Chief Operations Officer (COO) - F&B | Saudi Arabia

RAWAJ; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 850,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

RAWAJ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia seeks a strategic Chief Operating Officer to oversee operations across multiple departments and guide expansion. The role emphasizes brand standards, food safety, and customer experience, with a track record in leading large teams within reputable restaurant brands or F&B retail businesses.

The CEO will drive KPI reporting, budget adherence, and performance improvements while coordinating with senior management on growth plans and profitability initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Engineering, or a related field. An MBA is an advantage.
• At least 2 years of experience in a COO position or 5 years as an Operations Director, with leadership and operational achievement.
• Proven experience within well-known restaurant brands or established F&B retail businesses.
• Strong experience managing Operations, R&D, Maintenance, Projects, and Call Center.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large teams and drive business performance.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budgeting, cost control, and profitability improvement.
• Experience in restaurant expansion, operational standardization, and multi-site management.
• Excellent strategic planning, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills in Arabic and English.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the company’s overall operations, ensuring efficiency, consistency, and alignment with strategic objectives.
• Develop and implement operational strategies to support business growth, profitability, and expansion.
• Oversee restaurant operations and ensure compliance with brand standards, food safety requirements, and service quality expectations.
• Manage and coordinate multiple departments, including Operations, R&D, Maintenance, Projects, and Call Center.
• Establish and monitor KPIs, operational performance metrics, and reporting frameworks across all departments.
• Drive process improvements, operational efficiency, cost optimization, and resource utilization.
• Oversee new restaurant openings, projects, and operational readiness to support business expansion.
• Collaborate with senior management to develop business plans, budgets, and growth strategies.
• Monitor financial and operational performance, identifying opportunities to improve profitability and productivity.
• Ensure consistent customer experience and service standards across all locations and business units.
• Lead, develop, and mentor departmental heads, fostering accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Identify operational risks and implement effective solutions to ensure business continuity and sustainable growth.

Skills

Operations leadership

Bilingual Arabic/English

Strategic planning

Budgeting & cost control

Multi-department management

Education

Bachelor's in Business Admin / related field

MBA (advantage)

Job description

Join a leading F&B retail brand in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Chief Operating Officer (COO). We are seeking a strategic and results-driven executive with extensive experience in restaurant operations and multi-department management to oversee the company’s operations, drive business growth, and ensure operational excellence across its business units.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in well-known restaurant brands, with the ability to lead diverse functions, optimize operational performance, and support the company’s long-term expansion strategy.

Key Accountabilities

The position involves:

• Lead and oversee the company’s overall operations, ensuring efficiency, consistency, and alignment with strategic objectives.

• Develop and implement operational strategies to support business growth, profitability, and expansion.

• Oversee restaurant operations and ensure compliance with brand standards, food safety requirements, and service quality expectations.

• Manage and coordinate multiple departments, including Operations, Research & Development (R&D), Maintenance, Projects, and Call Center.

• Establish and monitor KPIs, operational performance metrics, and reporting frameworks across all departments.

• Drive process improvements, operational efficiency, cost optimization, and resource utilization.

• Oversee new restaurant openings, projects, and operational readiness to support business expansion.

• Collaborate with senior management to develop business plans, budgets, and growth strategies.

• Monitor financial and operational performance, identifying opportunities to improve profitability and productivity.

• Ensure consistent customer experience and service standards across all locations and business units.

• Lead, develop, and mentor departmental heads, fostering accountability, collaboration, and high performance.

• Identify operational risks and implement effective solutions to ensure business continuity and sustainable growth.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

We Are Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Engineering, or a related field. An MBA is an advantage.

• At least2 years of experience in a COO position or5 years of experience as an Operations Director, with a strong record of leadership and operational achievement.

• Proven experience within well-known restaurant brands or established F&B retail businesses.

• Strong experience managing multiple departments, particularly Operations, R&D, Maintenance, Projects, and Call Center functions.

• Demonstrated ability to lead large teams, manage complex operations, and drive business performance.

• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budgeting, cost control, and profitability improvement.

• Experience in restaurant expansion, operational standardization, and multi-site management is highly preferred.

• Excellent strategic planning, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills in Arabic and English.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities, and deliver measurable results.