We are looking for an experienced and dynamic Vice President – Operations to lead and drive the end-to-end operations of a fast-growing FMCG business specializing in dry fruits, nuts and snacks.
The role will be responsible for building operational excellence across procurement, manufacturing, production planning, quality, warehousing, supply chain, logistics and distribution, while ensuring high standards of quality, efficiency, cost control and customer service.
The ideal candidate should have strong experience in FMCG operations, preferably in dry fruits, nuts, snacks or related food categories, with a proven ability to manage large-scale operations and build scalable processes.
Key Responsibilities
What you'll own
Key Responsibilities
1. End-to-End Operations Leadership
Own and drive the complete operations function across manufacturing, supply chain, warehousing, logistics and distribution.
Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with the company's business and growth objectives.
Build scalable and efficient operating processes to support business expansion.
Establish clear operational KPIs and drive performance across all functions.
Identify operational bottlenecks and implement corrective and preventive actions.
2. Manufacturing & Production
Oversee end-to-end manufacturing operations across company-owned and third-party manufacturing facilities.
Drive production planning, capacity utilization, productivity and overall operational efficiency.
Ensure optimum utilization of manpower, machinery, materials and production capacity.
Improve production efficiency while maintaining product quality and food safety standards.
Plan capacity expansion in line with business growth and future demand.
Drive lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
3. Procurement & Raw Material Management
Lead strategic sourcing and procurement of dry fruits, nuts, seeds, snack ingredients and packaging materials.
Develop strong relationships with suppliers, farmers, aggregators, importers and strategic vendors.
Drive procurement cost optimization without compromising quality.
Establish supplier evaluation, development and performance management systems.
Monitor commodity price trends and develop appropriate procurement strategies.
Ensure uninterrupted availability of critical raw materials.
4. Supply Chain Management
Drive end-to-end supply chain planning from demand forecasting to customer delivery.
Work closely with Sales, E-commerce, Finance and Business teams to align supply with demand.
Optimize inventory levels across raw materials, packaging and finished goods.
Reduce excess inventory, ageing stock and stock-outs.
Implement robust S&OP / demand and supply planning processes.
Develop supply chain dashboards and performance metrics.
5. Warehousing & Inventory
Oversee all warehouses, distribution centres and storage facilities.
Ensure appropriate storage and handling of dry fruits, nuts and snacks.
Drive inventory accuracy and effective FIFO/FEFO practices.
Reduce product damage, wastage, ageing and inventory losses.
Improve warehouse productivity, space utilization and order fulfilment efficiency.
Implement appropriate WMS and technology solutions.
6. Logistics & Distribution
Lead primary and secondary logistics operations across the company's distribution network.
Optimize transportation costs, delivery timelines and route planning.
Develop and manage logistics partners and 3PL relationships.
Improve OTIF (On-Time In-Full) performance.
Establish robust distribution processes across General Trade, Modern Trade, E-commerce and Quick Commerce channels.
7. Quality, Food Safety & Compliance
Ensure adherence to applicable FSSAI, food safety, quality and regulatory requirements.
Work closely with the Quality team to establish stringent quality standards across procurement, production, storage and distribution.
Ensure compliance with HACCP, GMP and other relevant food safety systems.
Drive reduction in customer complaints, product rejections and quality-related losses.
Establish robust product traceability and recall processes.
8. Cost & Productivity Improvement
Own the operations cost structure and drive continuous cost optimization.
Identify opportunities to reduce manufacturing, procurement, warehousing and logistics costs.
Improve manpower productivity and asset utilization.
Drive automation, digitization and process improvement initiatives.
Establish productivity benchmarks across plants, warehouses and logistics operations.
9. Team Leadership
Build, lead and develop high-performing operations teams across multiple locations.
Establish organizational structures, KRAs, KPIs and performance management systems.
Develop the next level of operational leadership and succession plans.
Foster a culture of accountability, ownership and continuous improvement.
10. Technology & Process Transformation
Drive implementation and effective utilization of ERP, WMS, demand planning, procurement and supply chain technology.
Use data and analytics to improve operational decision-making.
Develop real-time dashboards for key operational KPIs.
Identify opportunities for automation across manufacturing, warehousing and supply chain.
11. Business Expansion & Strategic Projects
Partner with the CEO/MD in developing and executing the company's long-term operational strategy.
Support new product launches, new market expansion and channel expansion.
Evaluate and establish new manufacturing units, warehouses and distribution centres.
Lead operational evaluation and integration of strategic partnerships, contract manufacturing and expansion initiatives.
Key Performance Indicators
Manufacturing productivity and capacity utilization
Production plan adherence
Cost per unit / conversion cost
Raw material and packaging cost optimization
Inventory turns and working capital
OTIF / service levels
Logistics cost as a percentage of sales
Warehouse productivity
Forecast accuracy
Stock-out and excess inventory levels
Product wastage and yield
Quality rejection and customer complaints
Supplier performance
Overall operational cost and EBITDA contribution
What we're looking for
Candidate Profile
15+ years of overall experience, with significant leadership experience in FMCG operations.
Strong experience in Dry Fruits, Nuts, Snacks or related FMCG/food categories preferred.
Proven experience managing large-scale manufacturing and supply chain operations.
Strong understanding of procurement, production, quality, warehousing and logistics.
Experience managing multi-location operations and third-party manufacturing will be an advantage.
Strong commercial understanding with the ability to balance growth, service levels, quality and profitability.
Strong analytical, strategic planning and problem-solving capabilities.
Excellent stakeholder and people-management skills.
Experience in building processes and teams in a high-growth / entrepreneurial FMCG environment will be preferred.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Food Technology, Management or a related field.
MBA / PG qualification in Operations, Supply Chain or General Management will be an advantage.
Happilo is looking for an exceptional Chief Business Officer (CBO) to architect and
scale a category-defining, omni-channel FMCG growth engine.
The CBO will own the complete revenue and business P&L, driving aggressive growth
across General Trade, Modern Trade, E-commerce, Quick Commerce, HoReCa, and
Alternate Channels, while building a future-ready, data-led, high-performance
commercial organization.
This is a mission-critical leadership role requiring a blend of strategy, execution,
scale, and entrepreneurial agility.
What you'll own
Core Outcomes (What This Role Must Deliver)
• 3-5x revenue scale-up over 3-5 years • Category leadership in healthy snacking across channels • Dominant presence in Quick Commerce & E-commerce ecosystems • Best-in-class distribution depth & efficiency in GT/MT • Sustainable margin expansion and channel profitability • Build a world-class commercial organization
Key Responsibilities
1. End-to-End P&L Ownership • Own full business P&L: Revenue, Gross Margin, Net Contribution • Drive profitable growth, not just topline expansion • Build robust forecasting, demand planning, and revenue predictability
2. Omnichannel Growth Leadership
Design and execute channel-specific strategies with clear success metrics: General Trade (GT) • Expand numeric & weighted distribution across India • Build high-performance distributor ecosystem with healthy ROI • Drive market development in Tier 2/3/rural markets • Ensure execution excellence at outlet level Modern Trade (MT) • Lead national & regional key account partnerships • Drive category leadership, shelf dominance & assortment optimization • Own joint business plans (JBPs) and trade investments ROI E-commerce (Marketplace + D2C) • Scale Amazon, Flipkart, BigBasket, and other platforms • Own D2C strategy including retention, subscription, and CRM • Drive conversion, traffic, and digital shelf share leadership Quick Commerce (Q-Commerce) • Build dominant presence across Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, BB Now • Optimize SKU mix, fill rates, and hyperlocal inventory strategy • Drive velocity, discoverability, and platform partnerships HoReCa & Institutional Business • Build strong B2B & bulk consumption ecosystem • Create specialized SKUs for hotels, cafes, restaurants • Scale long-term institutional partnerships Alternate Channels • Corporate gifting, airlines, exports, and emerging formats • Identify and unlock new consumption occasions and channels
3. Go-To-Market (GTM) Excellence
• Build future-ready GTM strategy across channels • Ensure flawless execution of launches, promotions, and activations • Create structured pricing, trade spend, and promotion frameworks
4. Strategic Growth & Expansion
• Identify new categories, adjacencies, and market opportunities • Drive premiumization and innovation • Evaluate international expansion opportunities
5. Commercial & Strategic Partnerships
• Own relationships with top retail chains, platforms, and distributors • Lead high-stakes negotiations and long-term agreements • Build scalable partnership models
6. Organization Building & Leadership
• Build and lead a national, multi-layered sales & business team • Strengthen leadership bench and succession pipeline • Drive a culture of ownership, performance, and accountability
7. Data, Tech & Digital Transformation
• Implement data-driven decision architecture • Drive adoption of sales automation, CRM, and analytics platforms • Build strong MIS, dashboards, and insights engine
8. Cross-Functional Influence
• Partner closely with Marketing (brand & demand generation) • Align with Supply Chain (availability & efficiency) • Work with Finance (profitability & working capital) • Influence Product & Innovation roadmap Key Success Metrics (KPIs) • Revenue growth (overall + channel-wise) • Gross margin & contribution improvement • Market share & category leadership • Distribution metrics (numeric & weighted) • E-commerce conversion, ROAS & share of search • Q-commerce availability, fill rate & velocity • Trade ROI & working capital efficiency • Team productivity & cost of sales
What we're looking for
Experience • 15-20+ years in FMCG / Consumer / Food & Beverage • Proven track record of scaling multi-channel businesses • Experience managing 1000 Cr+ revenue or hyper-growth scale-ups • Deep expertise across GT + MT + E-commerce + Q-commerce Education • MBA from Tier 1 Institute preferred • Strong grounding in business strategy and commercial operations Leadership Traits • Growth Mindset + Execution Intensity • Strategic thinker with operator DNA • Strong commercial and financial acumen • Exceptional stakeholder and negotiation skills • High ownership, resilience, and speed What Makes This Role Exciting • Opportunity to build India's leading healthy snacking powerhouse • Shape a future-first omni-channel revenue model • Direct impact on business scale, valuation, and market leadership • Work in a high-growth, entrepreneurial environment First 6-12 Months Success Expectations • Stabilize and accelerate channel-wise revenue growth • Build clear channel playbooks and GTM frameworks • Strengthen Q-commerce and E-commerce dominance • Improve distribution efficiency and coverage in GT • Install data systems, KPIs, and performance cadence • Build a strong leadership team under you
Be a part of our Happilo Family.
Join a team of passionate people who believe in ownership, responsibility, and positive culture. We're building something special together.