Managing Director – Catering & Facilities Management
Location: UAE
Industry: Catering | Facilities Management | Events | Integrated Support Services
About the Role:
We are hiring an experienced and commercially driven Managing Director / Chief Operating Officer to provide strategic leadership and overall direction for an established Catering, Facilities Management and Events business in the UAE. The role requires a senior business leader with strong commercial acumen, operational depth and the ability to drive business transformation, performance improvement and sustainable growth. Candidates with demonstrated experience in business turnaround, restructuring and organizational transformation will be particularly relevant.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute the overall business strategy, objectives and growth plans.
- Provide leadership across Catering Operations, Events, Facilities Management, Business Development, Finance, HR, Procurement and Administration.
- Drive sustainable revenue growth through new business development, contract acquisition and strengthening key client relationships.
- Take ownership of overall P&L performance, profitability, cash flow, budgets and cost management.
- Identify and implement initiatives to improve operational efficiency, productivity, margins and business performance.
- Lead business transformation and restructuring initiatives where required.
- Oversee large-scale catering and facilities management contracts, ensuring achievement of agreed SLAs, KPIs, service standards and client expectations.
- Strengthen relationships with key clients, suppliers, strategic partners and other external stakeholders.
- Lead major tenders, pricing strategies, contract negotiations and commercial agreements.
- Review business and operational performance and implement appropriate corrective and improvement initiatives.
- Ensure high standards of service quality, food safety, HSE and regulatory compliance.
- Lead, mentor and develop the senior management and operational teams, creating a culture of accountability and high performance.
- Establish appropriate policies, processes and performance standards to ensure consistent service delivery across operations.
- Identify market opportunities and new areas of growth to strengthen the organization's competitive position.
Candidate Profile:
The ideal candidate will have:
- Significant senior leadership experience as a Managing Director, COO, General Manager, Business Head or equivalent.
- Strong experience within Catering, Events, Contract Catering, Facilities Management, Integrated Facilities Management, Hospitality or related service industries.
- Proven experience managing a large and complex P&L.
- Demonstrated exposure to business turnaround, restructuring, transformation or performance improvement initiatives.
- Strong understanding of commercial operations, budgeting, profitability, cash-flow management and cost optimization.
- Proven experience managing large operational teams and multiple client contracts.
- Strong capabilities in business development, commercial negotiations, tendering and contract management.
- Excellent client and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong strategic thinking, decision-making and problem-solving capability.
- Ability to lead teams effectively in a complex, fast-paced and performance-driven environment.
- Sound understanding of HSE, food safety, quality management and regulatory compliance.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Facility Management, Operations Management or a related discipline.
- MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification would be an advantage.
- Strong UAE/GCC market experience would be preferred.
Key Competencies
Strategic Leadership | Business Transformation | Business Turnaround | P&L Management | Commercial Management | Business Development | Operational Excellence | Contract Management | Stakeholder Management | Cost Optimization | Client Relationship Management | Team Leadership | Commercial Negotiation
