Director, Technical Operations Middle East Franchise

Coca Cola; Dubai; On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading beverage company is seeking a Technical Operations Director for its Middle East Franchise. This pivotal role involves driving operational excellence, providing technical leadership, and ensuring alignment across key markets. The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of experience in manufacturing operations, knowledge of supply chain management, and strong risk management skills. The position also requires willingness to travel extensively.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in food & beverage manufacturing operations or related fields.
• Proven experience navigating complex manufacturing environments.
• Strong knowledge of technical risk management and supply chain operations.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational excellence and provide technical leadership across designated markets.
• Support the development and execution of commercialization and innovation plans.
• Collaborate with franchise units to enhance process optimization and cost efficiency.

Skills

Food & beverage manufacturing operations

Supply chain management

Project management

Risk management

Continuous improvement methodologies

Job description

Summary:

The Technical Operations Director for the Middle East Franchise is a pivotal role responsible for driving operational excellence, providing technical leadership, and supporting executional priorities across designated markets. This position ensures alignment between bottler operations, the Franchise team, and Coca-Cola system-wide goals, playing a critical role in the success of the Franchise ecosystem.

Focus, Scope, & Impact:

Strategic Focus & Geographical Impact

• The role focuses on the Middle East region, covering one or multiple countries within the Coca-Cola Company’s franchise network. It oversees key business indicators such as volume, revenue, and operating income, considering supply chain complexity, geographical diversity, and bottling partner maturity levels.
• Primary markets include KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Kuwait, and Bahrain. The incumbent will act as the TI&SC (Technical, Innovation & Supply Chain) lead for franchise operations, working closely with the Franchise Senior Technical Operations Director and supporting key projects across the franchise.

Territory-Level Support & Collaboration:

• Provide technical leadership and support to franchise units and bottling partners across all TI&SC functions, ensuring alignment with regional strategies and operational goals.
• Set ambitious yet achievable targets for bottling plants and guide their execution to support growth and capacity building.
• Collaborate with Franchise Operations Managers to enhance capabilities and capacity in supply chain, production infrastructure, process optimization, and cost efficiency within the territories.

Operational & Supply Chain Optimization:

• Lead initiatives to optimize manufacturing costs and yields, ensuring profitability while maintaining quality standards.
• Develop and implement productivity initiatives and supply chain contingency plans (BCPs) aligned with system goals.
• Coordinate demand and supply activities between bottling partners and the broader Supply Chain team for seamless operations.

Commercialization & Execution:

• Support the development and execution of commercialization and innovation plans by collaborating with stakeholders including Corporate, CPS, bottling partners, and other Franchise Operations functions.

Integrated Individual Contribution:

• This is an individual contributor role that requires extensive collaboration with technical and operational teams to provide guidance and implement strategic solutions.

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in food & beverage manufacturing operations or related fields such as Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Production, QSE, SRA, Commercialization, or Technical Franchise Leadership.
• Proven experience navigating complex manufacturing environments with regional challenges.
• Strong knowledge of technical risk management, governance processes, commercialization methodologies, and supply chain operations.
• Familiarity with QSE metrics, operational assessments, and project management tools.
• Expertise in continuous improvement methodologies and lean practices in large-scale production ecosystems.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills for executing projects efficiently.
• Strong risk-mapping and strategic problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to travel at least 40%.