:

– 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 robust 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

- 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.
- 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.
- 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.

- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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

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