Head of Operations

Sama X; Dubai; On-site; AED 250,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Sama X is seeking a Head of Operations to lead service delivery of satellite internet services across the MENA region. The candidate will manage partner networks, service quality, and customer support, ensuring operational excellence in a fast-growing telecommunications environment. Extensive operational experience, negotiation skills, and knowledge of MENA markets are essential for this leadership role.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in operations.
• Leadership experience in field execution and service delivery.
• Understanding of customer support systems.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, negotiate, and onboard field service partners.
• Own and track field service SLAs for installations.
• Oversee and manage a centralized customer support team.

Skills

Negotiation

Cross-cultural communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Role Overview:

Sama X is on a mission to bring Starlink connectivity to 15+ key markets across the MENA and South Asia region. We are looking for an experienced Head of Operations to lead and scale service delivery of satellite internet services across the region. This role requires strong capabilities in partner management, field execution, procurement and supply chain coordination and customer support operations. The successful candidate will ensure smooth logistics, delivery and installation, robust service integration, and ongoing operational excellence. Experience in advanced networking or telecommunications equipment or similar industry is highly preferred where equipment sales are combined with ongoing service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

1. Partner Network Management

• Identify, evaluate, negotiate, and onboard field service partners across all active and upcoming MENA markets.
• Define operational SLAs and KPIs for service partners covering:
• Inventory handling and safekeeping
• On-site Starlink installations at B2B and B2C customer sites
• Post-installation support visits and troubleshooting
• Continuously monitor partner performance and drive improvements in service delivery and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure partners follow standardized installation protocols, including proper system activation and integration with backend platforms.

2. Service Quality & SLA Management

• Own and track field service SLAs for installations, turnaround time for support, and customer satisfaction scores.
• Implement structured quality checks, training, and SOP adherence mechanisms with all service partners.
• Manage local team members across multiple countries who would work closely with the partners in ensuring both SOPs are followed and SLAs are met.
• Implement service assurance processes that monitor system performance post-installation and flag service degradation in real time.
• Oversee incident and escalation workflows, ensuring SLA-driven responsiveness and resolution tracking.

3. Customer Support Operations

• Oversee and manage a centralized, outsourced customer support team covering all markets via phone, email, chat, and other support channels.
• Define and monitor KPIs such as response time, resolution rate, CSAT, and escalation handling.
• Ensure alignment between customer support and different Sama X corporate and service teams for seamless customer experience.
• Drive integration between support systems and OSS tools to ensure real-time incident correlation and proactive troubleshooting.

4. Inventory Planning & Logistics

• Work closely with Starlink and internal planning teams to ensure on-time inventory availability in all operational countries.
• Design and operationalize regional hub(s) to optimize inventory flow and reduce last-mile costs.
• Build inventory visibility, reconciliation, and reporting mechanisms across all partner warehouses.

5. Cross-functional & Expansion Leadership

• Collaborate with commercial, product, and technology teams to align operational readiness with market launches.
• Serve as a key operational stakeholder in driving expansion plans and continuous service improvement.
• Work closely with technical and operations teams to ensure that field installations are seamlessly integrated with backend service enablement processes.
• Support end-to-end performance monitoring by connecting deployment activities with digital tools for service quality and SLA tracking

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in operations, with leadership experience in field execution, service delivery, or partner-driven deployments
• Proven experience in managing installation quality, technical onboarding of services, and post-deployment support in telecom or tech-driven environments
• Understanding of customer support systems (CRM, ticketing platforms) and performance metrics
• Preferably experience with Operations Support Systems (OSS), including incident lifecycle management, performance monitoring, and SLA compliance
• Excellent negotiation, cross-cultural communication, and project management skills
• Exposure to MENA markets and fluency in Arabic is a strong plus
• Willingness to travel across the region as required