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Job description

Job Purpose:

The Operation Section Head is responsible for leading and managing safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations to achieve production, quality, safety, and cost objectives. The role oversees day-to-day operations of the Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride production facilities, ensures stable operation of the Solvay process and associated units, coordinates operational activities with Maintenance, Technical, Engineering, and HSE functions, and drives continuous improvement in plant performance, reliability, and operational discipline.

Key Accountabilities:

• Lead and manage daily plant operations to achieve production targets while maintaining required product quality, safety, reliability, and environmental performance.

• Oversee the safe and efficient operation of Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride production units, including associated utilities, material handling, and supporting systems.

• Ensure stable operation of the Solvay process and monitor key operating parameters, process conditions, equipment performance, and production rates.

• Review daily operating reports, production performance, process deviations, equipment status, and operational constraints, and ensure timely corrective actions.

• Provide leadership and technical guidance to Shift Supervisors, Production Engineers, DCS Operators, Field Operators, and other operations personnel.

• Ensure compliance with approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), safe operating limits, operating manuals, and production instructions.

• Coordinate with Maintenance and Planning teams to prioritize equipment maintenance, minimize downtime, and ensure operational readiness for maintenance activities.

• Coordinate with Process Engineering and Technical teams to troubleshoot process problems, optimize operating conditions, improve yields, reduce losses, and enhance plant efficiency.

• Lead operational response to process upsets, equipment failures, emergencies, and abnormal operating conditions and ensure safe stabilization of the plant.

• Participate in HAZOP, HAZID, PHA, LOPA, Management of Change (MOC), Pre-Startup Safety

Review (PSSR), incident investigations, and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) activities.

• Ensure effective shift handover, communication, operating logs, and reporting of plant status, abnormalities, production losses, and critical issues.

• Support plant start-up, shutdown, commissioning, turnaround, and major maintenance activities and ensure safe execution from the Operations side.

• Monitor consumption of raw materials, chemicals, utilities, energy, and other operating resources and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.

• Monitor product quality and coordinate with Laboratory and Quality teams to address off-spec conditions and maintain product specifications.

• Develop and monitor operational KPIs including production achievement, plant availability, downtime, quality performance, energy consumption, raw material consumption, and operational losses.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on production optimization, reliability, safety, quality, cost reduction, and operational excellence.

Policies & Procedures:

• Ensure all operational activities comply with company HSE policies, Process Safety requirements, environmental standards, operating procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Ensure strict adherence to SOPs, operating envelopes, permit-to-work requirements, isolation/LOTO

procedures, and emergency response procedures.

• Review and support development and improvement of operating procedures, work instructions, checklists, and operational standards.

• Ensure proper implementation of Management of Change (MOC), PSSR, incident reporting, and other applicable operational and Process Safety procedures.

• Maintain high standards of housekeeping, operational discipline, and compliance throughout the assigned plant areas.

Budget:

• Provide input for annual operating budgets, manpower requirements, consumables, chemicals, utilities, and operational improvement initiatives.

• Monitor operational costs and resource consumption and identify opportunities to optimize production cost without compromising safety, quality, or reliability.

• Support evaluation and prioritization of operational improvement projects and capital expenditure requirements.

• Monitor overtime, contractor utilization, consumables, and other controllable operational expenses within approved budgets.

Leadership:

• Lead, supervise, coach, and develop the Operations team to ensure high performance, accountability, and operational discipline.

• Set clear performance expectations for Shift Supervisors, Engineers, and Operators and monitor achievement against agreed objectives.

• Promote a strong safety and Process Safety culture and ensure proactive identification and reporting of hazards and operational risks.

• Ensure adequate competency, training, succession planning, and development of Operations personnel.

• Lead daily operational meetings and support effective coordination between Operations and other plant functions.

• Promote teamwork, continuous improvement, problem-solving, and ownership across the Operations organization.

Reporting:

• Prepare and review daily, weekly, and monthly production and operational performance reports.

• Report production achievement, downtime, process deviations, quality issues, equipment constraints, safety concerns, and significant operational events to management.

• Monitor and report operational KPIs, trends, action plans, and improvement initiatives.

• Ensure significant plant risks, abnormal conditions, production losses, and critical equipment issues are escalated promptly to management.

• Provide accurate operational information and recommendations to support management decision- making.

Communication:

• Internal: Operations, Production, Maintenance, Planning, Process Engineering, Technical Services, Reliability, Inspection, Laboratory, Quality, HSE, Projects, Supply Chain, and Management.

• External: Contractors, equipment vendors, technical specialists, consultants, and service providers as required.

• Maintain effective communication across shifts and functions regarding plant status, priorities, risks, maintenance requirements, production targets, and operational changes.

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in operations or production within chemical, petrochemical, fertilizer, or continuous process manufacturing industries, including significant supervisory or leadership experience.

• Strong preference for candidates with direct operational experience in Soda Ash and/or Calcium

Chloride plants.

• Practical knowledge and operating experience of the Solvay process is highly desirable.

• Proven experience leading plant operations, shift teams, production activities, process troubleshooting, start-ups, shutdowns, and abnormal situation management.

• Experience in production optimization, Process Safety, incident investigation, Root Cause Analysis, and continuous improvement is preferred.

Nationality:

Only Indian Nationals

Skills

Skills:

• Strong knowledge of chemical plant operations and continuous process manufacturing.

• Strong understanding of Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride production processes and associated plant equipment.

• Knowledge of the Solvay process, process control, DCS operations, and key production parameters is highly desirable.

• Strong leadership, people management, coaching, and team development skills.

• Strong process troubleshooting, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.

• Good knowledge of Process Safety Management, HAZOP, MOC, PSSR, RCA, permit-to-work, and emergency response requirements.

• Ability to interpret PFDs, P&IDs, operating data, trends, production reports, and technical documentation.

• Strong understanding of production planning, plant performance KPIs, quality requirements, energy and raw material optimization, and cost control.

• Strong communication, coordination, presentation, and reporting skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and make sound decisions during process upsets and emergency situations.

• Proficiency in English, both written and spoken.