Vacancy - General Manager (Saudi Arabia)

SIS Pitches is looking for a General Manager for our Saudi Arabia operations, to connect and strategise with international Senior Heads, whilst leading and driving results with locally based construction and maintenance operations teams.

About SIS Pitches

We specialise in the installation of multi-surface pitches and provide innovative turf and natural grass solutions that give sports clubs more playing hours and faster pitch recovery. As part of the SIS Group, we are a market leader in the design, manufacturing, construction, installation, and maintenance of sports pitches for some of the world’s biggest names in sport, with our headquarters in the UK.

Our Middle East Division operates mainly from our base in Dubai, UAE, with a growing office in Riyadh, KSA, allowing us to deliver services to clients across the Gulf and East Africa.

Our General Manager will support the Managing Director in designing and leading SIS Pitches Middle East’s long-term strategic plans. They will be accountable for developing initiatives that deliver against our key strategic and financial goals and help us achieve our expansion objectives across the GCC region.

They will be responsible for developing and implementing effective local and regional strategies for our existing clients while driving sustainable and profitable market growth, maintaining operational excellence, protecting our identity, and delivering high customer service standards.

Candidate Profile

The General Manager will be pivotal in ensuring the growth and quality of our services for new and existing clients in the region. They will need to be confident leaders and decision maker, overseeing day to day operations of the company, whilst supporting the development of international standards and strategy.

They will support the Managing Director in collaborating with other SIS Pitches Senior Managers across the globe providing them with real-time insights, technical knowledge and guidance to aid in strategic decision making. The General Manager will be expected to seek out and drive new business opportunities and oversee the financial aspects of diverse and dynamic project portfolios, necessitating frequent travel throughout the GCC.

They will lead a small team of Senior Managers to include the Financial Controller, Maintenance Manager and Operations Manager to effectively oversee all day to day operations for maintenance and construction, sales development and finance operations.

Reporting directly to the SIS Pitches Middle East Managing Director, the ideal candidate will work hand in hand with other senior managers to refine strategic plans that align with the company’s growth objectives. They will engage with clients, contractors, and suppliers ensuring the design, delivery and execution of innovative, quality projects being delivered on time and to budget.

Demonstrating reliability and proficiency, the General Manager will foster trust through consistent delivery and integrity. They will thrive in a multinational landscape, be adept at navigating cultural nuances in ambiguous business situations, and their proactive communication methods will encourage and enable transparency across the organisation.

Summary of General Manager Responsibilities

• Design strategy and set goals for growth across the GCC across all areas of Operation – seeking out and fostering long term partnerships with key contractors and clients across the region
• Propose annual budgets and sales targets per department through analysis of performance and the projected growth rates
• Set the Customer experience standards and work closely with Construction and Maintenance teams to achieve customer satisfaction and loyalty
• Evaluate and improve operations and financial performance for new and existing projects
• Lead, support and develop the Managers running the Finance, Maintenance and Construction Divisions
• Design and implement policies and processes that support high standards of ethics, growth and sustainability
• Lead and drive implementation of Group and local employee performance management processes
• Prepare regular reports and attend strategic management meetings for Global Group activities
• Ensure all staff are aware of and fully trained to follow SIS Pitches health and safety regulations and those of appropriate government regulations where they are working

Essential requirements and skills

• Proven experience as a General Manager or similar executive role leading teams of a minimum of 100 people for a minimum of 3 years
• Up to 8 years of experience working in Maintenance and/or Construction of natural grass and sports surfaces in a variety of sports settings
• Knowledge and experience of business processes and functions e.g. finance, HR, procurement, operations etc.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Ability and expectation to regularly travel throughout GCC and beyond
• International Driving license

Desirable requirements and skills

• Experience of leading, large multicultural, diverse teams up to 200 people
• Experience of leading teams in project management for a minimum of 5 years
• BSc/MBA in Business or relevant field
• Additional qualification in agronomy, landscaping qualification and/or project management
• International Driving license
• Strong analytical ability and financial acumen
• Problem-solving aptitude
• Proven ability to manage ambiguity
• Quality and customer service orientation

Functional/Technical Skills

• Microsoft Office Suite – Advanced Word, Excel, Powerpoint & Outlook
• English – Excellent verbal and written communication
• Leadership and people management Skills
• Strong analytical ability and financial acumen
• Strategic Thinking
• Budget and P&L management
• Contract negotiation and management
• Strong organisational and planning skills
• Ability to adapt quickly to strategic change