Vice President of Operations (MENA Region)

Vice President of Operations (MENA Region)

Location: Eastern Province Saudi Arabia (Regional Headquarters)

Executive Summary

We are seeking a high-calibre regional executive to oversee operations governance across our Middle East and North Africa (MENA). As the Vice President of Operations you will serve as the primary performance authority between regional leadership and the Chief Operating Officer.

Your mission is to drive operational excellence financial discipline and strategic alignment across a diverse portfolio of manufacturing and service hubs. You will be responsible for ensuring that country-level execution meets global standards while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Regional Performance Governance: Serve as the chief authority for regional performance; hold GeoMarket Managers accountable for Safety Quality Delivery and Cost (SQDC) . Mandate robust corrective action plans for performance variances and institutionalize the cross-border replication of best practices.
• Operational Excellence Deployment: Spearhead the consistent implementation of global operational excellence standards digital transformation initiatives and performance management systems. Drive measurable gains in productivity asset reliability and cost optimization.
• Financial Stewardship & Discipline: Review and critically challenge regional budgets and forecasts. Consolidate regional visibility for the executive suite ensuring material risks or variances are escalated and mitigated in alignment with corporate governance frameworks.
• Risk Compliance & ESG: Ensure strict adherence to Group standards regulatory obligations and RHQ policies. Maintain auditable management processes where risks are identified assessed and proactively mitigated.
• Strategic Cross-Functional Alignment: Act as the final escalation point for complex cross-border operational or commercial conflicts. Synchronize Operations with Sales Supply Chain Finance HSSE Legal and Project Management to ensure seamless end-to-end execution.
• HSSE Leadership: Cultivate a world-class safety culture across all GeoMarkets. Oversee the investigation and closure of critical incidents and monitor the efficacy of preventive measures.
• Human Capital Strategy: Evaluate and mentor GeoMarket Managers. Lead regional succession planning talent reviews and leadership development to build a robust organizational bench.

Candidate Profile

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelors degree in Engineering Business Administration or a related technical field. An MBA or advanced degree is highly preferred.
• Experience: 10 years of senior executive experience managing multi-site multi-country operations within a heavy industrial or manufacturing context.
• Track Record: Proven success in performance governance P&L oversight and driving large-scale operational turnarounds.
• Certifications: Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or above) is strongly preferred.
• Linguistic Skills: Native or professional fluency in English is required; proficiency in Arabic is a significant strategic advantage.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Execution: The ability to translate high-level corporate strategy into rigorous operational cadence and measurable results.
• Performance Leadership: High emotional intelligence paired with the decisiveness to manage underperformance and drive high-stakes accountability.
• Change Management: Experience leading structured transformation initiatives and navigating the complexities of regional organizational change.
• Financial Literacy: Advanced ability to interpret complex financial statements and analyze the underlying operational drivers of fiscal performance.

Technical Skills

• Systems Proficiency: High literacy in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and digital performance dashboards.
• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to influence and negotiate across diverse functions cultures and regulatory environments.