Head of Facilities Management & Operational Readiness

Head of Facilities Management & Operational Readiness

Company: Sela

Location: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

Sela is the driving force behind the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious entertainment, culture, and sports spectacles. As we continue to redefine the global landscape of mega-events, experiential destinations, and international Expos under Vision 2030, we are assembling an elite team of global operational architects. We build world‑class experiences from the ground up, transforming ambitious concepts into flawless, city‑scale operational realities.

We are seeking a visionary Head of Facilities Management & Operational Readiness who has pioneered the early‑stage planning, strategy design, and delivery of tier‑1 international events (e.g., World Expos, Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, or FIFA World Cups).

This is not a steady‑state maintenance role. You will enter at the inception phase to architect the total Facilities Management (FM) strategy, asset lifecycle, and hard/soft service delivery models for complex, high‑capacity event footprints. You will bridge the gap between permanent master planning and temporary overlay, ensuring the venue asset is operationally resilient from day one of live event delivery.

• Architect FM Strategies: Lead the early-stage definition of FM operational strategies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and service level agreements (SLAs) tailored specifically to large‑scale international Expos and mega-events.
• Define Service Models: Engage extensively with global and local supply chains and market vendors to define cutting‑edge service models (hard FM, asset management, waste management, utilities, cleaning, and overlay integration).
• Operational Commissioning: Drive the “Operational Readiness, Activation, and Transition” (ORAT) framework, ensuring smooth handover from construction/delivery partners to live operations teams.

• Cross‑Sector
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Serve as the central FM anchor across a complex matrix of stakeholders, including KSA public sector authorities, government ministries, international pavilions/delegations, developers, and venue operators.
• Regulatory & Asset Compliance: Partner with municipal and civil defense authorities to ensure all physical infrastructure, temporary structures, and utility networks meet stringent international safety, crowd management, and sustainability standards.
• Build Elite Teams: Recruit, scale, and mentor a world‑class, multidisciplinary FM and operational readiness team capable of managing massive, fast‑paced event environments.
• Vendor & Delivery Management: Oversee the procurement and performance management of major delivery partners and Tier‑1 FM contractors, fostering a culture of high performance and absolute accountability.

• Mega‑Event Heritage: A minimum of 12–15+ years of senior operations and FM leadership experience, with a proven track record of steering at least one major international Expo, Olympic‑scale multi‑sport event, or city‑wide cultural program from the early planning/bidding stages through to live delivery.
• Mastery of Early‑Stage Infrastructure: Demonstrated success in shaping operational design and procurement strategies before infrastructure is physically built. You must be fluent in translating engineering blueprints into functional, crowd‑resilient operational workflows.
• High‑Stakes Stakeholder Management: Proven capability navigating complex, matrixed environments involving senior government officials, international VIP delegations, and multi‑national commercial partners.
• Geographical Adaptability: Experience working within the GCC region—specifically KSA—is highly advantageous, alongside a deep understanding of local supply chain dynamics and the strategic objectives of Vision 2030.
• Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Construction Management, or a related field. Advanced certifications (e.g., RICS, BIFM/IWFM) are highly desirable.