Operations Director (Factory Head)📣 Job Ad
in Virtucruit
about 11 hours ago
about 11 hours agoShare
 | Contract Type | Full-time |
 | Workplace type | On-site |
 | Location | Dammam |
About the Role
Virtucruit is partnering with a leading frozen food manufacturer in Saudi Arabia to appoint an Operations Director, who will also serve as the Head of Factory. This senior leadership position holds full strategic and operational accountability for the manufacturing facility. The role is pivotal in shaping and executing the plant's operational strategy, building a high-performing organization, and achieving targets for output, quality, cost, and safety. The successful candidate will be responsible for setting the operational agenda, modernizing and scaling the facility, and embedding a culture of excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and execute the operational strategy for the facility, ensuring alignment with company growth ambitions and commercial plans.
- Lead the transformation and modernization of the plant, including capacity expansion, automation initiatives, and capital investment planning.
- Translate overarching business objectives into clear operational targets and a detailed roadmap for the operations team.
- Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to overall business direction and strategic decision-making.
- Drive operational excellence by implementing lean manufacturing principles, Six Sigma methodologies, and continuous improvement programs.
- Improve key performance metrics such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), yield, throughput, labor productivity, and waste reduction.
- Establish robust planning and scheduling disciplines to ensure on-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery against market demand.
- Lead root-cause problem-solving initiatives and foster a culture of data-driven decision-making.
- Oversee the complete production operation, from raw material intake through processing, freezing, packing, and dispatch.
- Ensure the reliability and optimal performance of all plant assets, including cold-chain, freezing, and refrigeration infrastructure, through proactive and preventive maintenance strategies.
- Oversee facility management, utilities, and capital projects to ensure safe and efficient plant operation.
- Ensure full compliance with all food safety, quality, and regulatory standards, including SFDA, HACCP, ISO 22000, GMP, and customer-specific requirements.
- Maintain audit readiness and uphold the highest standards of hygiene, traceability, and product integrity.
- Embed quality and food safety principles into the plant's culture.
- Lead, develop, and inspire a large, multi-disciplinary workforce across production, quality, engineering, and supply chain functions.
- Build organizational capability through strategic hiring, succession planning, training programs, and performance management.
- Foster a culture of safety, accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
- Manage the facility's operating budget and capital plan, holding P&L accountability for the cost of operations.
- Drive cost optimization across labor, materials, energy, and overheads without compromising quality or safety.
- Partner with commercial, supply chain, and procurement teams to ensure production aligns with sales, inventory, and service level targets.
Qualifications and Experience
- A minimum of 15 years of experience in food manufacturing operations, with substantial experience in frozen, chilled, or processed food production.
- Proven track record at Operations Director, Plant Director, or Head of Factory level, demonstrating successful leadership of a full-scale manufacturing facility.
- Demonstrated success in delivering operational excellence, leading plant transformations, and achieving measurable improvements in cost, efficiency, and quality.
- Deep expertise in food safety and quality systems, with command of SFDA, HACCP, ISO 22000, and GMP standards.
- Strong experience in engineering, maintenance, and capital project management, with knowledge of cold-chain and freezing infrastructure.
- Experience operating within Saudi Arabia, including familiarity with local regulatory requirements, Saudization policies, and managing large workforces.
- An Engineering, Food Technology, or Operations Management degree is required; a postgraduate qualification or Lean/Six Sigma certification is preferred.
- Exceptional leadership presence, strong commercial judgment, and the proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams.
Required Skills
- Strategic and operational leadership
- Operational excellence and continuous improvement methodologies (Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma)
- Key performance metric improvement (OEE, Yield, Throughput, Labor Productivity, Waste Reduction)
- Planning and scheduling discipline
- Root-cause problem solving and data-driven decision making
- Cold chain management and refrigeration infrastructure management
- Facility management and capital project management
- Food safety and quality management systems (SFDA, HACCP, ISO 22000, GMP)
- Hygiene standards, traceability, and product integrity
- Workforce leadership, talent development, and succession planning
- Performance management and fostering a safety culture
- Accountability, ownership, and results orientation
- Financial acumen including budget management, cost optimization, and P&L accountability
- Supply chain alignment and procurement collaboration
- Experience in frozen food production, chilled food production, and processed food production
- Plant transformation and modernization
- Engineering management and maintenance management
- Capital investment planning
- Understanding and implementation of Saudization policies
- Strong leadership and commercial judgment
Location and Work Environment
This is a full-time position based in Dammam, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. The role requires a minimum of 10 years of experience, with the candidate profile specifying 15+ years in relevant food manufacturing operations.
Requirements
- Requires +10 Years experience
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