Summary
Qiddiya Investment Company is seeking a Senior Manager, Operational Readiness in Riyadh. The role leads readiness strategy and assurance for major assets and programmes, coordinating work across people, processes, technology, facilities, safety, security and regulatory requirements. Responsibilities include readiness reviews, risk and dependency management, mobilization oversight, and advising senior leaders on activation decisions. Applicants need at least 7 years of relevant experience, including 3 years in a senior leadership role; a related bachelor’s degree is required, while a master’s degree and relevant certifications are preferred.
The posting
As published on qiddiya.com. Pulled from the employer's site and shown as they wrote it.
JOB PURPOSE
Provide strategic leadership for operational readiness across assigned major assets and programmes, ensuring an integrated and controlled transition from project delivery into safe, compliant and sustainable operations. Set readiness direction, govern assurance and activation recommendations, and align senior stakeholders on priorities, risks and outcomes to support seamless launches, sustained operations and exceptional guest experiences across Qiddiya’s entertainment and cultural projects.
Core Responsibilities
- Define and implement operational readiness strategy, governance, standards, assurance methodology and activation decision gates for assigned portfolios, aligned with Qiddiya’s strategic objectives.
- Lead integrated readiness planning and delivery across people, process, technology, facilities, safety, security, commercial, regulatory and service workstreams, with sequenced plans and accountable owners.
- Provide senior oversight of milestones, interdependencies, risks, issues, decisions and evidence-based completion status; establish and monitor readiness and operational performance KPIs.
- Collaborate with project delivery, operations, engineering and stakeholder teams to embed operational requirements throughout design, procurement, commissioning, handover, mobilization and opening plans.
- Chair senior readiness reviews, resolve cross-workstream dependencies and direct mitigation and recovery plans for gaps affecting safety, compliance, guest experience or activation dates.
- Advise executive leadership on readiness status, activation options, residual risks, performance findings and required decisions, escalating trade-offs beyond delegated authority.
- Oversee operating-model, workforce, standard operating procedure (SOP), operating supplies and equipment (OS&E), technology, facilities and service mobilization readiness; ensure staff training and development prepare operational teams to meet defined performance standards.
- Govern readiness for permits, licenses and regulatory interfaces through accountable functions, ensuring clear ownership, timely delivery and visibility of unresolved compliance gaps.
- Lead readiness assessments, assurance reviews, inspections, rehearsals and operational trials; recommend progression through key stage gates based on completion evidence and clearly stated residual risks.
- Oversee consultants, contractors, advisers and operators supporting readiness, ensuring clear scope, deliverable quality, schedule and accountability.
- Build team capability through direction, coaching, performance management and consistent quality standards.
- Champion a guest-focused approach and continuous improvement, applying lessons learned, best practices and industry standards to improve readiness plans and standardize delivery across the function.
Generic Responsibilities:
• Follow applicable company policies, safety requirements, confidentiality and document-control practices.
• Maintain clear records and perform related duties consistent with the approved role scope.
• Work within approved delegated authorities; recommend activation decisions to authorized decision-makers.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, operations management, project management, hospitality or a related discipline. A master’s degree is preferred.
Professional Certifications
PMP, PRINCE2, facilities management, operational readiness, HSE, risk or programme management certification is preferred.
Skills
Multi-workstream programme integration; readiness assurance and recovery planning; operating-model and mobilization oversight; senior stakeholder alignment; executive reporting; dependency resolution; team leadership; consultant oversight and change delivery.
Experience
Years of Experience
Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in operational management, operational readiness, mobilization, project delivery or asset activation for major or complex programmes, including at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.
Nature of Experience
Experience leading major or complex readiness and mobilization programmes, integrating multiple workstreams, aligning senior stakeholders and directing assurance and recovery planning, preferably within the entertainment or large-scale infrastructure sectors.