General Manager- Engineering and Projects at Olam Agri

Job Description

• As a General Manager- Engineering and Projects in Olam Agri, the person is responsible for leading the engineering function across a multi-site wheat milling operation (minimum three plants) or a large, complex single-site facility, ensuring world-class engineering, maintenance, and utilities performance. The role involves developing and implementing comprehensive maintenance best practices for wheat milling operations exceeding 1,500 MTD across multiple facilities, with exposure to pasta manufacturing assets considered an advantage. The incumbent is expected to lead and execute brownfield and greenfield projects, ensure smooth and efficient utilities operations across all plants, and oversee R&M budget planning and control. The GM will drive cost-efficiency initiatives through OEE improvement, maintenance optimization, and power and steam utility cost reduction programs. The role requires extensive expertise in spare parts management within wheat milling engineering, hands-on experience with Buhler, Ugur, and Alapala milling systems, and a deep understanding of end-to-end flour milling operations, including process optimization and reliability engineering. Additionally, the individual will be accountable for CAPEX planning, budgeting, cost control initiatives, and leading high-performing engineering teams to achieve operational excellence, reliability, and continuous improvement across all manufacturing sites.

Responsibilites

• Proven ability to lead a large Maintenance team, including: 14+ direct employees / 90+ indirect personnel
• Demonstrated expertise in managing Spares Inventory and control to ensure efficient and uninterrupted operations.
• Strong experience in designing and implementing an efficient manning structure for the Engineering function across multiple sites.
• Proven capability to manage Business Continuity and EBITDA-related CAPEX below 1.5% of Gross Book Value (GBV).
• Responsible for Repair & Maintenance (R&M) spending and ensuring adherence to approved budget plans.
• Ability to operate effectively in a leadership role that reports directly to the VP – Engineering & MATS Head.
• Experience performing the core responsibilities of a GM – Engineering Manager for a large manufacturing operation such as the TCA plant.
• Proven capability to lead and manage Engineering Leads and plant Engineering teams, with direct reporting relationships across locations.
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing an effective maintenance strategy for plants and operations within the Business Unit (BU).
• Strong experience in CAPEX and OPEX budgeting, including ensuring implementation adherence and budget compliance.
• Proven track record of leading the design, planning, and implementation of expansion projects within agreed timelines and cost parameters.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cost-saving ideation and drive initiative implementation to deliver cost-efficient maintenance programs.
• Strong focus on operational excellence, reliability improvement, cost optimization, and continuous improvement across engineering and maintenance functions.

Experience

• Ability to coordinate multiple teams concurrently and deliver key business priorities.
• Strong stakeholder management skill. Managing both Internal and External stakeholders for key business results.
• Versatile technical knowledge across various operations and technologies in wheat Mill, and pasta facility.
• Possesses strong communication skill and collaborates with functions within the business to deliver top departmental results.
• Ability to manage complex projects and ensure post-project integration

Qualifications

• BE/B‑Tech in Mechanical Engineering (Master’s degree is an added advantage).
• 15–20 years of total experience in FMCG/Agri-processing/Engineering.