EVP – Operations Transformation — Urban Infrastructure Platform

The mandate

Customer and operating evidence now point to an operations reset after service and cost drift within a multinational-owned infrastructure developer and asset operator. The immediate arena is the urban infrastructure platform during a public-private partnership expansion. For mandate 308, the successful executive inherits decisions that have been deferred, competing stakeholder expectations and a need to establish facts before committing further capital.

The EVP – Operations Transformation operating perimeter covers approximately ₹18,500 crore in project and operating-asset portfolio, with activity spanning several urban infrastructure platform customer, product and delivery clusters rather than a single asset. The EVP – Operations Transformation Infrastructure remit carries direct influence over roughly 1,400 colleagues and third-party capacity.

The chair, executive committee and principal capital sponsors want a EVP – Operations Transformation who can convert ambiguity into a short list of explicit choices for the urban infrastructure platform. The EVP – Operations Transformation Infrastructure seat must resolve a public-private partnership expansion, while preserving the underlying strengths of the urban infrastructure platform. For mandate 308, value will come through sharper allocation, stronger leaders and an operating cadence that exposes variance early.

The EVP – Operations Transformation’s first year on the urban infrastructure platform is expected to end with stable delivery, structurally lower cost and accountable operating rhythms. In mandate 308, authority covers resources and leadership appointments; material trade-offs go directly to the board sponsor.

Why this seat is open

This is a newly created EVP – Operations Transformation — Urban Infrastructure Platform seat approved as part of the next operating model; it is not an incumbent replacement. The board is running a planned 4–6 month search so the appointee can join ahead of the next capital and talent cycle. Current leaders retain their existing accountabilities until the urban infrastructure platform remit is formally activated. Confidentiality protects organisation design choices while the board compares external and adjacent-sector talent.

What you will own

• Set the EVP – Operations Transformation value-creation thesis for the urban infrastructure platform, translate it into no more than five enterprise priorities and stop work that does not support them.
• Carry stewardship of approximately ₹18,500 crore in project and operating-asset portfolio, including allocation, risk acceptance and board forecasts.
• Lead the EVP – Operations Transformation Infrastructure organisation of about 1,400 employees and partners, appointing a team with clear decision rights and credible succession for every critical seat.
• Resolve the urban infrastructure platform economics and execution constraints created by a public-private partnership expansion, with EVP – Operations Transformation-approved owners, dated milestones and transparent escalation thresholds.
• Establish one EVP – Operations Transformation operating review across commercial, customer, financial, people, technology and risk outcomes for the urban infrastructure platform; remove reconciliations that obscure accountability.
• Demonstrate enterprise authority across functions and markets, with outcomes visible in cash, customers or controlled risk in mandate 308.
• Build the EVP – Operations Transformation’s three-year succession and capability plan for the urban infrastructure platform, reducing dependence on individual executives and improving mobility across the wider Infrastructure organisation.

The first 12 months

• Days 1–90: Validate the urban infrastructure platform baseline, meet the 30 stakeholders most consequential to an operations reset after service and cost drift, assess the leadership team, stabilise immediate delivery risks and agree a board-owned scorecard with explicit decision gates.
• Months 4–9: Make the principal EVP – Operations Transformation portfolio and organisation choices for the urban infrastructure platform, install the new operating cadence, fill critical leadership gaps and deliver the first measurable release of cash, capacity or customer value.
• Months 10–12: Demonstrate a repeatable urban infrastructure platform trend against stable delivery, structurally lower cost and accountable operating rhythms, lock the following year’s capital and talent plan, evidence control sustainability and present a credible three-year value case with downside actions.

What the board will measure

• Delivery of the EVP – Operations Transformation’s agreed first-year urban infrastructure platform value case within a 10% tolerance, with variance explained before rather than after the relevant quarter closes.
• A EVP – Operations Transformation forecast that remains decision-useful across three consecutive quarters and reconciles the urban infrastructure platform’s operating, cash, customer and people assumptions.
• Closure of the EVP – Operations Transformation mandate’s highest-priority urban infrastructure platform risk and execution issues by their board-approved dates, with independent evidence that fixes are sustained.
• Retention of at least 90% of critical urban infrastructure platform talent and ready-now successors for at least 70% of the EVP – Operations Transformation’s direct reports.
• A quantified EVP – Operations Transformation-owned improvement in the urban infrastructure platform operating constraint behind a public-private partnership expansion, supported by a clean baseline and named data owner.
• Clear stakeholder confidence in mandate 308: no unresolved high-severity escalation older than 30 days and no material surprise withheld from its agreed governance forum.

The person

You are currently a EVP Operations, COO or Transformation Director in a multinational-owned Infrastructure or adjacent enterprise. In relation to the urban infrastructure platform, your EVP – Operations Transformation track record includes a transition where the original plan was no longer sufficient; you can explain your choices, evidence and numerical impact. Candidates from infrastructure, construction, utilities, transport assets or project finance will be considered where the operating model, customer stakes and governance intensity match this EVP – Operations Transformation brief.

As a EVP – Operations Transformation candidate, you bring 18–22 years of progressive Infrastructure or adjacent-sector experience, consistent with the 18-22 experience band. At minimum, you have carried a P&L, book, budget or accountable portfolio of ₹10,750 crore and led an organisation of at least 975 people.

For mandate 308, the board wants two transitions: a difficult urban infrastructure platform portfolio choice and a leadership-system change during a public-private partnership expansion. As the prospective EVP – Operations Transformation for this urban infrastructure platform, you must challenge optimistic cases and still create followership. References for mandate 308 must distinguish your contribution from the institution around you.

The EVP – Operations Transformation role in Infrastructure is based in Hyderabad; relocation is expected, although a structured weekly commute may be considered during the first quarter.

Non-negotiables

• Current or recent accountability at the level of EVP Operations, COO or Transformation Director, with direct exposure to a board, investment committee or equivalent Infrastructure governance forum.
• Proven EVP – Operations Transformation ownership of at least ₹10,750 crore and leadership of no fewer than 975 employees in a comparable urban infrastructure platform context.
• One completed Infrastructure or adjacent-sector example of an operations reset after service and cost drift with outcomes sustained for at least two reporting periods after the initial intervention.
• Sector credibility from infrastructure, construction, utilities, transport assets or project finance; experience that is purely functional and lacks EVP – Operations Transformation-level urban infrastructure platform consequences will not meet the bar.
• Willingness to meet the Hyderabad location expectation, complete conflicts and background diligence, and protect the confidentiality of mandate 308.

Compensation and terms

The anticipated EVP – Operations Transformation package is ₹2.2–3.0 crore fixed + performance variable, calibrated to the final urban infrastructure platform scope and the candidate’s current mix. Any long-term participation for mandate 308 follows standard vesting and performance conditions. The EVP – Operations Transformation appointment in Hyderabad, centred on the urban infrastructure platform, offers regular exposure to the chair, executive committee and principal capital sponsors. A notice period of up to 6 months can be accommodated for the selected executive in mandate 308.

Confidentiality

This search is being conducted without naming the client for mandate 308. Identifying information will follow only when both sides elect to proceed under confidentiality; nothing in the published mandate should be treated as a clue to ownership or brand for mandate 308.