Job Title: General Manager – Lubricants

Location: Sana’a & Aden, Yemen (Frequent travel between both cities; regional travel for Middle East expansion)

Reporting Line: Chief Executive Officer / Board of Directors

Role Purpose:

The General Manager – Lubricants is responsible for leading and growing the company’s lubricants business across manufacturing, sales, distribution, and market expansion. The role carries full executive accountability for operational performance, commercial growth, and profitability, with a strategic mandate to strengthen the company’s position in Yemen and expand into Middle East and other regional markets.

The role includes full P&L ownership, strategic planning, operational excellence, and leadership of cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Business Development:

• Develop and execute the overall business strategy for the lubricants division.
• Drive market expansion across Yemen and identify growth opportunities in regional markets.
• Lead product portfolio strategy, including automotive, industrial, and specialty lubricants.
• Build strategic partnerships with suppliers, distributors, OEMs, and key customers.
• Represent the company at senior stakeholder, regulatory, and commercial forums.

Operations & Supply Chain Management:

• Oversee lubricant blending, packaging, storage, and distribution operations (where applicable).
• Ensure operational efficiency across production planning, inventory management, and logistics.
• Maintain quality standards in line with international specifications and OEM requirements.
• Optimize sourcing of base oils, additives, and packaging materials.
• Ensure compliance with HSE, quality, and operational procedures.

Financial Management & P&L Ownership:

• Hold full P&L responsibility for the lubricants business.
• Prepare and manage budgets, forecasts, and financial performance reviews.
• Control costs, margins, pricing strategies, and working capital.
• Ensure strong governance over contracts, credit control, and receivables.
• Support major commercial negotiations and long-term supply agreements.

Sales, Marketing & Commercial Excellence:

• Lead sales and marketing strategy to grow market share and brand presence.
• Oversee pricing, channel management, and key account development.
• Drive customer retention through service quality and technical support.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and regulatory developments.

People Leadership & Governance:

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing management and commercial team.
• Establish clear KPIs, performance management, and accountability structures.
• Promote a culture of safety, ethics, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with corporate governance, internal controls, and company policies.

Risk Management & Business Continuity:

• Identify and mitigate operational, financial, and supply chain risks.
• Ensure business continuity planning across Sana’a and Aden operations.
• Maintain strong internal controls and decision-making frameworks.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Business, or related field.
• MBA or postgraduate qualification is a strong advantage.

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in the lubricants, oil & gas, or petrochemical sector.
• Proven experience in senior managerial or general management roles.
• Demonstrated responsibility for P&L management in a commercial or manufacturing environment.
• Strong exposure to lubricants sales, distribution, and product management.
• Experience with regional market expansion strategies is a strong advantage.

Core Competencies & Skills:

• Strong technical understanding of lubricants, base oils, additives, and specifications.
• Excellent commercial, financial, and negotiation skills.
• Strategic leadership with strong execution capability.
• Proven people leadership and decision-making ability.
• Ability and willingness to be based between Sana’a and Aden with frequent travel.

Language Requirements:

• English: Fluent (mandatory)
• Arabic: Fluent (mandatory)