Head Operations

Job Description:

Job Description – Head Operations
Manufacturing, Engineering & Supply Chain
Location: Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Reports To: General Manager / Plant Head
Function: Operations
Industry Focus: Oil & Gas – Upstream Manufacturing & Remanufacturing
About the Joint Venture
• Kanoo-Unimech Advanced Manufacturing Solutions is a strategic joint venture between
Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Company Limited, one of the most respected business
groups in the GCC, and Unimech Aerospace and Manufacturing Limited, a publicly
listed precision engineering and advanced manufacturing company from India.
• The JV is being established in MODON 2, Dammam, to build an advanced
manufacturing and remanufacturing platform serving the Oil & Gas upstream sector in
Saudi Arabia. The facility will focus on high-precision CNC machining, remanufacturing,
welding/fabrication, assembly, and special process-related capabilities for critical
upstream applications.
• The JV is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, IKTVA localization objectives, and the
growing demand for in-Kingdom manufacturing capability to support energy customers,
OEMs, EPCs, and service companies.
Role Summary
• The Head Operations will be responsible for leading the end-to-end operational
execution of the JV facility, including production, manufacturing engineering,
maintenance, procurement, supply chain, stores, planning, and operational
excellence.
• This is a critical leadership role reporting to the General Manager / Plant Head. The

role requires a hands-on, execution-driven leader with strong experience in API-
certified manufacturing environments, large CNC machining operations,

welding/fabrication, greenfield plant setup, and scale-up of complex
manufacturing operations.
• The Head Operations will be responsible for converting the JV’s business plan into a
high-performing, customer-qualified, cost-efficient, and scalable manufacturing
operation.
Key Responsibilities
1. Overall Operations Leadership
• Lead complete plant operations covering production, manufacturing engineering,
maintenance, procurement, stores, supply chain, production planning, and operational
excellence.
• Translate the business plan into executable production, manpower, machine, capacity,
and supply chain plans.

• Ensure the facility achieves planned output, cost, delivery, productivity, safety, and
customer-readiness targets.
• Establish strong daily, weekly, and monthly operating review mechanisms.
• Drive accountability across all operational functions and build a performance-oriented
manufacturing culture.
2. Greenfield Plant Setup & Ramp-Up
• Lead operational readiness for the greenfield facility, including plant layout, machine
placement, material flow, utilities, stores, internal logistics, and production systems.
• Support installation, commissioning, trial runs, and stabilization of CNC machines,
fabrication equipment, and supporting infrastructure.
• Build operating systems from the ground up, including SOPs, work instructions,
maintenance systems, stores controls, production dashboards, and escalation processes.
• Ensure the plant is ready for API, ISO, customer audits, and industrial licensing
requirements.
• Drive phased ramp-up from initial production to full-scale operations in line with the JV
business plan.
3. Production & Manufacturing Execution
• Own delivery of production plans across CNC machining, welding/fabrication, assembly,
and remanufacturing operations.
• Ensure effective utilization of machines, manpower, tooling, fixtures, and materials.
• Drive improvements in cycle time, setup time, machine utilization, throughput,
productivity, and cost per part.
• Establish strong shopfloor discipline, production control, shift planning, and output
tracking.
• Ensure operational readiness for machining and remanufacturing of upstream oilfield
components such as drilling tools, wellhead components, pressure control parts, valves,
repair parts, and other high-integrity components.
4. Manufacturing Engineering & Industrialization
• Lead manufacturing engineering activities including process planning, methoding, CNC
programming governance, fixture development, tool selection, cycle time optimization,
and process validation.
• Support new product introduction, first article development, DFM reviews, routing
definition, and manufacturing feasibility.
• Build robust process engineering systems for repeatability, productivity, and quality at
source.
• Drive standardization of manufacturing processes across machining, fabrication,
welding, assembly, and remanufacturing.
• Work closely with Quality to ensure process controls are aligned with API, ISO, and
customer-specific requirements.

5. Maintenance, Reliability & Asset Utilization
• Establish preventive, predictive, and breakdown maintenance systems for all plant
assets.
• Drive high uptime and reliability of CNC machines, fabrication equipment, utilities,
cranes, compressors, and supporting infrastructure.
• Implement TPM and structured maintenance KPIs.
• Own OEE improvement, machine availability, MTTR, MTBF, spare parts planning, and
maintenance cost control.
• Ensure all critical assets are maintained in audit-ready condition.
6. Procurement, Supply Chain & Stores
• Lead end-to-end supply chain covering procurement, vendor development, import
logistics, stores, inventory, subcontracting, and consumables planning.
• Develop local and global supplier base for raw materials, tools, fixtures, consumables,
spares, subcontract processes, and services.
• Ensure material availability to support production schedules while maintaining strong
inventory discipline.
• Build vendor qualification and performance review systems.
• Drive cost reduction, supplier reliability, lead-time reduction, and working capital
efficiency.
• Support localization through development of capable in-Kingdom suppliers wherever
feasible.
7. Quality, API & Customer Readiness Support
• Work closely with the Quality Head, who will report independently to the GM, to ensure
operational compliance with API, ISO, HSE, and customer audit requirements.
• Ensure production processes are built with quality at source, traceability,
documentation discipline, and process control.
• Support API Q1, API monogram, ISO, customer qualification, and supplier audit
readiness.
• Lead closure of operational actions arising from audits, NCRs, customer feedback, and
qualification reviews.
• Ensure shopfloor practices support a zero-defect and right-first-time culture.
8. Customer & Cross-Functional Interface
• Participate in customer audits, technical discussions, manufacturing readiness reviews,
and capacity discussions.
• Support the GM in operational discussions with key customers, OEMs, EPCs, and
upstream service companies.
• Provide credible operational inputs on lead times, capacity, manufacturing feasibility,
delivery readiness, and ramp-up plans.
• Coordinate with Business Development, Quality, Finance, and HR to ensure seamless
execution of customer commitments.

9. Lean Manufacturing & Operational Excellence
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, TPM, SMED, value-stream mapping, visual
management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish a daily management system covering safety, quality, delivery, cost,
productivity, and people metrics.
• Identify and eliminate waste across production, stores, supply chain, maintenance, and
engineering processes.
• Build a continuous improvement culture across the plant.
• Lead structured cost-reduction and productivity-improvement programs.
10. People Leadership & Localization
• Build and lead a high-performing operations organization across production,
engineering, maintenance, procurement, stores, and planning.
• Manage and develop a team size expected to exceed 100 employees as the facility scales.
• Develop local Saudi talent in alignment with localization and IKTVA objectives.
• Create strong second-line leadership and succession depth across all operational
functions.
• Build a culture of discipline, ownership, safety, learning, and execution excellence.
Key Performance Indicators
• The Head Operations will be accountable for delivering measurable operating
performance, including:
• Production output against plan
• On-Time Delivery
• OEE and machine utilization
• First Pass Yield and rework reduction
• Productivity per employee / per machine
• Cost reduction and manufacturing cost control
• Inventory turns and working capital discipline
• Supplier performance and material availability
• Maintenance uptime, MTTR, MTBF
• Audit readiness and closure of operational actions
• Safety performance and HSE compliance
• Localization and workforce capability development
Qualifications & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production
Engineering, or related discipline. Master’s degree preferred.
• 18+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, with significant exposure to
precision machining, fabrication, welding, and industrial manufacturing.
• Mandatory experience in API-certified manufacturing environments.

• Strong experience in Oil & Gas upstream manufacturing or remanufacturing is
highly preferred.
• Proven experience managing large CNC machining operations, preferably with more
than 20 CNC machines.
• Experience in welding, fabrication, assembly, repair, or remanufacturing operations.
• Proven greenfield plant setup or major capacity expansion experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams of more than 100 people.
• Strong understanding of production planning, manufacturing engineering, maintenance,
procurement, supply chain, and stores.
• Experience in Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured operational
excellence systems.
• Exposure to GCC / Saudi manufacturing ecosystem will be an added advantage.
Ideal Candidate Profile
• The ideal candidate will have worked in a high-discipline manufacturing environment
serving Oil & Gas upstream customers, OEMs, EPCs, or critical equipment
manufacturers. The candidate should bring a strong combination of shopfloor
leadership, technical manufacturing depth, commercial discipline, and the ability to
build systems from scratch.
• The role is best suited for a leader who has successfully operated in API-led
manufacturing environments and has managed complex machining, fabrication, and
assembly operations with demanding quality, delivery, and customer audit
requirements.
Key Competencies
• Strong execution orientation and ownership mindset
• Deep understanding of API-led manufacturing environments
• Strong CNC machining and manufacturing engineering knowledge
• Experience in welding/fabrication and high-integrity component manufacturing
• Ability to build greenfield operations from concept to steady-state production
• Strong cost, productivity, and working capital discipline
• Hands-on leadership style with strong shopfloor presence
• Ability to work in a JV structure and manage cross-cultural stakeholders
• Strong problem-solving and escalation management capability
• Commitment to safety, quality, delivery, and continuous improvement