Manager, Business Operations

ai71; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

AI71 is seeking a Manager, Business Operations to keep the Applied AI function running on time and on track. You will own the day-to-day mechanics of operations, reporting, and analysis, collaborating with Product, Commercial, Customer Success, Partnerships, and Corporate Functions.

A hands-on contributor role with a strong emphasis on accuracy and follow-through. You will drive recurring leadership meetings, KPI trackers, and board materials, while building scalable processes as the team grows.

Qualifications

• Approximately 4 to 8 years of professional experience in business operations, strategy, consulting, corporate development, chief of staff, or a comparable analytical role.
• Experience in management consulting, investment banking, a high-growth technology business, or a similarly demanding environment is preferred.
• Strong analytical toolkit. Highly proficient in spreadsheets and presentation software, and comfortable working with data from multiple systems.
• Evidence of running recurring reporting or planning cycles, or of supporting senior stakeholders with structured analysis and materials.
• Genuine AI fluency. You use AI tools daily to speed up your own work and you look for ways to automate the repetitive parts of the role.
• Exposure to commercial topics such as pipeline, pricing, forecasting, or go-to-market is an advantage.
• Bachelor's degree required.

Responsibilities

• Run the recurring operating rhythm of the Applied AI function, including weekly leadership meetings, monthly business reviews, and quarterly planning cycles.
• Maintain the KPI and OKR trackers. Collect data from source owners, validate it, flag anomalies, and keep the numbers current and trustworthy.
• Build and maintain recurring reporting packs and dashboards for leadership, keeping formats consistent and data accurate.
• Own the action and decision log. Chase owners, elevate slippage early, and make sure commitments made in the room are delivered outside it.
• Support the preparation of board, investor, and partner materials, including drafting slides, sourcing data, fact-checking, and version control.
• Document and improve operating processes as the team grows, replacing ad hoc workarounds with something repeatable.
• Conduct research and analysis on business, market, and commercial questions, and turn findings into clear, well-structured outputs.
• Build and maintain models and trackers covering pipeline, forecasts, resourcing, and delivery status.
• Support cross-functional initiatives as the working-level owner: run the project plan, coordinate contributors, track milestones, and surface blockers.
• Prepare briefing notes, pre-reads, and summaries ahead of internal and external meetings.
• Take on discrete pieces of work handed down from the Head of Business Operations and return them finished, checked, and ready to use.
• Track pipeline and revenue reporting, pricing analysis, proposals, and go-to-market materials with Commercial leadership.
• Coordinate inputs across teams so that reporting, planning, and forecasting cycles land on time.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Spreadsheets

Presentation software

AI fluency

Attention to detail

Written communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

About AI71

AI71 is an industry leader in artificial intelligence, delivering innovative solutions that empower developers, businesses and governments to solve complex challenges. AI71 builds secure, enterprise-ready applications powered by cutting-edge technology-tailored for knowledge workers and sector-specific needs. AI71 bridges the gap between advanced AI and real-world impact. Guided by a strong commitment to research and responsibility, we create transformative solutions that drive progress and empower communities.

About AI71

AI71 is an industry leader in artificial intelligence, delivering innovative solutions that empower developers, businesses and governments to solve complex challenges. AI71 builds secure, enterprise-ready applications powered by cutting-edge technology-tailored for knowledge workers and sector-specific needs. AI71 bridges the gap between advanced AI and real-world impact. Guided by a strong commitment to research and responsibility, we create transformative solutions that drive progress and empower communities.

The Role

The Manager, Business Operations keeps the Applied AI function running on time and on track. Reporting to the Head of Business Operations, you own the day-to-day mechanics of how the business operates: the reporting cycle, the meeting cadence, the trackers, the follow-ups, and the analysis that sits underneath leadership decisions. Where the Head of Business Operations sets the operating system, you run it. This is a hands-on, individual contributor role. You will not manage a team. You will produce the work yourself, at pace and to a high standard, across a wide range of topics, with a strong emphasis on accuracy, follow-through, and clean execution. You will work across Product, Commercial, Customer Success, Partnerships, and Corporate Functions to gather inputs, chase commitments, and make sure nothing quietly falls over. It is a strong platform for anyone who wants to learn how an AI business is built and run from the inside.

What You'll Do

Operating Cadence & Reporting

• Run the recurring operating rhythm of the Applied AI function, including weekly leadership meetings, monthly business reviews, and quarterly planning cycles. Set agendas, collect inputs, capture decisions, and track actions to closure.
• Maintain the KPI and OKR trackers. Collect data from source owners, validate it, flag anomalies, and keep the numbers current and trustworthy.
• Build and maintain recurring reporting packs and dashboards for leadership, keeping formats consistent and data accurate.
• Own the action and decision log. Chase owners, elevate slippage early, and make sure commitments made in the room are delivered outside it.
• Support the preparation of board, investor, and partner materials, including drafting slides, sourcing data, fact-checking, and version control.
• Document and improve operating processes as the team grows, replacing ad hoc workarounds with something repeatable.

Analysis & Project Support

• Conduct research and analysis on business, market, and commercial questions, and turn findings into clear, well-structured outputs.
• Build and maintain models and trackers covering pipeline, forecasts, resourcing, and delivery status.
• Support cross-functional initiatives as the working-level owner: run the project plan, coordinate contributors, track milestones, and surface blockers.
• Prepare briefing notes, pre-reads, and summaries ahead of internal and external meetings.
• Take on discrete pieces of work handed down from the Head of Business Operations and return them finished, checked, and ready to use.

Commercial & Cross-Functional Support

• Support pipeline and commercial reporting, including opportunity tracking, win/loss capture, and revenue reporting inputs.
• Assist with pricing analysis, proposal preparation, and go-to-market materials in partnership with Commercial leadership.
• Track partnership activity and keep records of status, owners, and next steps.
• Coordinate inputs across teams so that reporting, planning, and forecasting cycles land on time.

What You'll BrQualifications & Experience:

• Approximately 4 to 8 years of professional experience in business operations, strategy, consulting, corporate development, chief of staff, or a comparable analytical role.
• Experience in management consulting, investment banking, a high-growth technology business, or a similarly demanding environment is preferred.
• Strong analytical toolkit. Highly proficient in spreadsheets and presentation software, and comfortable working with data from multiple systems.
• Evidence of running recurring reporting or planning cycles, or of supporting senior stakeholders with structured analysis and materials.
• Genuine AI fluency. You use AI tools daily to speed up your own work and you look for ways to automate the repetitive parts of the role.
• Exposure to commercial topics such as pipeline, pricing, forecasting, or go-to-market is an advantage.
• Bachelor's degree required.

What You'll Bring

• Exceptional reliability. When you take something on, it gets done, and it gets done on time.
• Attention to detail. You check the numbers, you check them again, and you catch the errors before anyone else does.
• Comfort with pace and volume. You can hold multiple workstreams at once without dropping any of them.
• Willingness to chase. You follow up politely and persistently until you have what you need, across seniority levels.
• Clear written communication. You can turn messy inputs into a short, readable note or a clean slide.
• Discretion and maturity. You will see sensitive commercial, financial, and people information and treat it accordingly.
• Low ego and a service mindset. You measure success by whether the business runs well, not by visibility.
• Curiosity and appetite to learn. You want to understand why the business works the way it does, not just process the task.

Why AI71:

• Mission-Driven Work: Work on cutting-edge AI applications with a talented and passionate team, solving real-world challenges in critical sectors.
• Unparalleled Opportunity: This is a chance to innovate and solve real-world challenges using AI at a company with unique access to world-leading models and resources.
• Career Growth: We offer competitive compensation, benefits, and significant career growth opportunities as a foundational member of the team.
• World-Class Environment: Enjoy a flexible working environment and the latest tools & technologies needed to do your best work.