General Manager Engineering

Express Food Company; Jeddah; On-site; SAR 600,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Express Food Company is seeking a General Manager – Engineering to lead its Engineering organization and guide capital projects, restaurant development, and operations across the growing QSR network in the region.

Reporting to the CEO, this executive role shapes engineering strategy, ensures on-time openings, regulatory compliance, and optimal asset performance while building a world-class function and collaborating with external consultants and suppliers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil or Industrial Engineering or Industrial Engineering; Master's degree an advantage.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive Engineering experience, including 8+ years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven leadership in Engineering, Maintenance, PMO and Capital Projects within a large multi-site organisation.
• Strong background in QSR, F&B, Hospitality, Retail, FMCG or Manufacturing sectors.
• Experience delivering large-scale expansion programs and time-critical construction projects.
• Strong financial acumen with CAPEX/OPEX and engineering investments guidance.
• Excellent leadership, strategic planning, stakeholder management and problem-solving abilities.
• Professional certifications such as PMP, CMRP, Lean Six Sigma are preferred.
• Fluent in English; Arabic is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Company's Engineering function including Operations, PMO, Maintenance and Capital Projects.
• Develop and execute an Engineering strategy to support growth, restaurant expansion and excellence.
• Ensure new restaurant openings, relocations and refurbishments are delivered on time, within budget and to quality standards.
• Drive asset reliability, availability and maintenance effectiveness across all locations.
• Oversee governance, technical standards and regulatory compliance per Saudi regulations and health & safety.
• Manage CAPEX and OPEX budgets while optimizing costs and asset lifecycle.
• Build a high-performing Engineering organization with accountability and continuous improvement.
• Establish partnerships with consultants, contractors, suppliers and stakeholders for successful projects.
• Serve as senior engineering advisor to the Executive Leadership Team on infrastructure and capital investments.

Skills

Engineering leadership

PMO leadership

Capital projects

Regulatory compliance

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil or Industrial Engineering

Master's degree (advantage)

Tools

PMP certification

CMRP certification

Lean Six Sigma

Job description

Job Summary

Express Food Company is looking for an exceptional Engineering Executive to lead its Engineering organization and support one of the fastest growing Quick Service Restaurant businesses in the region. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, this executive leadership role is responsible for shaping the Company's engineering strategy, leading capital projects, restaurant development, maintenance, and engineering operations, while ensuring on time restaurant openings, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and sustainable business growth. This is a unique opportunity to influence the Company's expansion strategy and build a world class Engineering function.

Purpose

To lead the Company's Engineering function by providing strategic direction across capital projects, restaurant development, project management, maintenance and asset management, ensuring on time restaurant openings, operational excellence, regulatory compliance and optimized engineering performance while supporting the Company's long term growth strategy and delivering an exceptional customer experience.

Why Join Express Food Company (EFC)

At Express Food Company, Engineering is a strategic business function that drives growth, innovation, and operational excellence.

As our General Manager – Engineering, you will lead one of the most critical functions in the organization, overseeing capital projects, restaurant development, engineering operations, maintenance, and technical governance across a rapidly expanding Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) business.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you will play a key role in shaping our future by delivering new restaurant openings, leading major capital investments, improving asset performance, and building a world-class engineering organization.

If you are an executive leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about delivering operational excellence, we invite you to join our leadership team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Company's Engineering function, including Engineering Operations, Project Management Office (PMO), Maintenance and Capital Projects.
• Develop and execute the Engineering strategy to support business growth, restaurant expansion and operational excellence.
• Ensure the successful delivery of new restaurant openings, relocations and refurbishment projects on time, within budget and to the Company's quality standards.
• Drive engineering performance by maximizing asset reliability, equipment availability and maintenance effectiveness across all restaurants and facilities.
• Lead engineering governance, technical standards and regulatory compliance, ensuring full adherence to Saudi regulations and health & safety requirements.
• Manage engineering CAPEX and OPEX budgets while driving cost optimization and improving asset lifecycle performance.
• Build and develop a high-performing Engineering organization, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with consultants, contractors, suppliers and key stakeholders to ensure successful project execution.
• Act as the Company's senior engineering advisor, providing strategic recommendations to the Executive Leadership Team on engineering, infrastructure and capital investment matters.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree In Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering. A Master's degree is an advantage.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive Engineering experience, including at least 8 years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven leadership experience managing Engineering, Maintenance, PMO and Capital Projects within a large multi-site organization.
• Strong background in the QSR, Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Retail, FMCG or Manufacturing sectors.
• Demonstrated success in delivering large-scale expansion programs and time-critical construction projects.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing CAPEX, OPEX and engineering investment decisions.
• Excellent leadership, strategic planning, stakeholder management and problem-solving capabilities.
• Professional certifications such as PMP, CMRP, Lean Six Sigma or equivalent are preferred.
• Fluent in English. Arabic is an advantage.