Senior Manager Operational Readiness DA

About Qiddiya

Qiddiya, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is seeking a Senior Manager of Operational Readiness DA. This full-time role involves providing strategic leadership for operational readiness across major assets and programs within Qiddiya's entertainment and cultural projects. The position focuses on ensuring a controlled transition from project delivery into safe, compliant, and sustainable operations.

Role Purpose

The Senior Manager Operational Readiness DA will establish readiness direction, govern assurance and activation recommendations, and align senior stakeholders on priorities, risks, and outcomes. This is critical for supporting seamless launches, sustained operations, and exceptional guest experiences across Qiddiya's diverse projects.

Core Responsibilities

• Define and implement operational readiness strategy, governance, standards, assurance methodology, and activation decision gates for assigned portfolios, aligning with Qiddiya's strategic objectives.
• Lead integrated readiness planning and delivery across various workstreams including people, process, technology, facilities, safety, security, commercial, regulatory, and service, with sequenced plans and accountable owners.
• Provide senior oversight of milestones, interdependencies, risks, issues, decisions, and evidence-based completion status; establish and monitor readiness and operational performance KPIs.
• Collaborate with project delivery, operations, engineering, and stakeholder teams to embed operational requirements throughout design, procurement, commissioning, handover, mobilization, and opening plans.
• Chair senior readiness reviews, resolve cross-workstream dependencies, and direct mitigation and recovery plans for gaps affecting safety, compliance, guest experience, or activation dates.
• Advise executive leadership on readiness status, activation options, residual risks, performance findings, and required decisions, escalating trade-offs beyond delegated authority.

Specific Duties

• Oversee operating-model, workforce, standard operating procedure (SOP), operating supplies and equipment (OS&E), technology, facilities, and service mobilization readiness; ensure staff training and development prepare operational teams to meet defined performance standards.
• Govern readiness for permits, licenses, and regulatory interfaces through accountable functions, ensuring clear ownership, timely delivery, and visibility of unresolved compliance gaps.
• Lead readiness assessments, assurance reviews, inspections, rehearsals, and operational trials; recommend progression through key stage gates based on completion evidence and clearly stated residual risks.
• Oversee consultants, contractors, advisers, and operators supporting readiness, ensuring clear scope, deliverable quality, schedule, and accountability.
• Build team capability through direction, coaching, performance management, and consistent quality standards.
• Champion a guest-focused approach and continuous improvement, applying lessons learned, best practices, and industry standards to improve readiness plans and standardize delivery across the function.

Qualifications and Experience

• Candidates should possess 5-10 years of relevant experience.
• Ability to follow applicable company policies, safety requirements, confidentiality, and document-control practices.
• Maintain clear records and perform related duties consistent with the approved role scope.
• Work within approved delegated authorities; recommend activation decisions to authorized decision-makers.

Application Information

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Salary details will be disclosed during the recruitment process.