Director of Operations

About the Opportunity

Our client is seeking a highly capable and execution-oriented Director of Operations to lead and oversee all in-country operations in Rwanda. This is a senior leadership role with full accountability for operational performance, commercial sustainability, organizational effectiveness, and long-term growth readiness.

The successful candidate will serve as the primary operational leader in-country, translating regional strategy into disciplined execution while driving measurable business and operational results. The role requires a hands-on leader who combines strong commercial acumen with operational rigor and the ability to build high-performing teams in a dynamic environment.

This is not an advisory or administrative role. It is a high-accountability leadership position focused on ownership, execution, and sustainable performance improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Lead the execution of country strategy and operational priorities
• Translate strategic objectives into measurable action plans, KPIs, and performance targets
• Ensure alignment and coordination across all operational functions
• Drive a culture of accountability, execution discipline, and continuous improvement

Business & Financial Performance

• Own country-level operational and financial performance
• Drive revenue growth, operational efficiency, and cost optimization
• Strengthen budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and financial discipline
• Ensure strong cash flow management and sustainability practices

Operations & Supply Chain Management

• Oversee production, distribution, logistics, and quality management systems
• Improve operational efficiency, productivity, and waste reduction
• Ensure consistent service delivery and operational excellence
• Maintain compliance with operational, safety, and quality standards

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop a multi-functional leadership team
• Build strong performance management structures and succession pipelines
• Coach and empower managers while maintaining high accountability standards
• Foster a collaborative and high-performance working culture

Governance, Risk & Systems

• Strengthen operational systems, SOPs, and internal controls
• Ensure audit readiness and compliance across the organization
• Identify operational risks and proactively implement mitigation measures
• Support the development of scalable and replication-ready operational systems

Candidate Profile

Experience

• 10–15+ years of professional experience
• Minimum 5 years in a senior operations, general management, or country leadership role
• Proven experience managing multi-functional operations and large teams
• Strong track record of improving operational performance and driving business growth

Preferred Background

• Experience within FMCG, manufacturing, food production, supply chain, or related sectors strongly preferred
• Exposure to scaling operations, turnaround environments, or fast-growing businesses
• Experience operating in resource-conscious or high-performance environments is advantageous

Leadership Competencies

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong operational and commercial judgment
• High ownership mentality and execution focus
• Ability to operate independently with limited supervision
• Resilience, adaptability, and strong decision-making capabilities
• Excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills

Working Environment

This role offers:

• High autonomy and visibility
• Significant operational ownership
• A fast-paced, performance-driven environment
• Opportunity to shape and strengthen a nationally significant operation

Compensation

A competitive compensation package will be offered, aligned with the seniority and complexity of the role, and benchmarked against comparable leadership positions within Rwanda and the broader East African market