Operations Director (Factory Head)

We are partnering with a frozen food manufacturer in Saudi Arabia to appoint an Operations Director (Head of Factory).

Role Purpose

The Operations Director holds full strategic and operational accountability for the manufacturing facility. This is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and executing the plant's operational strategy, building a high-performing organization, and delivering against ambitious targets for output, quality, cost, and safety.

The successful candidate will set the operational agenda, modernize and scale the facility, and embed a culture of excellence that positions the plant as a benchmark in the frozen food sector.

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the operational strategy for the facility, aligned with the company's growth ambitions and commercial plans.
• Lead the transformation and modernization of the plant, including capacity expansion, automation, and capital investment planning.
• Translate business objectives into clear operational targets and a roadmap that the wider operations team can deliver against.
• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to overall business direction and decision-making.
  
  
  

Operational Excellence

• Drive operational excellence across the facility through lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and structured continuous improvement programs.
• Improve key metrics including OEE, yield, throughput, labor productivity, and waste reduction, with sustained year-on-year gains.
• Establish robust planning and scheduling disciplines that ensure on-time, in-full delivery against demand.
• Lead root-cause problem solving and a culture of data-driven decision making across all shifts and functions.
  
  
  

Production & Facility Management

• Own the full production operation, from raw material intake through processing, freezing, packing, and dispatch.
• Ensure the reliability and performance of all plant assets, including cold-chain, freezing, and refrigeration infrastructure, through proactive and preventive maintenance.
• Oversee facility management, utilities, and capital projects to keep the plant running safely and efficiently at all times.
  
  
  

Quality & Food Safety

• Ensure full compliance with all food safety, quality, and regulatory standards, including SFDA, HACCP, ISO 22000, GMP, and customer-specific requirements.
• Maintain audit readiness at all times and uphold the highest standards of hygiene, traceability, and product integrity.
• Build quality and food safety into the culture of the plant, not just the systems.
  
  
  

People & Organization

• Lead, develop, and inspire a large multi-disciplinary workforce across production, quality, engineering, and supply chain.
• Build organizational capability through hiring, succession planning, training, and performance management.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement at every level.
  
  
  

Financial & Commercial

• Own the facility's operating budget and capital plan, with full P&L accountability for the cost of operations.
• Drive cost optimization across labor, materials, energy, and overhead without compromising quality or safety.
• Partner closely with commercial, supply chain, and procurement teams to align production with sales, inventory, and service targets.
  
  
  

Candidate Profile

• 15+ years in food manufacturing operations, with significant experience in frozen, chilled, or processed food production.
• Proven track record at Operations Director, Plant Director, or Head of Factory level, leading a full facility at scale.
• Demonstrated success delivering operational excellence, plant transformation, and measurable improvements in cost, efficiency, and quality.
• Deep expertise in food safety and quality systems, with hands-on command of SFDA, HACCP, ISO 22000, and GMP.
• Strong engineering, maintenance, and capital project experience, including cold-chain and freezing infrastructure.
• Experience operating within Saudi Arabia, including familiarity with local regulatory requirements, Saudization, and large-workforce management.
• Engineering, food technology, or operations management degree; postgraduate qualification or lean/Six Sigma certification preferred.
• Exceptional leadership presence, commercial judgment, and the ability to build and lead high-performing teams.
  
  
  

Key Competencies

• Strategic and operational leadership
• Operational excellence and continuous improvement
• Food safety and quality governance
• Financial and commercial acumen
• People leadership and organizational development
• Results orientation and accountability