General Manager - Mechanical Maintenance - Steel/Manufacturing

Role Purpose: The General Manager - Mechanical Maintenance provides strategic and operational leadership to the mechanical maintenance function across the steel plant. This role is accountable for sustaining maximum equipment availability and reliability across all production units - from iron making and steelmaking through rolling mills, bright bar, annealing, and pickling - while driving cost-efficient maintenance practices, building a high-performance engineering team, and leading modernisation and capital improvement initiatives that support the plant's production and quality commitments. Key Responsibilities: Leadership & Strategy: - Provide strategic direction and leadership to the mechanical maintenance department, setting priorities for all maintenance, repair, and improvement activities across the integrated plant. - Define and implement a multi-year maintenance strategy aligned with plant production targets, capital expenditure plans, and company's quality and sustainability objectives. - Develop and manage the departmental budget, ensuring cost control, efficient resource allocation, and robust justification for capital and operational expenditure. Maintenance Operations: - Plan, schedule, and oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programmes for all mechanical equipment across DRI, Mini Blast Furnace (MBF), Steel Making Shop (SMS), Rolling Mills (Bar & Section, Blooming Mill, Wire Rod Mill), Bright Bar, Annealing, and Pickling Plants, including hydraulic and pneumatic systems. - Minimise unplanned downtime by driving proactive maintenance practices, root-cause analysis of breakdowns, and timely implementation of corrective actions. - Manage and optimise mechanical processes to ensure continuous, efficient operation of machinery, equipment, and utilities across all plant areas. - Maintain a comprehensive inventory of critical spares and equipment; ensure timely procurement, proper storage, and controlled issuance to sustain equipment uptime. Projects & Modernisation: - Lead the installation and commissioning of new plant equipment and capital improvement projects, drawing on in depth knowledge of greenfield/brownfield integrated steel plant commissioning. - Identify and implement process improvement and modernisation initiatives to enhance equipment reliability, reduce operational costs, and improve energy efficiency. - Evaluate new maintenance technologies (condition monitoring, predictive maintenance tools, automation) and champion their adoption where ROI is demonstrable. Safety, Quality & Compliance: - Ensure all mechanical operations and maintenance activities comply fully with statutory safety regulations, OHSAS 18001 requirements, and Plant's internal safety standards; champion a zero-incident safety culture. - Ensure that mechanical maintenance practices support quality standards and contribute to the consistent production of high-quality special steel products meeting ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 requirements. - Ensure mechanical operations adhere to environmental regulations, ISO 14001 obligations, and the company's sustainability commitments. People Management: - Recruit, develop, and manage a skilled team of engineers, supervisors, technicians, and support staff; foster a culture of technical excellence, continuous improvement, and safety. - Set clear performance objectives, conduct regular reviews, and build succession depth within the mechanical maintenance team. - Coordinate closely with Production, Quality, Projects, and Procurement departments to align maintenance schedules with plant operational plans and shutdown windows. Qualifications & Experience: - Education: B.E. / B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from a recognised university; M.Tech in Mechanical / Maintenance Engineering preferred. - Experience: 18 - 25 years of progressive mechanical maintenance experience in an integrated steel plant, with at least 5 years in a Head / GM / Chief Engineer role with full departmental ownership. - Plant Coverage: Demonstrated hands-on experience across DRI, MBF, SMS, Rolling Mills (Bar, Blooming, Wire Rod), Bright Bar, Annealing, Pickling, and associated hydraulic/pneumatic systems. - Commissioning: Proven track record of leading installation and commissioning of new plant or major equipment in an integrated steel environment. - Certifications: Familiarity with ISO 9001, IATF 16949, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 requirements as they apply to maintenance functions. Certifications in Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM) or Condition Monitoring are an advantage. Skills & Competencies: Technical: - In-depth knowledge of mechanical maintenance across the full integrated steelmaking chain: iron making (DRI/MBF), SMS, continuous casting, rolling mills, bright bar, annealing, and pickling. - Strong command of hydraulic and pneumatic systems, rotating equipment, cranes and material handling, refractory maintenance, and auxiliary plant utilities. - Proficiency in maintenance planning tools, CMMS/ERP systems (SAP PM preferred), and condition-monitoring techniques. - Knowledge of modern maintenance methodologies: Preventive Maintenance (PM), Predictive Maintenance (PdM), TPM, and RCM. - Experience in capital project management: scope definition, contractor management, erection supervision, trial runs, and handover. Behavioural: - Strong leadership and strategic thinking - able to set direction, inspire a large team, and influence cross-functional stakeholders. - Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; effective with shop-floor technicians as well as senior management. - Decisive problem-solver with a systematic, data-driven approach to breakdown analysis and long-term reliability improvement. - High ownership mindset with a demonstrated commitment to safety, cost discipline, and continuous improvement.