The Head of Operational Excellence at Al Mulla Group is responsible for establishing a transformative culture of continuous improvement across the Group’s diverse business verticals, including trading & manufacturing, engineering, financial services, office automation, car rental, and leasing etc. The role is pivotal in driving operational efficiencies, reducing costs, enhancing customer satisfaction, and ensuring the Group's competitiveness. The Head of Operational Excellence will collaborate with the respective Managing Directors and Divisional Heads to assess current operational processes and implement best-in-class strategies and frameworks tailored to each division’s unique challenges.
Key Responsibilities:
•Strategic Leadership:
Develop and implement a comprehensive operational excellence strategy across the Group's diversified businesses. Align initiatives with the company’s strategic goals, incorporating best practices from Lean, Six Sigma, and other operational excellence methodologies. Continuously refine the strategy to adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities in the business environment.
•Operational Synergies:
Identify cross-functional synergies between business units to optimize operational processes and eliminate redundancies. Drive inter-departmental collaboration to leverage shared resources and capabilities, ensuring cohesive operational improvements across all divisions.
•Business-Specific Process Improvement:
Lead and manage tailored process improvement initiatives for each business vertical using Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or Total Quality Management (TQM) frameworks. Assess and improve process efficiency in manufacturing operations, service delivery in financial services, and customer management in the car rental and leasing divisions, among others.
•Cost Optimization:
Develop cost-reduction strategies across all business units by improving procurement processes, reducing waste, optimizing resource allocation, and increasing overall operational efficiency. Ensure long-term sustainable cost-saving measures are in place without compromising quality.
•Project Management:
Oversee and mentor project managers within the organization, ensuring adherence to project timelines, budgets, and quality standards. Implement project governance frameworks to improve accountability, visibility, and success rates across strategic initiatives.
•Change Management and Cultural Transformation:
Build a culture of continuous improvement by guiding organizational change initiatives. Lead workshops and capability-building programs to empower employees at all levels to embrace operational excellence and innovation. Foster a mindset shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive operational management.
•Innovation and Emerging Technologies:
Evaluate and adopt cutting-edge tools and technologies, such as AI, IoT, and data analytics, to improve process automation, predict operational bottlenecks, and enhance decision-making. Ensure the Group remains competitive by leveraging industry 4.0 technologies in manufacturing, service automation, and data-driven decision-making.
•Customer-Centric Operations:
Drive a customer-centric approach in operational processes, ensuring the Group’s services and products consistently meet and exceed customer expectations. Develop metrics to monitor and enhance customer satisfaction, turnaround times, and service quality across business divisions.
•Performance Monitoring and Reporting:
Establish and monitor KPIs specific to each business vertical, including manufacturing efficiency, customer service delivery, financial service compliance, and fleet management performance. Develop an executive-level dashboard to track operational metrics, ensuring timely interventions and corrective actions.
Expected Outcomes:
•Achieve measurable improvements in operational efficiency across all business divisions within the first 6-12 months.
•Implement sustainable cost-reduction strategies leading to a 5-10% reduction in the overall operational costs.
•Increase customer satisfaction across service-oriented divisions by improving response times, service quality, and overall customer experience.
•Ensure the successful delivery of key operational projects within scope, time, and budget, with no major delays or cost overruns.
•Foster a culture of continuous improvement across all levels of the organization
Educational Qualifications
Education Degree
: Bachelor
Major
: • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field. • A Master’s degree or relevant certifications (e.g., Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, PMP, Agile) is highly preferred.
Experience
Years of Experience
: 15 - 20 Years
Field of Experience
: • Minimum of 15-20 years of experience in operations management, process improvement, or a related field, with at least 5-7 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record of implementing large-scale operational excellence programs within a multi-industry environment (e.g., manufacturing, financial services, automotive, etc.).
Skills
•In-depth knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, TQM, Agile, and other continuous improvement methodologies.
•Exceptional project management skills with experience in delivering complex, cross-functional projects across various industries.
•Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities, with a focus on data-driven decision-making.
•Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams.
•Knowledge of emerging technologies and tools (e.g., AI, IoT, data analytics) and their applications in process improvement.
Al Mulla Group is a leading diversified privately held business group based in the State of Kuwait with presence in 8 countries. With a workforce exceeding 15,000 employees in over 40 Group companies and affiliations with more than 200 international brands, Al Mulla Group has operations in the following fields: Automotive distribution and servicing Engineering Rental & Leasing of Vehicles and Heavy Equipment Insurance Manufacturing Consumer & Corporate Financing Investments Security Services Money Exchange Office Automation Engineering Products Distribution Healthcare Real Estate Education Travel Cargo Services The Group's geographic footprint spans across the Middle East and South Asia with operations in Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, India and Egypt.