The client is seeking a COO to lead core industrial operations in a large-scale, asset-heavy manufacturing environment. Reporting directly to group leadership, the COO will have full accountability for plant operations and will serve as the architect of operational excellence across the organization.
Key responsibilities include leading a large industrial site with a workforce of more than 1,100 employees, with further headcount growth planned; driving world-class manufacturing standards across production, quality, maintenance, supply chain, and HSE; and elevating export-grade quality, consistency, and compliance for demanding international markets. The role will also strengthen operational governance through KPIs and performance discipline, optimize complex industrial processes to improve productivity at scale, and help prepare the platform for capacity expansion and long-term scalability.
The ideal candidate is a senior operations leader with 15+ years of experience in complex industrial manufacturing, ideally in roles such as COO, Operations Director, Plant Director, or VP Operations. Exposure to export-oriented manufacturing and relevant sectors such as heavy electrical, power equipment, cables, or metals is preferred, along with proven ability to lead large blue-collar teams (1,000+), demonstrate structured and execution-driven leadership, and credibly engage both shopfloor teams and senior stakeholders; fluency in Arabic is a strong plus. This role is expected to be hands-on, with a strong presence on the plant floor, actively driving operational change.