Business Operation Manager

Overview

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Commercial Operations under a direct-to-customer model, overseeing supply chain, demand planning, customer service, and logistics execution across the full value chain.
• Drive operational performance across the business by improving delivery lead times, reducing product rejections, and ensuring consistent execution standards across all customer touchpoints.
• Strengthen integration between commercial and operations teams to enhance alignment, improve planning accuracy, and increase overall execution efficiency.
• Own and continuously improve core operational processes (order-to-cash execution, allocation/availability management, returns handling, and issue resolution) to ensure reliable customer experience and internal control.
• Manage the strategic relationship with NUPCO, ensuring alignment with national procurement processes and supporting government and institutional business requirements.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of Saudi local procurement bodies and purchasing systems, and ensure operational readiness for tenders, contracts, and institutional ordering requirements.
• Ensure full compliance with applicable regulations and quality requirements, including SFDA expectations for medical devices, distribution, traceability, and documentation as relevant to the business.
• Lead, coach, and coordinate local internal teams and distributor partners to deliver agreed service levels, clear communication, and measurable execution outcomes.
• Lead by example on compliance and credo-based behaviors; act as a role model for business ethics, speak up culture, and responsible decision-making.
• Track and report key operational KPIs (service levels, OTIF, lead times, rejections/returns, backlog, forecast accuracy) and drive corrective/preventive actions with cross-functional stakeholders.

• Qualifications & Experience

• + Bachelor’s degree
• + 15+ years of solid, hands-on experience in the Saudi market, with demonstrated operational leadership within healthcare/medical devices/pharma or related regulated industries.
• + Preferably experience in Orthopaedic business and/or managing complex product portfolios across institutional customers.
• + Strong knowledge of Saudi procurement landscape, including key local procurement bodies, purchasing systems, and institutional/government business dynamics.
• + Proven working knowledge of NUPCO processes and stakeholder management in national procurement environments.
• + Working understanding of SFDA regulatory and compliance expectations relevant to medical devices distribution and commercialization.
• + Demonstrated experience managing internal cross-functional teams and coordinating with distributors/third-party partners to deliver service levels and compliance.
• + Fluency in English is required; Arabic is strongly preferred.
• Core Competencies
• + Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence internally and externally (customers, distributors, and procurement stakeholders).
• + Strong people leadership, team coordination, and cross-functional collaboration in a matrix environment.
• + Operational excellence mindset: process design, KPI management, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement.
• + Strong planning discipline across forecasting, demand/supply alignment, and execution governance.
• + High integrity with demonstrated commitment to compliance, business ethics, and credo-based behaviors.
• + Ability to work effectively under ambiguity and manage priorities in a fast-paced commercial environment.
• Key Interfaces
• + Saudi Business Director (line manager) and Saudi Commercial team
• + Supply Chain, Demand Planning, Logistics/3PL, Customer Service
• + Quality & Regulatory / Compliance functions
• + Finance (order-to-cash, credit, claims) and Tender/Contract management
• + Distributor partners and third-party service providers
• + Key external stakeholders: NUPCO and institutional/government customers as applicable

Preferred Skills