Director of Operations (Hospitality & Retail)

C2i is a forward-thinking holding company redefining the future of Hospitality, Retail, and Lifestyle destinations. Through innovation, strategic partnerships, and purpose-driven initiatives, we develop vibrant communities and pioneering concepts that include co-working, retail, and fine-dining ventures.

We are seeking a dynamic Director of Operations (Hospitality & Retail) to lead the launch readiness and operational execution of new retail and F&B concepts across our growing portfolio.

Job Brief:

The Director of Operations (Hospitality & Retail) leads the pre-opening, operational readiness and execution for new retail and restaurant units within the C2i portfolio. This role is responsible for translating design and project delivery milestones into full operational launch readiness, overseeing systems, supply chain, recruitment and training, SOP rollouts, vendor integration, marketing operations, and opening execution. The Director works closely with project delivery teams, brand owners, developers, and internal leadership to ensure every opening achieves the brand’s performance standards, guest experience expectations, and operational integrity.

Key Roles & Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain the operational critical path (pre‑opening operations workstream), including dependencies, readiness gates, contingency plans, and milestone tracking.
• Translate project and design handovers into actionable operational launch plans ensuring smooth transitions from construction to operations.
• Oversee systems setup, user acceptance testing, and go‑live readiness for POS, ERP, payment, inventory, and IT network systems.
• Coordinate supply chain and vendor readiness: SKU setup, par levels, logistics scheduling, and vendor SLA alignment for pre‑opening stock deliveries.
• Validate brand and operational standards including menu readiness, service sequences, uniforms, guest journey flow, and back‑of‑house operations.
• Lead pre‑opening recruitment, onboarding, SOP rollout, and training; conduct simulation runs and manage soft opening activities.
• Supervise the operational aspects of pre‑opening marketing and brand activation events to ensure readiness of on‑site teams and seamless guest experience.
• Establish post‑opening stabilization processes (Day+1, Day+7, Day+30), including feedback loops, performance reviews, and operational refinements.
• Conduct weekly readiness review meetings with project delivery, brand, and developer stakeholders, identifying risks, issues, and decision points.
• Act as the operations lead in executive and project steering committees, providing updates, dashboards, and recommendations to the CEO.

Stakeholder Management & Relationships:

• Acts as the primary operational liaison with project delivery teams ensuring alignment between construction deliverables and operational needs.
• Partners with brand owners to localize operational and brand standards in compliance with GCC and UAE market requirements.
• Interfaces with developers and landlords to ensure operational infrastructure, services, and utilities meet opening-day standards.
• Provides C2i executive leadership with risk assessments, readiness dashboards, and reports to support strategic decisions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality management, Business Administration, or a related discipline (Master’s preferred).
• 10–15 years of progressive operations experience within F&B, retail, or hospitality environments, including direct pre‑opening leadership of multi‑unit portfolios.
• Strong track record of pre‑opening experience within the GCC; Abu Dhabi or wider UAE experience highly preferred.
• Proven expertise in operational systems rollout (POS/ERP), supply chain coordination, vendor management, SOP implementation, and training program execution.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Project, Smartsheet, or Excel for critical path tracking and reporting.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills across diverse, cross‑functional teams.