HOD - Learning & Development

Position Overview:

The Learning & Development (L&D) Lead is responsible for driving strategic learning initiatives across sugar manufacturing units, distilleries, and associated agri-operations. The role encompasses designing and delivering structured learning, technical training, skill development, and competency enrichment exercises for employees, contract workforce, and farmers. This position plays a pivotal role in aligning capability-building with operational efficiency, continuous improvement practices like TPM, and farm-level development.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Learning & Capability Building

• Formulate and execute the L&D roadmap aligned with business goals and unit-specific needs.
• Conduct Training Needs Analysis (TNA) to identify skill and competency gaps across functional and operational teams.
• Implement competency development and mapping frameworks for sugar unit roles, agri-operations, and leadership pipelines.
• Design career development journeys and internal certification frameworks to support role-based capability.

Skill Development & Enrichment

• Lead skill development initiatives for factory technicians, operators, junior engineers, and support staff.
• Plan and conduct technical training and skill enrichment exercises focused on process optimization, maintenance best practices, and safety standards.
• Collaborate with HODs and unit heads to embed continuous learning and upskilling at the shopfloor level.

TPM, Technical Capability & Compliance

• Coordinate all training and awareness related to Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), 5S, Kaizen, and Lean Manufacturing.
• Support maintenance and engineering departments in building role-specific technical competence.
• Ensure statutory and compliance training programs are conducted regularly with proper documentation and records.

Field & Farmer Training

• Design and facilitate farmer capacity-building programs covering sustainable agriculture, varietal selection, crop health, water use efficiency, and mechanization.
• Organize on-field demonstrations, model plot visits, and peer learning sessions in collaboration with agri-extension officers.
• Promote rural skill-building among farm workers and youth through localized training programs and awareness campaigns.

Unit & Farm Engagement

• Undertake regular visits to sugar plants and farming clusters to assess training needs, monitor learning effectiveness, and collect feedback.
• Facilitate on-ground training, toolbox talks, safety drills, and behavior-based learning sessions in coordination with site teams.
• Capture and share best practices across units for replication and standardization.

Digital Learning & Evaluation

• Manage Learning Management System (LMS) and create digital, mobile-friendly content for plant and field staff.
• Maintain a central training MIS and dashboard to track training hours, coverage, feedback, and learning outcomes.
• Conduct post-training evaluations, impact studies, and ROI analysis of major L&D initiatives.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Graduate/Postgraduate in HR, Agriculture, Engineering, or related disciplines; MBA/PGDM in HR preferred.
• 12–16 years of L&D experience in sugar, distillery, manufacturing, or agribusiness sectors.
• Hands-on knowledge of technical training, skill development models, TPM implementation, and competency mapping.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills across plant, field, and corporate levels.
• Proficiency in MS Office, LMS platforms, and training content creation tools.
• Comfortable with extensive travel to factory units and rural areas for on-site interventions.

Desirable Traits:

• Certified in TPM, Instructional Design, or Competency Assessment.
• Experience with government skilling schemes (e.g., PMKVY, NSDC) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
• Fluency in regional languages for field engagement and farmer communication.