Director of Operations & Development - Emirati Applicants

Course; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 260,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Course is seeking a hands-on Director of Operations & Development to lead the establishment and continuous improvement of the organisation0s operating framework in Abu Dhabi. The role will translate strategic priorities into disciplined execution with measurable results and drive performance dashboards, budget controls and cross-functional coordination.

Initially hands-on, you will build core workflows, implement project management disciplines and monitor progress against timelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Management, Operations, Finance, Engineering or a related discipline.
• Master's degree or MBA is advantageous.
• Ideally 15+ years of relevant professional experience, including significant responsibility for operations, PMO, programme management, business management or organisational performance.
• Demonstrated experience establishing operational processes, project management disciplines and performance frameworks.
• Strong experience managing multiple projects and organisational priorities simultaneously.
• Experience managing or coordinating budgets and financial performance.
• Experience overseeing multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in an evolving or fast-growing organisation.
• Experience within government, semi-government, institutional, communications, media or similarly fast-paced environments is advantageous.
• Media experience is preferred but not mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Establish and manage the organisation's overall operating model, workflows, governance and operational rhythms.
• Develop practical processes, procedures and controls that support efficient day-to-day operations.
• Personally lead the implementation of operational tools and disciplines during the organisation's development stage.
• Identify operational gaps and recommend improvements to systems, structures and resources.
• Build scalable operating practices capable of supporting future organisational growth.
• Establish and maintain a central view of all strategic projects, initiatives, programmes and deliverables.
• Develop project trackers, implementation plans, milestones, dependencies and accountability mechanisms.
• Monitor progress against agreed timelines and proactively address delays, risks and delivery challenges.
• Coordinate priorities across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Ensure clear ownership and accountability for key initiatives.
• Drive development of management dashboards and performance reporting.
• Establish regular operational and performance review meetings.
• Track organisational performance against objectives.
• Provide management with visibility of progress, risks, and interventions.
• Drive follow-through on decisions and actions.
• Coordinate annual operational planning and budgeting.
• Monitor budgets, expenditure, commitments and financial performance.
• Ensure resources are allocated against priorities.
• Work with finance, procurement and support functions.
• Identify efficiencies and optimise operating costs.
• Coordinate operational performance of the Club team.
• Ensure collaboration and information flow across functions.
• Support General Manager in setting priorities and monitoring delivery.
• Identify organisational capability and manpower requirements as operations grow.
• Develop clear roles and accountability structures.
• Establish governance, escalation and decision-making processes.
• Prepare management reports and executive updates.
• Maintain documentation of key decisions and performance.
• Identify risks and dependencies and escalate accordingly.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity and quality.
• Introduce tools and technology to improve visibility and execution.
• Support partnerships and new capabilities where required.

Skills

Operations leadership

PMO

Programme management

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Performance dashboards

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Management/related

Master's degree or MBA (advantageous)

Job description

The Director – Operations & Development will lead the establishment, management, and continuous improvement of the organisation’s operational framework, ensuring that strategic priorities are translated into disciplined execution and measurable results.

Operating with a remit similar to a lean Chief Operating Officer, the role will initially be highly hands-on, personally establishing core workflows, project management disciplines, performance dashboards, budget controls and operating processes.

The Director will oversee the overall operational performance of the team, coordinate cross-functional priorities and ensure projects, programmes and institutional initiatives are delivered effectively, on time and within budget.

As the organisation develops, the role will also assess operational capability requirements and build the appropriate structures, systems and support functions required for sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Institutional Build-Out

• Establish and manage the organisation's overall operating model, workflows, governance and operational rhythms.
• Develop practical processes, procedures and controls that support efficient day-to-day operations.
• Personally lead the implementation of operational tools and disciplines during the organisation's development stage.
• Identify operational gaps and recommend improvements to systems, structures and resources.
• Build scalable operating practices capable of supporting future organisational growth.
• Establish and maintain a central view of all strategic projects, initiatives, programmes and deliverables.
• Develop project trackers, implementation plans, milestones, dependencies and accountability mechanisms.
• Monitor progress against agreed timelines and proactively address delays, risks and delivery challenges.
• Coordinate priorities across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Ensure clear ownership and accountability for key initiatives.

Performance Management

• Develop and maintain management dashboards, KPIs and performance reporting.
• Establish regular operational and performance review meetings.
• Track organisational and departmental performance against agreed objectives.
• Provide management with clear visibility of progress, risks, priorities and required interventions.
• Drive follow-through on decisions and agreed actions.

Budget & Resource Management

• Coordinate annual operational planning and budgeting.
• Monitor budgets, expenditure, commitments and financial performance.
• Ensure resources are appropriately allocated against organisational priorities.
• Work closely with finance, procurement and relevant support functions.
• Support management in identifying efficiencies and optimising operating costs.

Team & Organisational Oversight

• Coordinate the overall operational performance of the Club team.
• Ensure effective collaboration and information flow across functions.
• Support the General Manager in establishing priorities and monitoring team delivery.
• Identify organisational capability and manpower requirements as operations expand.
• Support the development of clear roles, responsibilities and accountability structures.

Governance & Reporting

• Establish effective governance, escalation and decision-making processes.
• Prepare management reports, operational updates and executive-level presentations.
• Maintain appropriate documentation of key decisions, actions and performance.
• Ensure risks, issues and dependencies are identified and escalated appropriately.
• Identify opportunities to improve organisational efficiency, productivity and quality.
• Introduce appropriate tools, systems and technology to improve operational visibility and execution.
• Support the development of partnerships, initiatives and new organisational capabilities where required.
• Benchmark operating practices and introduce relevant best practices.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate should be a hands-on senior operator with a strong record of turning organisational priorities into structured, measurable execution.

The role is particularly suited to candidates who have helped establish, scale or professionalise an organisation, business unit, government entity, foundation, association or similarly dynamic environment.

Candidates whose experience is primarily advisory, consulting or strategy development without direct responsibility for implementation and operational ownership would be less suitable.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Management, Operations, Finance, Engineering or a related discipline.
• Master's degree or MBA is advantageous.
• Ideally 15+ years of relevant professional experience, including significant responsibility for operations, PMO, programme management, business management or organisational performance.
• Demonstrated experience establishing operational processes, project management disciplines and performance frameworks.
• Strong experience managing multiple projects and organisational priorities simultaneously.
• Experience managing or coordinating budgets and financial performance.
• Experience overseeing multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in an evolving or fast-growing organisation.
• Experience within government, semi-government, institutional, communications, media or similarly fast-paced environments is advantageous.
• Media experience is preferred but not mandatory.