General Manager Engineering

Position Overview

Express Food Company is seeking a visionary and results-driven General Manager – Engineering to lead its Engineering organization and support the rapid growth of one of the region’s fastest-growing Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) businesses. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, this executive-level role is pivotal in defining the Company’s engineering strategy, overseeing capital projects, restaurant development, maintenance, and engineering operations. The ideal candidate will ensure timely restaurant openings, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and sustainable business growth while building a world-class engineering function. This is a unique opportunity to shape the Company’s expansion strategy and drive long-term success.

Core Purpose

As the leader of Express Food Company’s Engineering function, you will provide strategic direction across capital projects, restaurant development, project management, maintenance, and asset management. Your responsibilities will include ensuring on-time restaurant openings, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and optimized engineering performance—all while aligning with the Company’s long-term growth strategy. Your leadership will be instrumental in delivering an exceptional customer experience and supporting the Company’s expansion objectives.

Why Join Express Food Company?

At Express Food Company, Engineering is not just a support function—it is a strategic driver of growth, innovation, and operational excellence. As our General Manager – Engineering, you will oversee one of the most critical functions in the organization, leading capital projects, restaurant development, engineering operations, maintenance, and technical governance across a rapidly expanding QSR business. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the Company’s future by delivering new restaurant openings, managing major capital investments, enhancing asset performance, and building a high-performing engineering organization.

If you are an executive leader who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and is passionate about driving operational excellence, we invite you to join our leadership team and contribute to our continued success.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute the Engineering strategy to support business growth, restaurant expansion, and operational excellence across all facilities.
• Project Delivery: Ensure the successful and timely delivery of new restaurant openings, relocations, and refurbishment projects, adhering to budget, quality standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Asset Performance: Drive engineering performance by maximizing asset reliability, equipment availability, and maintenance effectiveness across all restaurants and facilities.
• Governance & Compliance: Lead engineering governance, technical standards, and regulatory compliance, ensuring full adherence to Saudi regulations, health & safety requirements, and industry best practices.
• Financial Management: Manage engineering CAPEX and OPEX budgets, driving cost optimization and improving asset lifecycle performance to enhance return on investment.
• Team Development: Build and develop a high-performing Engineering organization, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with consultants, contractors, suppliers, and key stakeholders to ensure seamless project execution and operational efficiency.
• Executive Advisory: Serve as the Company’s senior engineering advisor, providing strategic recommendations to the Executive Leadership Team on engineering, infrastructure, and capital investment matters.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline. A Master’s degree is considered an advantage.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive engineering experience, including at least 8 years in senior leadership roles.
• Industry Expertise: Proven leadership experience managing Engineering, Maintenance, PMO, and Capital Projects within a large multi-site organization, preferably in the QSR, Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Retail, FMCG, or Manufacturing sectors.
• Project Delivery: Demonstrated success in delivering large-scale expansion programs and time-critical construction projects in fast-paced environments.
• Financial Acumen: Strong financial management skills, with the ability to optimize budgets, control costs, and drive operational efficiency.
• Leadership & Communication: Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Regulatory Knowledge: In-depth understanding of engineering governance, technical standards, and regulatory compliance, particularly in the context of Saudi Arabia.