework (TPM/WCM) across multiple factories to deliver consistent improvement in productivity, quality, and service.
• Design and execute long-term strategies for operational excellence, focusing on loss elimination, cost optimization, and sustainable performance improvement.
• Facilitate periodic assessments, audits, and benchmarking to ensure compliance with Unilever's global standards and best practices.
• Drive the development of manufacturing KPIs, performance dashboards, and structured problem-solving routines.

Digital Manufacturing & Transformation

• Spearhead the integration of digital manufacturing technologies -- including data analytics, IoT, automation, and AI-based solutions -- to enable real-time visibility and data-driven decision-making.
• Partner with Unilever's Digital Manufacturing and Technology teams to pilot and scale Industry 4.0 initiatives across factories.
• Promote digital capability building at site level and ensure sustainable adoption of digital tools.

Capability Building & Leadership

• Develop and coach site leadership teams to embed a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration between Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, and Planning to ensure end-to-end process alignment.
• Build organizational capability in Lean, Six Sigma, and digital transformation methodologies through structured training and development programs.

Performance & Governance

• Track, analyze, and report manufacturing performance against key metrics and business objectives.
• Lead governance reviews with senior stakeholders, highlighting improvement opportunities, risk areas, and progress against defined roadmaps.
• Ensure strict adherence to safety, quality, and sustainability standards across all operational excellence initiatives.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or equivalent).
• Minimum 10-12 years of experience in manufacturing operations, including at least 3-5 years in a leadership role within Manufacturing Excellence, TPM, or Operational Improvement.
• Proven experience in deploying TPM, Lean, or WCM methodologies within a large-scale manufacturing environment.
• Strong exposure to digital manufacturing, including automation systems, MES, IoT, and data analytics tools.
• Demonstrated success in managing multi-site initiatives and cross-functional programs.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and influencing capabilities.

All official offers from Unilever are issued only via our Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Offers from individuals or unofficial sources may be fraudulent - please verify before proceeding

Skills Required