Asset Operations Manager

Big Fish Consult; Makkah Region; On-site; SAR 400,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

Big Fish Consult seeks an Asset Operations Manager for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to lead end-to-end operational performance, readiness, and value creation across an asset portfolio. You will coordinate internal teams, third‑party operators, O&M contractors, government authorities, and external stakeholders to activate, operate, and optimize assets.

The role requires senior asset operations experience, budgeting, risk management, and a customer‑focused service approach.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in a related field.
• 15+ years of asset operations or related experience.
• Senior leadership in multi-asset environments.
• Experience managing third-party operators and performance-based contracts.
• Strong knowledge of operational risk, HSE, and regulatory compliance.
• Proven budgeting, financial monitoring, and cost-optimization skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end operational readiness, activation, and performance for all assets.
• Coordinate with operators, O&M contractors, and regulators to activate and operate assets.
• Oversee daily operations and ensure service delivery meets standards.
• Establish and improve operational standards, governance, and delivery models.
• Drive asset performance, lifecycle value, and customer experience.
• Prepare and monitor annual operations budgets and financial performance.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
• Ensure risk, safety, security, and business continuity protocols are in place.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Communication

KPI development

Budgeting

Ops cost optimization

Contract management

Risk management

HSE compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Real Estate, Facilities Management, Operations Management, or related discipline

Job description

Asset Operations Manager – Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Lead the end-to-end operational performance, readiness, and value creation of the asset portfolio. The role is accountable for ensuring operational continuity, asset performance, customer experience, financial efficiency, risk management, and effective operator performance across the portfolio.

The position will act as the asset owner’s operational lead, coordinating internal functions, technical teams, third-party operators, O&M contractors, government authorities, and external stakeholders to ensure assets are activated, operated, and continuously optimized in line with business objectives, operational standards, and defined KPIs.

About the Role:

Asset Operations & Operational Continuity

• Lead the end-to-end operational readiness, activation, and ongoing performance of all assets in support of the overall portfolio activation.
• Lead coordination with operators to ensure asset development, operational readiness, mobilization, and successful transition into operations
• Oversee daily operations through the technical and operational teams, ensuring services are delivered efficiently and in accordance with defined performance standards
• Establish and continuously improve operational standards, processes, governance frameworks, and service delivery models
• Drive continuous improvement in asset reliability, efficiency, sustainability, lifecycle value, and customer experience
• Ensure the timely activation and operational readiness of assets in accordance with approved development and business plans.

Asset Performance & Value Creation

• Drive asset performance and value creation across the portfolio through effective operational strategies and performance management.
• Define and monitor asset-level performance indicators covering operational efficiency, reliability, profitability, asset value growth, customer centricity, and operator performance.
• Identify opportunities to improve asset utilization, operational efficiency, service quality, and lifecycle value.
• Ensure operational decisions support long-term asset value and commercial objectives.
• Benchmark asset and operator performance and implement improvement initiatives where required.
• Lead the preparation of the annual operations budget for the asset portfolio in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor operational financial performance against approved budgets, forecasts, and business plans.
• Drive operations cost optimization while maintaining required service quality, safety, customer experience, and asset performance standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, reduce unnecessary expenditure, and maximize value from operational contracts and service providers.
• Ensure operators and contractors operate within approved financial and commercial parameters.

Risk, Safety, Security & Business Continuity

• Establish and regularly review safety, asset risk, operational risk, crisis management, and business continuity protocols.
• Ensure operational risk frameworks address critical assets, technical systems, operational dependencies, service continuity, and potential business disruption.
• Ensure compliance with applicable HSE, regulatory, safety, security, and operational requirements.
• Conduct ongoing checks, audits, and reviews of health, safety, and security systems across the portfolio.
• Identify operational and asset-related risks and ensure mitigation plans are developed, implemented, and regularly reviewed.
• Lead or coordinate crisis response and recovery processes where required to protect people, assets, operations, and business continuity.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Real Estate, Facilities Management, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
• 15+ years of relevant experience in asset operations, property operations, facilities management, technical operations, real estate, hospitality, destination management, or a comparable asset-intensive environment.
• Proven senior leadership experience managing complex, multi-asset operational environments.
• Strong experience managing third-party operators, O&M contractors, service providers, and performance-based contracts.
• Demonstrated experience in asset performance management, operational readiness, activation, and business continuity.
• Strong understanding of operational risk, HSE, security, crisis management, and regulatory compliance.
• Commercially astute, with experience in budgeting, financial performance monitoring, and operations cost optimization.
• Strong understanding of customer-centric asset operations and service delivery.
• Experience working with government authorities and multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong capability in KPI development, performance monitoring, governance, reporting, and escalation.
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, negotiation, and communication skills.