Operations Lead

Zest Equity; Dubai; On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Zest Equity is looking for a strategic operator to join their team, driving operational excellence in a dynamic startup environment. This role encompasses owning strategic initiatives and tactical execution to support the company's growth and ensure sustainable success. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in systems building, a collaborative mindset, and proficiency in operational frameworks.

Qualifications

• Experience: 8-12 years in operations or strategic programs, ideally in startups.
• Proven success in building systems and scaling operations.
• Fluency in English; Arabic is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own business dashboards and strategic initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives from planning to delivery.
• Implement tools that enhance collaboration and streamline processes.

Skills

Strategic Execution

Process Design

Project Management

Collaboration

Systems Thinking

Agile Methodology

Fluency in English

MENA Regional Knowledge

Tools

Notion

Asana

Airtable

Slack

HubSpot

Job description

Zest Equity is seeking an exceptional operator to build the operational backbone of the business. This is not a conventional operations role — we're looking for a strategic partner, a third brain to the Co-Founders, who brings clarity, structure, and executional excellence across all functions.

As a core team member, you'll be embedded throughout the organization, owning both strategic initiatives and tactical execution. You'll design and implement the systems, processes, and operating rhythms needed to support our next phase of growth and ensure scalable, sustainable success.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Execution

• Own business dashboards and reporting to ensure focus on the highest-impact work
• Act as a thought partner on strategic decisions and initiatives
• Ensure tight linkage between execution and long-term company vision
• Drive key initiatives forward with discipline and accountability

Process Design & Automation

• Identify inefficiencies and lead process design to streamline and scale
• Build execution frameworks and operating cadences for focus and alignment
• Implement tools and systems that enhance collaboration and reduce friction
• Champion structured documentation and automation to reduce single points of failure

Project & Program Management

• Lead cross-functional initiatives end-to-end, from planning to delivery
• Apply frameworks like Kanban, Agile, or OKRs to organize workflows
• Bring clarity, structure, and accountability across teams and projects

Org & Team Operations

• Ensure governance, compliance, and proper reporting across entities
• Own internal operations: hiring processes, onboarding, performance cycles, and planning
• Support team leads in building maturity within their functions
• Help shape a high-performance culture that balances speed with precision

Requirements

• Experience: 8-12 years in operations, strategic programs, or consulting; ideally with time in Series A-B+ startups or scale-ups
• Track Record: Proven success building systems from scratch and scaling operations
• Industry Knowledge: Experience in private markets or capital transactions is a strong plus (SPVs, investor onboarding, custody, compliance workflows)
• Tools: Proficient in modern operational stacks — Notion, Asana, Airtable, Slack, HubSpot
• Methodology: Familiarity with operational frameworks — Agile, Lean, Kanban, OKRs
• Languages: Fluency in English required; Arabic is a strong plus
• Regional Fit: MENA experience is preferred, or strong cultural/market understanding

Key Attributes

• A builder at heart — thrives in ambiguity and designs systems from scratch
• Reliable and accountable — owns outcomes end-to-end
• A systems thinker — balances big-picture design with detail-oriented execution
• Fast but intentional — focused on real impact, not just activity
• Collaborative leader — elevates the operational standards of the entire team
• Motivated by mission-driven work and excited to shape the future of private markets in the region