Director, Technical Operations - Middle East Region

The Coca-Cola Company; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 700,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

The Coca-Cola Company in United Arab Emirates seeks a Technical Operations Director for the Middle East Franchise. The role leads technical operations, drives supply chain excellence, and aligns bottler activities with system-wide goals across designated markets.

A strong track record in FMCG manufacturing and regional leadership is essential. You will collaborate with the Senior Technical Operations leadership to set targets, develop capabilities, and manage complex operations while ensuring

Qualifications

• Min 10 years of experience in manufacturing operations or related food & beverage functions.
• Broad knowledge of Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Production, QSE, SRA, and Commercialization in FMCG.
• Proven track record navigating complex regional manufacturing environments.
• Strong knowledge of risk management, governance (KPIs) and commercialization methodologies.
• Familiarity with QSE metrics, operational assessments, and project management tools.
• Expertise in continuous improvement and lean practices across large-scale production.
• Strong planning and organizational skills to drive strategic execution.
• Robust risk-mapping capabilities and strategic problem-solving.
• Willingness to travel at least 40%.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and executional support to franchise units and bottling partners.
• Set ambitious yet achievable targets for bottling plants and guide execution.
• Collaborate with Franchise Operations Managers to build capability and capacity.
• Lead actions to optimize manufacturing costs and yields while maintaining quality.
• Develop and execute productivity initiatives and supply chain contingency plans.
• Coordinate demand and supply with bottling partners and the wider Supply Chain team.
• Support commercialization/innovation plans with key stakeholders.
• Collaborate across technical functions to deliver actionable solutions.

Skills

Technical leadership

Operations leadership

Supply chain

Continuous improvement

Risk management

Project management

Lean

Travel 40%

Job description

Job description

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 is focused on the region, covering single or multiple countries within the Coca-Cola Company’s Middle East Franchise. It oversees critical business indicators such as volume, revenue, and operating income, considering the complexity of supply chains, geographical diversity, and the maturity levels of the bottling partners.
• The primary focus markets for this role include KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Kuwait, Bahrain where the incumbent will act as the TI&SC (Technical, Innovation & Supply Chain) lead for the Franchise operations, working closely with the Senior Technical Operations Director and key project executional support to whole Franchise.

Territory-Level Support & Collaboration

• Provide technical leadership and executional support to franchise units and bottling partners across all TI&SC functional areas, ensuring alignment with regional strategies and operational goals
• Serve as the technical franchise leader, setting ambitious yet achievable targets for each bottling plant, while guiding their efficient execution to support growth and operational capacity building.
• Collaborate with Franchise Operations Managers to enable targeted capability and capacity building in supply chain, production infrastructure, process optimization, and cost efficiency within the assigned territories.

Operational & Supply Chain Optimization

• Lead bottling plant actions to optimize manufacturing costs and yields, ensuring profitability targets are met while maintaining quality standards.
• Facilitate the development and execution of productivity initiatives and supply chain contingency plans (BCPs) across the assigned territories in alignment with system goals.
• Coordinate demand and supply activities between bottling partners and the broader Supply Chain team, ensuring seamless alignment within the Franchise operations.

Commercialization & Execution

• Support the development and execution of commercialization/innovation plans by working collaboratively with key stakeholders, including Corporate, CPS (Commercial Products Supply), bottling partners, and other Franchise Operations (FO) functions.

Integrated Individual Contribution

• While this is an individual contributor role, it requires extensive collaboration across technical functions and operational teams to provide guidance and actionable solutions for strategic execution.

Experience

• Min 10 years of experience in one or more functional areas related to preferred food & beverage manufacturing operations
• Overall good understanding and knowledge around Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Production, QSE (Quality, Safety & Environment), SRA (Scientific & Regulatory Affairs), Commercialization, Technical Franchise Leadership, or roles within the food and beverage industry.
• Proven track record of navigating complex manufacturing environments with an understanding of regional challenges and operational diversity.
• Strong knowledge of technical risk management, technical governance processes (frameworks, KPIs, etc.), and commercialization methodologies, supply chain process and operations.
• Familiarity with QSE metrics, operational assessments, and project management tools to execute technical/commercial initiatives successfully.
• Demonstrated expertise in continuous improvement methodologies and lean practices within large-scale production and distribution ecosystems.
• Strong planning and organizational skills to ensure efficient execution of technical and commercial projects in dynamic environments.
• Robust risk-mapping capabilities and strategic problem-solving skills to anticipate operational issues and define effective solutions.
• Open to travel min 40%

Skills:

Location(s):

United Arab Emirates

Travel Required:

00% - 25%

Relocation Provided:

No

Job Posting End Date:

October 23, 2026

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what's possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors - curious, empowered, inclusive and agile - and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Visionto learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.