General Manager - Country Operations

Job Description

Job Purpose:The General Manager - Country Operations is the single accountable leader for all manufacturing and delivery operations within the country, responsible for one or more sites and owning the full Order-to-Cash (OTC) execution spine from order intake through to revenue recognition. The role carries full P&L accountability and disciplinary leadership of all in-country functions — Operations, Supply Chain, QHSE, Project Management, Planning, and Support — ensuring each site operates in full compliance with FPI standards and applicable local regulations, with particular emphasis on Health, Safety and Environment.

The job holder drives operational efficiency, optimises plant output, and embeds a culture of continuous improvement and high standards across all sites in line with business requirements. Commercial authority — including pricing, bid approval, and terms — rests with the global Commercial function; the General Manager - Country Operations is accountable for translating confirmed orders into on-time, on-cost, on-quality delivery and converting backlog into revenue.

Job Dimension:

• P&L Ownership: Full country P&L: revenue recognition from order conversion, COGS, manufacturing cost, and country-level SG&A.
• CAPEX Authority: Develop and steward site CapEx plans in line with global Engineering/Manufacturing standards; subject to COO approval thresholds.
• Cost Control: Conversion cost, operational SG&A, and working capital efficiency within the country.

Key Accountabilities:

Order to Cash Delivery:

• Own execution of all confirmed orders from handover by Commercial/Bids through to product delivery and revenue recognition.
• Ensure project milestones, delivery schedules, and quality release gates are met.
• Drive backlog conversion discipline: eliminate bottlenecks, resolve escalations, maintain customer schedule commitments.
• Serve as primary operational interface to the customer post-order.
• Coordinate with Project Management, Planning, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to maintain one aligned delivery plan per order.

Manufacturing & Operations:

• Accountable for plant operations across all in-country sites: production output, OEE, conversion cost, and resource utilisation.
• Ensure production meets agreed quality, efficiency, and delivery standards.
• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance to minimise downtime.
• Drive Right-First-Time (RFT) performance.
• Implement continuous improvement programmes; embed 5S, standard work, and problem-solving in daily management.

Planning & SOP:

• Own the in-country S&OP process: baseline scheduling, capacity planning, and shopfloor sequencing aligned to the global planning framework.
• Ensure one integrated plan drives manufacturing, supply chain, and delivery commitments.
• Escalate capacity constraints or supply risks to the COO with proposed corrective actions.

Supply Chain:

• Accountable for in-country procurement execution, inbound logistics, and warehousing in line with global Supply Chain standards.
• Accountable for outbound delivery and logistics performance.
• Work with the global Supply Chain function on procurement governance, supplier performance, and inventory control.

P&L and Financial Performance:

• Own the country P&L: revenue from order conversion, manufacturing cost, and country SG&A.
• Ensure budget targets are met; define corrective action plans where performance is behind budget.
• Develop CapEx plans for each site.
• Identify and implement cost-saving initiatives.
• Provide timely, accurate financial reporting to COO and CFO/FP&A.

Country Leadership & Alignment:

• Hold disciplinary leadership of all in-country teams: Operations, Supply Chain, Planning, QHSE, Project Management, Engineering support, P&C, Finance, and shared-service interfaces.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment within the country.
• Lead local sales teams operationally; commercial authority remains with the global Commercial function.
• Represent FPI as the senior operational leader with regulators, clients (post-order), contractors, and labour councils.

Quality:

• Ensure all products delivered from in-country sites meet FPI quality standards and customer specifications.
• Drive Right-First-Time (RFT) performance and non-conformance (NCM) reduction across all sites.
• Embed quality governance and structured problem-solving in daily line management.
• Ensure customer complaints are responded to promptly with root cause analysis and verified corrective actions.
• Work closely with the Group Quality Director, who holds independent governance authority and direct escalation rights to the COO.

Continuous Improvement:

• Implement Lean daily management, standard work, and structured problem-solving across all in-country sites.
• Act as the local enabler of digital, AI, and automation initiatives in line with the global Operational Excellence agenda.

• Ensure continuous improvement activities are clearly defined and actively tracked.

Health, Safety and Environment:

• The General Manager - Country Operations is personally accountable for the health, safety, and environmental performance of all sites under their leadership — this is a non-delegable responsibility.
• Visible HSSE leadership is expected at all times: on the shopfloor, in daily management, and in every decision that touches people, plant, or environment.
• Ensure all sites operate in full compliance with FPI HSSE standards, local regulations, and applicable legal obligations.
• Drive a proactive safety culture: zero tolerance for unsafe acts or conditions, with immediate escalation and corrective action.
• Conduct and actively participate in site safety walks, risk assessments, toolbox talks, and HSSE audits.
• Ensure all incidents, near-misses, and unsafe conditions are reported promptly, investigated rigorously, and closed with verified corrective actions.
• Embed HSSE performance in daily line management — not as a separate parallel function.
• Work closely with the Group HSSE & Sustainability Director, who holds independent governance authority and direct escalation rights to the COO.

Span of Communication:

Internal:

• COO – primary reporting line (or Operations MENA Director in MENA region)
• Global Commercial – order handover, customer commitments, revenue recognition
• Global Supply Chain – procurement governance, inbound/outbound logistics standards
• Global Engineering / Manufacturing Technology – process standards, machinery, CapEx
• Group HSSE & Sustainability Director – HSSE standards, audits, independent escalation
• Group Quality Director – QMS, audits, NCR governance, independent escalation
• Global P&C – people policies, grading, performance systems, talent acquisition
• CFO / FP&A – financial reporting, budget, and treasury interfaces
• Global Planning – S&OP alignment, master planning cadence

External:

• Clients and end users (post-order: schedule, quality, delivery)
• Contractors, consultants, and commissioning partners
• Regulators, Works Councils, and Labour Unions

Job Relevant Information:

• Accountable for the execution of all confirmed customer orders through to delivery and revenue recognition.
• Owns the country P&L, including operational cost, budget, and conversion performance.
• Responsible for operational leadership across manufacturing, supply chain, planning, quality, maintenance, and HSSE.
• Commercial decisions, including pricing, bid approval, and contract terms, remain with the Global Commercial function.
• Develops CapEx and operational budgets within approved authority limits and ensures compliance with FPI policies and applicable local regulations.

Skills Description

Qualification, Experience & Skills:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, or equivalent
• Minimum 5 years' successful track record managing a large manufacturing site or multi-site operation
• Lean / Six Sigma experience (Green Belt or above preferred)
• Fluent in English (spoken and written)

Preferred Experience:

• 10+ years of total experience in operations, supply chain, or manufacturing leadership roles
• Experience in Engineer-to-Order (ETO) or project-based manufacturing environments
• Track record of full P&L ownership in a manufacturing or industrial setting
• Experience in a global matrix organisation with multiple functional reporting lines
• Chemical, composite, or process industry background preferred

Job-Specific Skills:

• Strong ability to read, interpret, and act on financial statements and management accounts
• Process-driven with strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills
• Strong HSSE leadership orientation
• Operational excellence and Lean daily management (standard work, visual management, 5S)
• Proficiency in ERP/MES systems as operational management tools

Competencies:

Core Competencies:

• Delivery ownership and accountability
• Operational discipline and execution rigour
• P&L and financial stewardship
• Cross-functional integration and alignment
• HSSE and quality culture leadership

Leadership Competencies:

• Developing high-performance in-country teams
• Change management and TOM adoption
• Structured decision-making under pressure
• Coaching and performance development
• Strategic alignment and local execution