Director of Operations - Rwanda

About the role

A client is seeking a highly capable, 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 act as the primary operational leader in-country, translating regional strategy into disciplined execution and building high-performing teams. The role is hands-on and high-accountability, not advisory or administrative.

Key responsibilities

• Lead execution of country strategy and operational priorities, turning objectives into action plans, KPIs and performance targets, and drive a culture of accountability and continuous improvement
• Own country-level operational and financial performance: drive revenue growth, operational efficiency and cost optimization; strengthen budgeting, forecasting, reporting and cash flow management
• Oversee production, distribution, logistics and quality management systems, improve efficiency and waste reduction, ensure consistent service delivery and compliance with operational, safety and quality standards
• Build and develop a multi-functional leadership team, including performance management structures, succession pipelines and coaching of managers
• Strengthen operational systems, SOPs and internal controls, ensure audit readiness, identify risks and implement mitigation measures, and support scalable, replication-ready systems

Required profile

• 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, with a track record of improving performance and driving growth
• Preferred: background in FMCG, manufacturing, food production, supply chain or related sectors; exposure to scaling, turnaround or fast-growing businesses; experience in resource-conscious or high-performance environments

Required skills

• Strong operational and commercial judgment
• High ownership and execution focus, able to work independently with limited supervision
• Resilience, adaptability and strong decision-making
• Leadership and stakeholder management

What we offer

• High autonomy and visibility, with significant operational ownership
• A fast-paced, performance-driven environment
• An opportunity to shape and strengthen a nationally significant operation
• A competitive compensation package benchmarked against comparable leadership positions in Rwanda and the wider East African market