Joint Vice President

Job Description Joint Vice President (JVP) Kiln

Position Title: Joint Vice President - Kiln

Department: Production (Kiln)

Location: Abu Road Plant

Reports To: VP-Production

Role Purpose

To lead and oversee the complete kiln operations in an insulator manufacturing unit, ensuring high-quality firing, optimum energy utilization, equipment reliability, and continuous process improvements. The JVP-Kiln will play a strategic role in productivity enhancement, cost control, quality consistency, and team capability development.

Key Responsibilities

1. Kiln Operations & Process Management

• Oversee the operation of shuttle kilns, and other firing units.
• Ensure accurate setting, loading, firing cycles, temperature profiles, and cooling processes.
• Optimize kiln capacity utilization and throughput while maintaining product quality standards.
• Develop and implement SOPs for kiln operation, preventive maintenance, and safety.

2. Quality & Productivity

• Monitor firing quality to minimize defects such as warpage, cracks, under-firing, and over-firing.
• Collaborate with Quality and R&D teams to improve glaze finish, mechanical strength, and reliability of insulators.
• Drive continuous improvement programs (Kaizen, Lean, Six Sigma) in kiln operations.

3. Energy Management & Cost Control

• Manage fuel (gas, oil, coal, electricity) consumption efficiency.
• Implement energy conservation initiatives to reduce overall cost per unit.
• Benchmark kiln performance with industry best practices.

4. Equipment Maintenance & Reliability

• Ensure effective preventive and predictive maintenance of kilns and associated equipment.
• Coordinate with the maintenance team for refractory lining, burners, fans, and automation systems.
• Evaluate new kiln technologies and upgrades to enhance reliability and efficiency.

5. People Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of engineers, supervisors, and operators.
• Ensure skill development and training in kiln firing techniques and process control.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and performance excellence.

6. Strategic & Cross-functional Role

• Work closely with Production, R&D, Quality, and Supply Chain for smooth operations.
• Support new product development with kiln firing trials and process adaptation.
• Provide strategic inputs to management for capacity expansion and modernization.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Kiln output vs. plan achievement (%)
• Firing quality (first-pass yield, rejection rate, defects %)
• Specific energy consumption (per MT of insulators fired)
• Kiln uptime (%) and breakdown reduction
• Cost of production reduction (%)
• Safety compliance and zero-accident record

Desired Candidate Profile

• Education: B.Tech / M.Tech in Ceramic Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Production Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience: Minimum 16 to 25 years in ceramic/insulator manufacturing, with at least 7 to10 years in senior leadership roles handling kilns.
• Strong knowledge of kiln technologies (gas/oil/coal-fired, electric, tunnel/shuttle kilns).
• Proven track record of improving productivity, quality, and cost efficiency.
• Strong leadership, decision-making, and team-building capabilities.
• Familiarity with modern manufacturing practices (TPM, Lean, Six Sigma).