Senior Manager - Operational Readiness - 50013214 - DA3

Qiddiya; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

Qiddiya seeks a seasoned leader to provide strategic direction for operational readiness across major assets and programmes in Saudi Arabia. You will govern assurance, activation decisions, and ensure alignment of senior stakeholders on priorities, risks and outcomes.

The role drives readiness planning across people, processes, technology and facilities, chairs senior readiness reviews, and leads continuous improvement to safeguard safety, compliance and activation timelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, operations management, project management or related field.
• Master’s degree is preferred.
• PMP, PRINCE2 or related certifications are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define operational readiness strategy, governance, standards, assurance methodology and activation gates.
• Lead integrated readiness planning across people, process, technology, facilities, safety, and service.
• Provide senior oversight of readiness milestones, risks, issues, decisions and evidence-based status.
• Embed operational requirements across design, procurement, commissioning, handover, mobilisation.
• Chair senior readiness reviews and direct recovery plans for critical gaps.
• Oversee operating model, workforce, training, SOP, OS&E, tech, facilities and service readiness.
• Govern permits, licenses and regulatory interfaces with clear ownership.
• Advise executive leadership on status, activation options and residual risks.
• Lead assurance reviews, inspections, rehearsals and operational trials.
• Oversee consultants, contractors and operators ensuring scope, quality, schedule.
• Build team capability through direction, coaching and performance management.
• Champion continuous improvement and standardization across readiness function.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder mgmt

Operational readiness

Governance

Risk management

PM/Program mgmt

Change management

Communication

Training & coaching

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor's in Business or Eng/OM/PM

Master's degree preferred

Tools

PMP

PRINCE2

Facilities management

Operational readiness

HSE

Risk management cert

Programme management cert

Job description

General Summary:

Provide strategic leadership for operational readiness across major assets and programmes, ensuring an integrated and controlled transition from project delivery into safe, compliant and sustainable operations. The role sets readiness direction, governs assurance and activation decisions, and aligns senior stakeholders on priorities, risks and outcomes.

Responsibilities:

• 1. Define operational readiness strategy, governance, standards, assurance methodology and activation decision gates for assigned portfolios.
• 2. Lead integrated readiness planning across people, process, technology, facilities, safety, security, commercial, regulatory and service workstreams.
• 3. Provide senior oversight of readiness milestones, interdependencies, risks, issues, decisions and evidence-based completion status.
• 4. Ensure operational requirements are embedded across design, procurement, commissioning, handover, mobilisation and opening plans.
• 5. Chair senior readiness reviews and direct recovery plans for critical gaps that may affect safety, compliance, customer experience or activation dates.
• 6. Oversee operating model, workforce, training, SOP, OS&E, technology, facilities and service mobilisation readiness.
• 7. Provide governance for permits, licenses and regulatory interfaces, ensuring accountable teams maintain clear ownership and timely delivery.
• 8. Advise executive leadership on readiness status, activation options, residual risks and required decisions.
• 9. Lead assurance reviews, inspections, rehearsals and operational trials, and recommend readiness to proceed through key stage gates.
• 10. Oversee consultants, contractors and operators supporting readiness, ensuring clear scope, quality, schedule and accountability.
• 11. Build team capability through direction, coaching, performance management and consistent quality standards.
• 12. Champion continuous improvement, lessons learned and standardization across the operational readiness function.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, operations management, project management or a related discipline. Master’s degree is preferred.

Professional Certifications (if required)

PMP, PRINCE2, facilities management, operational readiness, HSE, risk or programme management certification is preferred.

Years of Experience

7+ years of relevant experience in operational readiness, mobilisation, project delivery or asset activation for major or complex programmes.