Strategic Operational Readiness Lead

Qiddiya Investment Company; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 350,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Qiddiya Investment Company seeks a senior leader to drive operational readiness across major assets and programmes, ensuring a controlled transition from project delivery to safe, compliant operations. You will define strategy, governance, and activation gates while aligning senior stakeholders on priorities and risks.

You will oversee cross-functional readiness planning across people, process, technology, facilities and safety, chair reviews, and guide teams through stage gates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in business administration, engineering, operations management, project management or related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• PMP, PRINCE2, facilities management, operational readiness, HSE, risk or programme management certification is preferred.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in operational readiness, mobilisation, project delivery or asset activation for major or complex programmes.

Responsibilities

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

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Governance

Risk management

Operational readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, operations management, project management or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

Qiddiya Investment Company seeks a senior leader to drive operational readiness across major assets and programmes, ensuring a controlled transition from project delivery to safe, compliant operations. You will define strategy, governance, and activation gates while aligning senior stakeholders on priorities and risks.

You will oversee cross-functional readiness planning across people, process, technology, facilities and safety, chair reviews, and guide teams through stage gates.