The Akshaya Patra Foundation is the world’s largest (not-for-profit run) Mid-Day Meal Programme serving wholesome food every school day to over 2 million children from over 22,000 schools across 16 states & 2 Union territory of India.
We are Creating a More Human Workplace where Employees’ and Akshaya Patra’s Purpose Thrive.
We respect that every person is different – we believe that you can make it work on your own terms. After all , we want to make sure that you need to contribute to our mission and make the best out of this journey.
We are Proud of getting Eighth consecutive time GPTW Certified by Great Place to Work Institute (India) for building a High-Trust, High-Performance Culture™️️, for the year of 2024. This recognition is a testimony to all our purpose driven employees who make TAPF a GREAT PLACE TO WORK every day by embodying our core values – Integrity, Compassion, Devotion, Synergy, Quality and Trustworthiness and most importantly RESPECT.
We Are Hiring | Senior Director – Operations
📍 Location: Bangalore
Are you a dynamic leader with a passion for driving operational excellence, strategic expansion, and impactful program delivery?
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is looking for a Senior Director – Operations to join our leadership team. This pivotal role will oversee large-scale operations, infrastructure growth, supply chain, kitchen setups, digital transformation, and food quality compliance—ultimately supporting our mission of serving millions of children nutritious meals every day.
What We’re Looking For:
- 20+ years of leadership in large-scale operations
- Strong expertise in food production, logistics, supply chain, or manufacturing
- Proven success in CapEx projects, cost control, and people leadership
- Passion for innovation, quality, and social impact
Job Description:
The Senior Director – Operations will play a pivotal leadership role in driving operational excellence, infrastructure expansion, and strategic program delivery at scale and manufacturing innovations. The incumbent will be accountable for Supply Chain, cost optimisation, central sourcing, Capex sourcing, new kitchens setup, digital transformation, food safety, and regulatory compliance. The Senior Director – Operations will reports to COO, and closely work with CXOs, and senior stakeholders to enable robust growth and ensure efficient execution of Akshaya Patra’s mission.
Key Responsibilities:
Operational Leadership & Optimization
- Implement and monitor performance dashboards. KPIs. and continuous improvement processes to enhance productivity and cost efficiency.
- Identify and implement cost-saving initiatives in procurement, production, logistics, and energy efficiency without compromising food quality or service standards.
- Standardize operations with a focus on scalability. waste reduction. and lean manufacturing process improvements across kitchens and distribution channels.
Food Quality, Safety & Compliance:
- Ensure all kitchens comply with the highest standards of food safety hygiene. and nutritional value (FSSAI. ISO. HACCP).
- Strengthen quality assurance frameworks and periodic audits to maintain consistency and minimize food-related risks.
- Collaborate with nutrition experts. culinary consultants, and technologists to continuously improve menu planning. cooking methods, and fortification strategies.
Project Management:
- Provide strategic leadership for kitchen infrastructure projects. with a primary focus during the planning phase to ensure alignment with lean principles and operational efficiency.
- Conduct final review and sign-off post-construction to validate readiness for commissioning and ensuring project outcomes meet defined quality.
Strategic Execution:
- Translate long-term organizational objectives into operational action plans with defined targets, timelines, and accountability frameworks.
- Drive scale-up strategies. operational innovation, and technology adoption to expand program reach while maintaining quality and consistency,
👉 5 days HACCP Internal auditor training Program – Apply now, Limited seats
Governance, Risk & Compliance:
- Ensure full adherence to internal policies, government regulations, and global food safety and hygiene standards (e.g. FSSAI, ISO),
- Identify operational risks and develop mitigation strategies including business continuity planning and crisis response frameworks.
Cost Control & Financial Oversight:
- Manage operational budgets. unit economics. and CapEx for infrastructure projects; track key cost indicators (per meal cost. fuel. labour. materials).
- Negotiate with vendors and service providers to ensure optimal value and long-term cost sustainability.
- Partner with the finance team to build financial models for expansion, ROI analysis, and donor reporting,
People Leadership:
- Lead and mentor a geographically distributed team of senior managers, and administrative staff.
- Build a performance-driven culture with clear metrics, talent development initiatives, and succession planning.
- Lead, mentor, and manage a high-performing operations team across geographies, promoting a results-driven, mission-aligned culture.
Stakeholder Collaboration:
- Liaise with government departments. corporate donors. funding partners. and community stakeholders to ensure alignment, transparency, and effective execution of programs.
- Support grant reporting, impact assessment, and compliance with donor requirements from an operational perspective.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Postgraduate degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management. or related field from a reputed institution.
- 20+ years of leadership experience in large-scale operations, execution, supply chain/logistics, or facility management—ideally in Food Production or Manufacturing sectors.
- Proven experience in leading large capital projects (e.g., kitchen or plant construction) with full-cycle responsibility.
- Strong financial acumen and experience managing large operational budgets and vendor ecosystems.
- Demonstrated success in leading teams through change, transformation, and rapid scale-up.
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