Operations Director

Job Overview

The Operations Director is accountable for overseeing all facets of Rail Operations within OER, aiming to guarantee the secure, dependable, and cost-efficient functioning of rail services. This leadership position involves managing personnel across train control, planning, rostering, and terminal operations. The role acts as the principal liaison with regulatory agencies and ensures compliance with safety licenses and operational procedures.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain rail operation procedures to ensure safe and effective service delivery aligned with license and safety case demands.
• Engage with regulatory bodies to secure and uphold operational licenses in Oman and the UAE.
• Manage thorough timely investigations of operational incidents and implement learnings across OER.
• Serve as the Professional Head of Operations adhering to safety case mandates.
• Design and enforce a competency management system to maintain staff qualification standards.
• Provide expert guidance on best practices in rail operations.
• Lead training and development initiatives for all operational team members.
• Convert customer expectations into reliable operational strategies including scheduling and staffing.
• Develop and maintain contingency plans and emergency response procedures with regular testing regimes.
• Generate comprehensive KPIs for Board-level performance reporting.
• Ensure proper train service regulation and coordination within the network, including partnership with ER for services on their network.
• Implement a delay attribution system to analyze and resolve performance bottlenecks.
• Offer expert advice on network capacity and foster capacity enhancement plans.
• Represent OER in industry forums and at operational interface meetings with ER.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in operations or a closely related discipline.
• At least 10 years of senior-level experience in rail operations.
• Deep understanding of railway logistics in an international context.
• Prior exposure to safety leadership is preferred.
• Proven senior-level leadership skills with strong cross-functional teamwork abilities.
• Analytical capability for interpreting operational data.
• Knowledge of relevant industry regulations and familiarity with the GCC market environment.