Assistant Operations Manager

JOB DESCRIPTIONPosition: Assistant Operations Manager – HVAC AccessoriesJob PurposeThe Assistant Operations Manager – HVAC Accessories is responsible for managing and supporting the day-to-day operations related to HVAC accessories order processing and execution.The role will ensure that customer orders are processed accurately and efficiently, operational priorities are properly established, internal teams are effectively coordinated, and customer commitments related to delivery, documentation, and overall order execution are achieved.The position will also work closely with clients throughout the order execution cycle, providing timely updates, addressing operational requirements and concerns, and coordinating internally to ensure successful execution.The role requires strong leadership, decision-making, communication, coordination, and problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and take ownership of orders from receipt through final delivery.Key Responsibilities1. Order Processing & Execution- Oversee the complete processing and execution of HVAC accessories orders from receipt of order through final delivery.- Ensure orders are reviewed, processed, and released to the concerned departments within the required timelines.- Ensure commercial, technical, delivery, and documentation requirements are clearly understood and communicated to the relevant teams.- Establish order priorities based on customer requirements, project schedules, material availability, and contractual delivery commitments.- Closely monitor critical and urgent orders and take appropriate action to avoid potential delays.- Ensure all pending actions related to each order are properly identified, assigned, followed up, and closed.- Maintain overall visibility of order status and ensure timely completion of all activities required for delivery.- Ensure smooth coordination between Sales, Engineering, Procurement, Production/Assembly, Logistics, Finance, and other relevant departments.2. Team Leadership & Management- Lead, guide, and supervise the team responsible for HVAC accessories order processing and execution.- Allocate responsibilities and workloads based on order priorities, complexity, and available resources.- Establish clear responsibilities and timelines for team members and ensure effective follow-up.- Monitor individual and team performance to ensure assigned activities are completed within the required timelines.- Provide guidance and support to team members in resolving operational, order-related, and customer-related issues.- Take ownership of critical matters that require managerial intervention or decisions.- Promote a culture of accountability, ownership, teamwork, responsiveness, and timely execution.- Identify training and development requirements within the team and support the continuous improvement of team capabilities.3. Client Coordination & Relationship Management- Work closely with clients throughout the order execution cycle to understand project priorities, delivery requirements, technical requirements, and critical milestones.- Act as a key operational point of contact for clients regarding order execution, material readiness, delivery schedules, documentation, and other operational matters.- Participate in client meetings, progress reviews, and coordination meetings as required.- Provide clients with accurate and timely updates regarding order status, pending actions, material availability, and expected delivery schedules.- Proactively identify potential issues that could affect client commitments and coordinate internally to develop suitable solutions and recovery plans.- Handle client concerns and operational escalations professionally and ensure timely resolution in coordination with the concerned departments.- Manage urgent and critical client requirements by establishing appropriate internal priorities and driving the respective teams toward timely completion.- Build and maintain strong professional relationships with clients through effective communication, responsiveness, ownership, and reliable execution.- Support management and the Sales team during critical client discussions, project reviews, and resolution of order-related issues.- Ensure commitments made to clients are realistic, properly communicated internally, monitored, and achieved.- Escalate major risks, delays, or matters requiring senior management intervention at the appropriate time while maintaining clear communication with the client.4. Operational Decision-Making & Problem Solving- Take timely and practical operational decisions necessary for smooth order execution.- Assess critical situations, identify potential risks, and initiate appropriate corrective and preventive actions.- Resolve operational bottlenecks and coordinate with the concerned departments to maintain order progress.- Make appropriate decisions regarding order priorities, resource allocation, delivery requirements, and operational planning within the assigned authority.- Balance customer priorities with internal operational capabilities while protecting the company's commercial and operational interests.- Escalate major commercial, technical, contractual, or resource-related matters to senior management when necessary.- Ensure issues are addressed proactively rather than allowing them to impact committed delivery schedules.5. Planning & Interdepartmental Coordination- Conduct regular order review meetings with the team and relevant departments.- Maintain clear visibility of open orders, pending actions, material status, documentation status, and planned delivery dates.- Coordinate closely with Procurement and suppliers to ensure timely availability of accessories and bought-out items.- Coordinate with Production/Assembly teams regarding material readiness, priorities, and completion schedules.- Coordinate with Logistics to ensure timely dispatch and delivery of completed orders.- Work closely with Engineering and technical teams whenever clarification or technical support is required for order execution.- Coordinate with Finance and Sales regarding commercial clearances and other requirements that may affect order processing or delivery.- Identify dependencies and potential delays sufficiently in advance and implement appropriate recovery actions.6. Delivery & Schedule Management- Monitor committed delivery schedules and ensure that internal activities are aligned with customer requirements.- Identify orders at risk of delay and initiate recovery plans in coordination with the respective departments.- Prioritize critical deliveries based on project requirements and customer commitments.- Ensure material readiness, documentation, logistics, and other delivery prerequisites are properly coordinated.- Monitor actual performance against planned delivery dates and investigate significant deviations.- Keep management and relevant stakeholders informed of critical delivery risks and recovery actions.7. Process Improvement & Operational Controls- Review existing order-processing and execution procedures and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and turnaround time.- Develop and implement appropriate workflows, tracking systems, checklists, and operational controls.- Minimize errors, rework, missed commitments, and delays through effective monitoring and preventive actions.- Establish clear processes for order handover, execution, follow-up, escalation, and closure.- Ensure proper documentation and traceability of important operational decisions and order-related activities.- Support effective implementation and utilization of ERP and other order-management systems.- Identify recurring operational issues and implement sustainable corrective actions rather than short-term solutions.8. Performance Monitoring & Management Reporting- Monitor key operational indicators including order-processing time, on-time delivery, pending orders, procurement delays, and overall order execution performance.- Prepare periodic operational reports and dashboards for management review.- Highlight critical orders, major risks, overdue actions, and areas requiring management intervention.- Track agreed corrective actions and ensure closure within the required timeframe.- Provide management with clear visibility of overall workload, operational challenges, resource requirements, and upcoming priorities.Authority & AccountabilityThe Assistant Operations Manager is expected to exercise appropriate operational authority within the assigned responsibilities and take timely decisions necessary to maintain smooth order execution.The position will be accountable for:- Timely and accurate processing of HVAC accessories orders.- Effective leadership and coordination of the order-execution team.- Achievement of agreed customer and delivery commitments.- Effective communication and coordination with clients.- Proper prioritization of urgent and critical requirements.- Identification and resolution of operational bottlenecks.- Effective coordination between internal departments.- Timely escalation of matters requiring senior management intervention.- Maintaining visibility and control over open orders and pending actions.- Continuous improvement of operational efficiency and team performance.Qualifications & Experience- Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, HVAC, Industrial Engineering, Business Operations, Supply Chain Management, or a related discipline.- Relevant experience in HVAC, manufacturing, trading, order management, project execution, or industrial equipment operations.- Experience in HVAC accessories, HVAC equipment, MEP products, or similar technical products is preferred.- Previous experience in a supervisory, team-lead, assistant managerial, or operational coordination position is preferred.- Experience dealing directly with customers, contractors, consultants, or project teams would be an advantage.- Good understanding of order processing, procurement, supply chain, inventory, logistics, and delivery coordination.Required Skills & Competencies- Strong leadership and people-management capabilities.- Strong operational and order-management skills.- Ability to take timely and practical decisions under pressure.- Strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities.- Excellent planning, prioritization, and organizational skills.- Ability to manage multiple orders and competing priorities simultaneously.- Strong client-facing and relationship-management skills.- Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.- Ability to coordinate effectively across multiple departments and levels of an organization.- Strong commercial awareness and customer-focused approach.- Ability to manage critical situations and operational escalations.- Strong ownership, accountability, and follow-up capabilities.- Good working knowledge of ERP/order-management systems and Microsoft Office applications.- Ability to work independently while effectively leading and supporting a team.Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)Performance of the Assistant Operations Manager may be evaluated based on:- Order-processing turnaround time.- On-time delivery performance.- Number and ageing of overdue orders.- Accuracy of order processing.- Achievement of committed customer delivery dates.- Resolution time for operational and customer-related issues.- Reduction in order-related errors and rework.- Effectiveness in managing critical and priority orders.- Team productivity and performance.- Effectiveness of interdepartmental coordination.- Customer satisfaction and responsiveness.- Reduction in avoidable operational delays.- Timely identification and escalation of risks.- Implementation of operational and process improvements.