Operations Manager – Food Importation, Wholesale & Distribution

RIG (Recruitment International Group); Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 460,000; Full time

Job summary

RIG (Recruitment International Group) in Dubai seeks an experienced Operations Manager to take full ownership of daily operations, including imports, warehousing, inventory, and wholesale distribution. You will lead teams and external suppliers, drive efficiency, and support scale.

You will work directly with the business owner to optimize processes, reduce costs, and enable future expansion in a growing food distribution business.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as an Operations Manager or senior operations leader.
• Strong background in food importation and wholesale distribution.
• Experience managing international imports, warehousing and logistics.
• Knowledge of UAE customs procedures and food import regulations.
• Experience leading teams and reducing operating costs.
• Experience in a growing SME or owner-managed business is a plus.
• Highly organised and capable of managing multiple operational functions.

Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for daily operations across all functions.
• Manage international product imports, freight forwarders, and customs.
• Oversee warehousing, inventory, order fulfilment and distribution.
• Manage wholesale operations for timely deliveries to B2B customers.
• Oversee logistics, transport, delivery scheduling and 3PLs.
• Ensure food storage, cold-chain compliance and safety regulations.
• Lead operational teams, establish procedures and drive improvements.
• Monitor expenditures and supplier costs; manage inventory wastage.
• Coordinate with finance to align operational and financial processes.

Skills

Operations leadership

Food importation

Wholesale distribution

Supply chain operations

International imports

Warehousing

Inventory management

Logistics management

UAE customs knowledge

Food safety knowledge

Team leadership

Cost control

Job description

Industry: Food & Beverage / FMCG / Wholesale Distribution

Reporting To: Business Owner

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

About the Opportunity

We are recruiting an experienced and commercially minded Operations Manager on behalf of an established, growing Dubai-based food importation and wholesale distribution business.

This is a senior, hands-on position offering full responsibility for the company's day-to-day operations, including international imports, supply chain management, warehousing, inventory control, logistics and wholesale distribution.

Reporting directly to the business owner, the successful candidate will take ownership of operational performance, manage teams and external suppliers, improve efficiencies and ensure the business is structured to support continued growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for daily business operations, ensuring efficient coordination across all operational functions.
• Manage international product imports, including overseas suppliers, freight forwarders, customs clearance and shipping arrangements.
• Oversee warehousing, inventory management, stock control, order fulfilment and distribution.
• Manage wholesale operations, ensuring timely and accurate deliveries to B2B customers.
• Oversee logistics, transportation, delivery scheduling and third-party service providers.
• Ensure appropriate food storage, cold-chain management and compliance with UAE food safety and import regulations.
• Lead operational teams, establish procedures and implement performance improvements.
• Monitor operational expenditure, supplier costs, logistics expenses and inventory wastage.
• Provide oversight of the existing finance team to ensure operational and financial processes are aligned, without responsibility for day-to-day accounting.
• Work closely with the business owner to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and support future expansion.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience as an Operations Manager, Head of Operations or similar senior operational leader.
• Strong background in food importation, FMCG, wholesale distribution or food supply chain operations.
• Demonstrable experience managing international imports, warehousing, inventory and logistics.
• Good knowledge of UAE customs procedures, food import regulations and supply chain requirements.
• Experience handling chilled, frozen or temperature-sensitive food products would be advantageous.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience managing operational teams and external suppliers.
• Commercial awareness and a track record of improving operational efficiency and controlling costs.
• Experience within a growing SME or owner-managed business would be particularly beneficial.
• Highly organised, proactive and capable of independently managing multiple operational functions.

The Opportunity

This position offers considerable autonomy and the opportunity to take full ownership of operations within a growing food distribution business.

The successful candidate will work directly with the owner, playing a central role in strengthening operational processes, managing the supply chain and supporting the company's continued expansion.