Head of Operations and Manufacturing

We’re looking for a Head of Operations & Manufacturing to own end-to-end supply chain, manufacturing, and fulfillment at Cumin Co. — ensuring world-class quality, predictable scale, and strong unit economics as we expand across metals, SKUs, and channels.

This role sits at the intersection of product, R&D, finance, and customer experience.

• Own all manufacturing partners (India & international) across:
• Enamel cast iron, lighter cast iron
• Ceramic, stainless steel, titanium (future)
• Accessories, tools, bakeware
• Lead vendor selection, capacity planning, cost negotiations, and scale readiness.
• Drive process discipline, consistency, and reliability across partners.

• Own QC frameworks end-to-end (incoming → in-process → final → post-dispatch).
• Ensure compliance with FDA, LFGB, EU food-contact norms, BIS, etc.
• Partner with R&D to translate patents and specs into manufacturable SOPs.
• Set up failure analysis, feedback loops, and continuous improvement.

• Own demand forecasting in partnership with Growth & Analytics.
• Manage inventory health across:
• D2C
• Marketplaces
• Quick commerce
• Minimise stock-outs, over-inventory, and working capital lock-ups.

• Own COGS, landed cost, freight, duties, packaging, warehousing.
• Drive CM1 and CM2 improvements without compromising quality.
• Lead cost-down initiatives through design, process, and vendor optimisation.

• Own warehouse ops, 3PL partners, SLAs, damage control, and RTOs.
• Improve delivery TATs, packaging robustness, and unboxing quality.
• Ensure operations scale cleanly during launches, drops, and peak periods.

• Prepare the org for:
• Higher SKU depth
• Offline retail & exports
• Lead roadmap for partial in-house manufacturing / tighter control setups over time.

Must-Haves

• 10–15 years in operations / manufacturing leadership roles.
• Experience managing OEM/ODM manufacturing (India + international exposure preferred).
• Strong understanding of QC systems, audits, certifications, food-contact compliance.
• Proven ownership of supply chain, inventory, and cost structures at scale.
• Comfort working closely with founders and cross-functional leaders.

Good-to-Haves

• Experience in cookware, consumer durables, appliances, or premium consumer goods.
• Exposure to setting up greenfield manufacturing or captive lines.
• Strong vendor negotiation and crisis-management skills.

• Quality is the brand — operations is where it’s protected.
• You’ll be responsible for every product experience after design.
• Your decisions directly impact margins, customer trust, and scalability.