Country Operations Manager

About the role

We are seeking a dynamic Country Operations Manager to launch and lead our first coffee‑shop location in Damascus. You will be responsible for end‑to‑end site preparation, team building, daily shop management, and financial performance while ensuring brand standards and customer experience are upheld.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee site readiness, fit‑out, equipment installation and obtain all required licences and permits.
• Recruit, hire and train baristas, shift leaders, front‑of‑house and back‑office staff, establishing schedules and performance standards.
• Manage day‑to‑day shop operations, including opening/closing, inventory, ordering and stock control.
• Own the P&L for the Syrian operation, reporting sales, costs and KPIs to the CEO and driving revenue growth and margin improvement.
• Identify and manage local suppliers for dairy, bakery, packaging and coordinate coffee supply with the Lebanon team.
• Maintain brand integrity across all customer touchpoints and handle feedback and complaints.
• Scout additional locations and lead future store openings once the first site stabilises.

Required profile

• 7–10 years of F&B operations experience, with at least 3 years in a management role overseeing a café, restaurant or hospitality unit.
• Hands‑on operator comfortable working on the floor during launch and ongoing operations.
• Proven ability to build and train teams from scratch.
• Strong financial discipline: comfortable reading P&L, managing food and labour costs and controlling waste.
• Familiarity with specialty coffee or willingness to be trained quickly.
• Native Arabic speaker with functional English for reporting.

Required skills

• P&L management
• Inventory and stock control
• Staff scheduling and performance management
• Supplier negotiation and logistics coordination