People, in real sense, are a lasting competitive advantage of any organization. Everything else – almost everything can be replicated – products, brands, services, assets and infrastructure, but not your people resources. What you indeed require is developing a strong employer brand – a brand that describes how exciting it is to work in an organization, how satisfying it is to stay on in the organization for the sake of consistently satisfying and a mutually happy association. Kansai Nerolac has a firm faith in this truism. And that is why, besides a well-acclaimed Nerolac brand of our excellent products in decorative and industrial paints, we are a well-known employer brand too.

At Nerolac, it is an exciting work environment charged with ever increasing enthusiasm to reach stretched goals, met challenges effectively and deal with problems proactively. Our work environment nurtures and encourages creativity, innovation and out of box thinking. Failures are looked upon as avenues of finding newer solutions. A well-balanced system of compensation with rewards linked to performance has created an effective performance orientation all through the organization. It is sustained perpetually with conscious, proactive systems such as ‘Balanced Scorecard’, ‘ Performance commission dependent upon key Result Areas’, ‘Corporate Commission for corporate performance’ ‘Annual awards to technical personnel’ for excellence etc.

Well, there is hierarchy and organization structure based on functional responsibilities. But there is an excellent amount of informality, cordiality and flexibility all through the organization.

A look at our financials will clearly tell you that the organization is growing in terms of revenue and a robust bottomline. We are expanding geographically – adding a plant in north India and reaching out to every nook & corner in India both in decorative and industrial paints. This offers tremendous scope to employees to go through job rotation, perform multiple roles and work on cross-functional project teams. Obviously, the work environment and concern for people on part of the management, provides good scope to career minded employees to contribute, prove their worth and grow with the organization. There are instances of people having joined as management trainees or at other junior level and reached top position in early/ mid thirties. The head of decorative marketing, the head of supply chain, the head of IT, the head of industrial marketing are some such instances. However, whether a Nerolite has ran such fast track of career or not, Nerolac is undoubtedly one of the best employers in India.

Nerolac has a complement of young and vibrant managers and executives all with contemporary professional qualifications. The average age is about 37 years.

Training & Development in Nerolac
Be that a plant worker or a top-ranking manager – when it comes to training & development, everybody is important in Nerolac. We have skill development programmes for workmen and specific, tailor made training programmes for executives/ management personnel. Productivity enhancement programmes in our manufacturing plants are implemented through full involvement of workmen. They are provided requisite training in quality and manufacturing areas. Specific skill development programmes are conducted for employees in sales. We also nominate our employees for external training programmes and seminars. For technical and technological skills, we depute our employees to Kansai Paints Japan and other countries regularly. We have trained some of our managers in conducting in house training programmes. Of course, we also invite experts from industry and academia for our in house training programmes. Besides, well designed training and development programmes, we have brief interactive sessions regularly with an outside expert or a senior professional from industry from any discipline. ‘Saunvad’ is what we call these interactive sessions. The session could be on any subject – be that health related, spirituality or a typical business related theme. We encourage our to employees participate in external seminars and training programmes as faculty and disseminate knowledge.

While we regularly induct talent from outside, we believe in growing our own timber. We look at our people, evaluate their strengths, assess their development needs, develop them and give them career opportunities within the organization. Towards this intent we conduct Development Centers. It is an initiative with a clear focus on people available in the organization. We are aware of the fact that no organization can attract and retain only geniuses, masterminds, whiz kids, intellects and the likes of them. The organization has to continuously train and develop people who may not be geniuses but have good potentials. Our Development Centers are aimed at helping people build on their strengths and improve in the areas of inadequacies. Besides Development Centers, we also provide multidimensional feedback to senior managers on their individual profiles by periodically conducting 360-degree appraisals.

Careers in Nerolac
We induct young management postgraduates from several institutes almost every year. The selection process includes group discussion, a short written test and a personal interview. After a detailed induction programme of a month’s duration, the trainees go through on- the- job training for a year. They get placed at assistant manager level to start with. The performance orientation so strong in Nerolac environment helps them contribute effectively and make good career with us. We have mentioned some instances of people reaching top positions having joined at entry level.

One can join Nerolac at any level besides management trainee. We welcome you seek career with us in following functions: Depending upon your profile, we will consider you for a position as may be available.

Decorative Sales and Marketing – You need to have a basic degree from a university and postgraduate degree in management with specialization in marketing. You should have over 2 years experience in sales or marketing in consumer product.

Industrial Sales and Marketing - You need to have a basic degree from a university and postgraduate degree in management with specialization in marketing. You should have over 2 years experience in technical sales.

Research & Development – We continuously innovate on products, processes, technology, technical service and support to our OEM and other customers. We develop new colours and shades. We have a well-equipped, world-class laboratory backed up by our Japanese principals. We look for research minded people with academic qualifications in paint technology, chemical engineering and related subjects backed up by some experience.

Finance/ Accounts / Company Secretarial – If you want to be considered you need to be CA/CS or MBA in finance with minimum 2 years experience.

Costing - In addition to ICWA, if you have some experience in costing in chemical process industry you will fit in our requirement. Manufacturing/ Central Engineering – We have plants at Jainpur (near Kanpur), Chennai, Ahmedabad and Lote (Near Chiplun in Maharashtra). If you have qualifications in Paints Technology, Chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Electrical engineering with minimum 2 years experience in manufacturing or plant engineering, you are welcomed to apply.

Supply Chain / Materials / APO / Purchase – A good engineering degree backed up by MBA in supply chain, materials management with some experience either in supply chain or materials management would make you an ideal person for our requirement in this area. Engineering degree and experience in administration of APO would also fit in our requirement.

Information Technology / IT Support – We have successfully implemented ERP, Data warehousing, Employee Portal (For knowledge management & work flows) and such other IT interventions. IT orientation is very high in Nerolac. You can look forward to joining us if you possess requisites IT skills backed up with academic achievements and real live project experience.

Human Resource Management and Development, Administrative Services - You can be considered for a job based in corporate office or in any plant. You need to have a MBA or such academic qualification and about 2 years experience to your credit.