Operations Manager

LOCATION : POSITION BASED IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

ABOUT COLAS

Colas, a subsidiary of the Bouygues Group, is a global leader in the construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure, opening the way to tomorrow’s innovative, sustainable mobility. Present in over 50 countries on five continents, through a network of 800 construction operation units and 3,000 materials production units, Colas employs over 65,000 people committed to connecting people and facilitating exchanges in the world of today and tomorrow. Colas' ambition is to be the world leader in innovative and responsible mobility solutions. In 2024, the revenue of Colas was 15.9 billion euros.

The Operations Manager in UAE has a global vision of an operationg activity on the BU. Supervises the Project Managers and the entire Operations department of the Business Unit.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The role involves full responsibility for all Operations related activities of the contracting business, which includes:

• Implement the Group's SHEQ policy: ensures the quality of worksites in compliance with safety and environmental standards.
• Develop initiatives to achieve operational excellence.
• Manage the operations of all sites by allocating and regulating their resources: allocates sites, participates in their preparation (administrative and technical), prepares and arbitrates when necessary.
• Supervise project managers in the execution of our projects.
• Ensure that projects run smoothly, on schedule and within budget: monitors progress against objectives and advises his team where necessary.
• Ensure proper contractual management of our operations (correspondence, deadlines, claims, etc.).
• Ensure coordination between Operations and other departments (Laboratory, Quality, Survey, Equipment, Industry, etc.).
• Monitor and analyses the annual operating budget: participates in the preparation of the BU budget, monitors the monthly results and the order book.
• Maintain and develops commercial relations with all parties involved in current and future projects: clients, consultants, suppliers, subcontractors, etc.
• Manage customer disputes.
• Liaise between Operations and the BU Manager.
• Manage and supervises employees: recruits, trains and evaluates them and maintains a working relationship to ensure a social climate favourable to team spirit.
• Define, monitor and drive Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) related to safety, productivity, profitability, quality, customer satisfaction and resource utilization

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Management

• Lead and oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, on time and within budget.
• Provide operational and strategic guidance to project managers, supervisors and operational teams.
• Plan and optimise the use of people, equipment and resources across projects.
• Monitor operational and financial performance, identify risks and implement corrective actions.
• Promote continuous improvement, innovation and the sharing of best practices.

SHEQ & Quality

• Demonstrate strong leadership in Health, Safety, Environment and Quality, promoting a positive safety culture.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, applicable legislation and management systems.
• Ensure teams are appropriately trained, competent and authorised to perform their activities.
• Monitor quality standards, manage incidents and customer complaints, and drive corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with relevant ISO standards and project specifications.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Contribute to the profitability and financial performance of the Business Unit.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and project financial reviews.
• Ensure projects are delivered within approved budgets and target margins.
• Monitor costs, productivity, revenues and cash flow, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Support the management of contracts, variations, claims, subcontractors and commercial risks.
• Contribute to tenders, quotations and commercial negotiations.

Technical & Project Management

• Coordinate with Technical teams to ensure appropriate technical submissions and solutions.
• Review and improve operational methods and processes.
• Support the resolution of technical issues, non-conformities and contractual disputes.
• Ensure project requirements, standards and performance objectives are met.

People Management

• Lead, develop and motivate operational teams, supporting training, performance and career development.
• Manage working hours, leave and performance in line with company policies.
• Foster teamwork, employee engagement, innovation and a strong culture of accountability.
• Identify and develop future talent and succession opportunities.

Business Development & Compliance

• Support business growth by identifying new opportunities and maintaining strong relationships with key clients and suppliers.
• Contribute to business development and client engagement activities.
• Ensure compliance with Colas policies, Rules of Conduct and anti-bribery and corruption requirements.
• Promote the highest standards of integrity and ethical behaviour across the organisation.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Bachelor’s Degree in civil engineering or Business Management
• At least 10 years' experience in the Road Infrastructure sector
• At least 5 years in project management.