Operations Director Required - Alshaya leading brand

Director of Operations

M.H. Alshaya Co. is a leading international franchise operator for over 55 of the world’s most recognized retail brands, including Starbucks, H&M, Mothercare, Debenhams, American Eagle, Pottery Barn, P.F. Chang’s, Office Depot, Boots, etc. The company operates more than 1,800 stores across several divisions: Fashion & Footwear, Health & Beauty, Food Services, Optics, Pharmaceuticals, Office Supplies, Home Furnishings, Limited Brands, etc. With more than 18,000 employees from over 60 nationalities Alshaya operates stores in 15 markets across the Middle East, Turkey, Russia and Eastern Europe.
The company is currently looking for a proactive, commercially focused and profit driven Director of Operations - Starbucks. Based at Alshaya’s Head Office in Kuwait, the Director of Operations - Starbucks will mainly focus on improving the profitability of more than 400 store units across 9 countries in the Middle East.

The role:
• To improve the profitability of the existing portfolio of stores from an operations perspective
• To make a better conversion of sales into profitability
• To optimize the existing portfolio of stores
• To perform brand development & business planning
• To implement a structured cost control strategy
• To lead a team of operations manager across all Middle East countries

The person:
• Extremely dynamic and proactive • Commercially astute and profit driven • An influential, proactive and strong leader • A proven track record of delivering success through teamwork
• An excellent negotiator
• Comfortable managing complexity

The requirements:
• 10-15 years operational experience, including a minimum of 5 years in senior management positions
• Strong retail experience developing large chains of small box units
• The candidate must have a multi site / multi country background in a mature and complex organization
• Technical knowhow of business analytical tools
• The successful candidate must be an operator and not a franchisor

The package:
• Competitive tax free package (Middle East), including bonus and executive benefits
• Strong potential for personal growth and multi-regional career progression