About the role
- Develop and implement the organization’s administration strategy, policies, SOPs, and service standards across the Head Office, branches, and warehouses.
- Ensure consistent, efficient, and cost-effective administrative operations across all locations.
- Establish governance mechanisms, reporting dashboards, and performance metrics to monitor administrative effectiveness and service delivery.
- Partner with the CPO and business stakeholders to support organizational expansion, new location launches, relocations, and changing infrastructure requirements.
- Identify opportunities for process standardization, operational improvement, and automation of administrative activities.
- Oversee the upkeep, maintenance, and operational readiness of all offices and warehouses, including preventive and breakdown maintenance and housekeeping.
- Manage lease agreements, renewals, rent payments, landlord relationships, and coordination with local authorities.
- Lead office setup, expansion, relocation, renovation, and interior fit-out projects, ensuring adherence to approved budgets, timelines, and quality standards.
- Ensure uninterrupted availability of essential utilities, including electricity, DG sets, water, HVAC, internet, and telecommunications.
- Manage annual maintenance contracts (AMCs) for critical infrastructure and equipment.
- Conduct periodic infrastructure reviews and implement corrective measures to maintain workplace quality, safety, and operational continuity.
- Establish and enforce standardized administrative processes, checklists, and operating procedures across all branches and warehouses.
- Conduct periodic site visits and administrative audits to assess infrastructure, housekeeping, safety, asset condition, and process compliance.
- Act as the escalation point for location-level administrative issues and ensure timely resolution.
- Coordinate with branch heads, warehouse managers, and location in-charges to address infrastructure requirements, local vendor issues, and manpower needs.
- Monitor audit observations and ensure timely closure of corrective and preventive actions.
- Oversee physical security across all locations, including security agencies, access control, CCTV surveillance, visitor management, and warehouse material movement and gate-pass controls.
- Ensure implementation of fire safety standards, availability and maintenance of firefighting equipment, evacuation plans, mock drills, and applicable fire approvals.
- Establish and monitor Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) practices in coordination with relevant internal stakeholders.
- Investigate and report security and safety incidents, identify root causes, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
- Develop and implement emergency response procedures and business continuity plans to minimize operational disruptions.
- Identify, evaluate, negotiate, and manage vendors and service providers for housekeeping, security, transport, cafeteria, courier, stationery, repairs, and maintenance.
- Establish service-level agreements (SLAs), performance standards, and periodic vendor evaluation mechanisms.
- Drive cost optimization through rate negotiations, competitive bidding, vendor consolidation, and standardized commercial terms.
- Ensure timely contract renewals, proper documentation, and adherence to procurement policies and approval matrices.
- Monitor vendor performance, service quality, compliance, and cost effectiveness across all locations.
- Maintain an accurate, centralized fixed asset register for administrative assets across all locations.
- Establish controls for asset procurement, tagging, allocation, movement, physical verification, transfer, and disposal.
- Ensure appropriate utilization, safeguarding, and maintenance of company-owned administrative assets.
- Oversee fleet operations, including vehicle allocation, maintenance, fuel monitoring, insurance, statutory documentation, and driver management.
- Implement periodic asset audits and reconciliation processes to minimize losses and improve asset utilization.
- Ensure all offices and warehouses maintain valid and applicable licenses, registrations, permits, fire approvals, and other statutory documentation.
- Track renewal dates and establish a compliance calendar to prevent lapses in licenses, NOCs, AMCs, and other mandatory approvals.
- Coordinate with government departments, municipal authorities, police, fire departments, and other local agencies as required.
- Maintain complete and updated administrative records to support internal, external, and statutory audits.
- Work closely with HR, Legal, Finance, EHS, and other relevant functions to address compliance requirements and close audit observations.
- Oversee travel desk operations, including domestic and international travel bookings, accommodation, visa coordination, and adherence to the travel policy.
- Manage front office, reception, cafeteria, pantry, courier, mailroom, printing, stationery, and other workplace support services.
- Ensure professional guest management and efficient coordination of meetings, conferences, employee events, and leadership visits.
- Establish service standards and feedback mechanisms to improve employee experience and internal customer satisfaction.
- Resolve escalated employee and business stakeholder concerns relating to administrative services.
- Prepare and manage the annual administration budget, covering operating expenditure (OPEX) and capital expenditure (CAPEX) across all locations.
- Monitor monthly administrative expenditure against approved budgets and analyze variances.
- Drive cost-saving initiatives without compromising safety, compliance, infrastructure quality, or service delivery.
- Review administrative costs by location, employee strength, and occupied area to identify efficiencies and opportunities for optimization.
- Ensure timely processing of purchase requisitions, invoices, and vendor payments in accordance with company policies and delegated authority.
- Present periodic budget performance, cost trends, savings initiatives, and financial risks to the CPO and relevant stakeholders.
- Lead and manage the central administration team and coordinate administrative resources across branches and warehouses.
- Define team structure, roles, responsibilities, KRAs, KPIs, and service-level expectations aligned with organizational requirements.
- Establish clear turnaround times (TATs) for administrative requests and monitor team productivity, service quality, and issue resolution.
- Conduct regular performance reviews, provide feedback, and implement training and capability-building initiatives.
- Ensure appropriate manpower deployment, shift planning, attendance management, and operational coverage for administration, housekeeping, security, and transport services.
- Develop cross-functional capabilities and backup arrangements to ensure continuity of services during absences or resource constraints.
- Foster a service-oriented, accountable, and performance-driven culture within the administration function.
- Partner with the CPO on escalations, resource planning, organizational expansion, policy improvements, and strategic administrative initiatives.
- Facility & Infrastructure: Facility uptime, maintenance compliance, and turnaround time for closure of administrative complaints and service requests.
- Cost & Budget Management: Administrative cost per employee and per square foot against budget; cost savings achieved; CAPEX and OPEX variance.
- Compliance & Governance: 100% validity of applicable statutory licenses, registrations, NOCs, and mandatory approvals; timely AMC and contract renewals.
- Security & Safety: Number and severity of security and safety incidents; fire safety compliance; completion of mock drills and closure of audit observations.
- Vendor Performance: SLA adherence, service quality, vendor evaluation scores, cost competitiveness, and contract renewal timeliness.
- Branch & Warehouse Operations: Site audit scores, compliance levels, asset condition, and timely closure of corrective actions.
- Asset & Fleet Management: Asset register accuracy, physical verification compliance, vehicle utilization, and maintenance and insurance compliance.
- Employee Service Delivery: Administrative request resolution TAT, employee satisfaction with support services, and service quality across locations.
- Team Effectiveness: Team productivity, SLA adherence, manpower availability, attendance, capability development, and employee retention.
- Process Improvement: Implementation of standardized SOPs, process improvements, automation initiatives, and measurable operational efficiencies.
- Internal: Chief People Officer, Business Heads, Branch Heads, Warehouse Managers, HR, Finance, Procurement, Legal, EHS, IT, and other functional leaders.
- External: Landlords, facility management agencies, security agencies, service providers, contractors, transport vendors, government authorities, and statutory bodies.
- Relevant experience in administration, facilities management, infrastructure operations, or corporate services, preferably in a multi-location organization with offices and warehouses.
- Demonstrated experience in leading administration operations, managing teams across locations, and handling large-scale facilities and vendor ecosystems.
- Strong understanding of facility management, lease administration, security, safety, statutory compliance, vendor contracts, budgeting, and cost optimization.
- Experience in CAPEX/OPEX planning, commercial negotiations, service-level management, and administrative audits.
- Proven ability to establish SOPs, improve processes, manage operational escalations, and drive consistent service delivery.
- Strong leadership, stakeholder management, negotiation, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, lead cross-location teams, and operate effectively in a fast-paced business environment.