Position: Operations Manager – Commercial & Admin

Reporting To: Director / Managing Director

Location: Dubai & Umm Al Quwain

Salary: UPTO AED 9,000 +,KPI Incentive Bonus: AED 2,000 P.M. (Payable Annually as per applicable KPI Metrics)  + Car & Fuel Allowance; AED 1,000 P.M. (Incl. of Salik / Tolls / Parking )

Benefits: Insurance (Self & Spouse); Gratuity as per UAE Labor Law; Annual Leave & Air Ticket (Economy) as per UAE Labor Law

Role Objective: To drive overall administrative control, commercial discipline and operational efficiency across the organization. The role ensures tight governance on finance-linked processes, procurement, compliance and internal coordination, while enabling business growth in a chemical trading environment.

Key Responsibilities

Business & Administrative Control

Oversee end-to-end administrative operations across departments. Establish and enforce SOPs for procurement, logistics, documentation and approvals. Ensure alignment between sales, procurement, finance and warehouse functions. Act as central control point for operational decision-making and escalations. Assist in hiring & onboarding of new HR resources as well as retaining & promoting / re structing existing HR resource

Commercial Governance & Financial Discipline

Monitor margins, pricing structures, and deal profitability. Validate purchase vs. sales contracts to ensure commercial viability. Control overheads, operational costs and budget adherence. Work closely with accounts on receivables, payables and cash flow planning. Review credit terms, customer exposure and risk limits.

Procurement & Vendor Management

Supervise procurement planning for chemicals and allied materials. Negotiate with suppliers for pricing, credit terms and delivery timelines. Develop alternate sourcing strategies to reduce dependency and risk. Evaluate vendor performance (cost, quality, reliability).

Logistics & Supply Chain Coordination

Oversee shipment planning, documentation, insurances and timely deliveries. Coordinate with Logistics Team to ensure cost optimization of freight forwarders, CHA and transporters. Ensure compliance of internal fleet with hazardous chemical handling, regulatory norms & required vehicle licenses / passes. Minimize logistics cost and delays.

Compliance & Regulatory Oversight

Ensure adherence to local and international chemical trade regulations. Monitor documentation: MSDS, COA, import/export licenses and statutory filings (VAT , CT , UBO , ESR , MOH). Liaise with legal and compliance teams for risk mitigation. Maintain audit-ready systems at all times.

Team Management & Cross-functional Coordination

Lead admin, procurement, accounting and support teams. Set KRAs/KPIs and track performance. Drive accountability across non-revenue-generating functions. Resolve interdepartmental conflicts with a solution-oriented approach. Overall management of contingencies & errors including conducting a detailed investigation & RCA

Process Optimization & Digitization

Identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements. Drive ERP & Server utilization and data accuracy. Introduce automation where possible (approvals, reporting, tracking) including enforcing strict monthly & weekly reporting.

Strategic Support to Management

Provide MIS reports on operations, margins and cost structures. Spearhead expansion plans, new supplier onboarding and market entry. Act as a first line to leadership for execution and control.

 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Financial & Commercial

Gross margin adherence (% vs target) Cost savings achieved (procurement + logistics + operations) Debtors Aging & Bi-Monthly Tracking of Actuals v/s Projected Creditors Aging & Bi-Monthly Tracking of Actuals v/s Projected

Operational

Order fulfillment timelines (% on-time delivery) Inventory turnover ratio Reduction in operational delays/errors Slow Moving Goods Analysis Compliance Zero regulatory non-compliance incidents Documentation accuracy rate Root Cause Analysis & Error Reduction

Process & Efficiency

SOP implementation score ERP & Server usage and reporting accuracy Process turnaround time reduction

People & Leadership

Team productivity metrics Attrition within admin/support/accounting teams Cross-functional issue resolution time HR hiring & attrition metrics

 

Required Qualifications & Experience

Age – 40 Years Minimum Master’s degree in Chemistry / Chemical Engineering / Business Management (MBA preferred) 10 years (Minimum) of experience in chemical / oil & gas / paint & polymers, / petroleum 5 years (Minimum) of experience in GCC (UAE preferred) Strong exposure to commercial operations, procurement, and compliance Experience in handling multi-functional control roles

 

Key Skills & Competencies

Strong commercial acumen (pricing, margins, contracts) High ownership and control mindset Negotiation and vendor management expertise Process-driven with attention to detail Ability to operate in SME environment (hands-on, not siloed) Strong coordination and problem-solving capability