Deputy General Manager – Operations

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role

On behalf of our client, a well-established Ethiopian manufacturing company, we are seeking an experienced and results-driven Deputy General Manager – Operations to provide strategic and operational leadership across the Company's manufacturing and business operations.

The successful candidate will work closely with the General Manager to drive productivity, profitability, operational efficiency, and business growth, while coordinating manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, logistics, sales, and other operational functions.

The role is particularly suited to a senior professional with strong experience in manufacturing and factory operations, ideally within the textile, glass, or other large-scale industrial manufacturing sectors.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead, coordinate, and supervise day-to-day operational activities across the organization.

• Drive improvements in productivity, operational efficiency, and profitability.

• Ensure production plants, departments, and business units operate in line with approved plans, policies, and procedures.

• Monitor operational performance and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

• Provide timely operational reports and recommendations to the General Manager.

Manufacturing & Factory Operations

• Oversee and coordinate manufacturing and plant operations to achieve production and quality targets.

• Ensure effective utilization of human, financial, material, and production resources.

• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement practical solutions to improve productivity.

• Ensure quality products are delivered according to plan and customer requirements.

• Work closely with plant managers and technical teams to improve factory performance.

Strategic & Business Planning

• Support the General Manager in developing and implementing strategic and annual operational plans.

• Participate in annual budgeting and ensure effective implementation of approved budgets.

• Translate organizational strategies into actionable operational plans.

• Evaluate business performance and recommend improvements to senior management.

Supply Chain & Commercial Operations

• Coordinate procurement, import, warehousing, logistics, distribution, and sales-related operations.

• Ensure timely availability of raw materials, equipment, and other operational requirements.

• Strengthen coordination between manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and commercial teams.

• Support export and local distribution activities.

Project & Business Development

• Lead and coordinate operational projects and organizational development initiatives.

• Ensure projects are properly planned, resourced, implemented, and monitored.

• Coordinate multiple departments and stakeholders to ensure timely project execution.

• Identify opportunities for process improvement, expansion, and operational growth.

People & Organizational Performance

• Provide leadership and direction to operational teams and managers.

• Promote a culture of accountability, productivity, and continuous improvement.

• Identify workforce and capability requirements across plants and departments.

• Support employee development, motivation, and performance improvement initiatives.

Market & Customer Orientation

• Monitor local and international market developments relevant to the Company's products.

• Ensure operations remain responsive to customer needs and market requirements.

• Strengthen coordination between production, sales, distribution, and customer service functions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.

• 10+ years of progressive professional experience, including significant experience in senior operational or management roles.

• Strong experience in manufacturing and factory operations.

• Experience in textile, glass, or other large-scale industrial manufacturing is highly desirable.

• Proven experience managing multiple operational functions and teams.

• Strong experience in project planning, execution, and cross-functional coordination.

• Experience in budgeting, resource planning, and operational performance management.

• Exposure to procurement, supply chain, logistics, and commercial operations is an advantage.

Required Competencies

• Strong operational and business acumen.

• Manufacturing and factory management.

• Productivity and process improvement.

• Strategic and operational planning.

• Project management and execution.

• Budget and resource management.

• Problem-solving and decision-making.

• Leadership and team management.

• Strong stakeholder coordination and communication.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a demanding operational environment.

• Strong results orientation and execution capability.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a hands-on and highly productive senior operations leader who understands how factories actually operate and can translate strategy into measurable results.

The ideal candidate should be comfortable managing production, people, resources, projects, supply chain, and multiple operational departments, with a demonstrated ability to improve productivity, solve operational challenges, and deliver business results.

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their updated CV through the application portal.