Director of Operations

About GSM Kazakhstan

GSM Kazakhstan is a member of Green and Smart Mobility (GSM Global), a pioneering technology-driven transportation company committed to promoting sustainable mobility solutions. As part of a rapidly growing international ecosystem, GSM Kazakhstan delivers customer-centric transportation services while leveraging innovative technologies to enhance service quality and operational excellence.

Position Overview

The Director of Operations is responsible for leading and optimizing the end-to-end operational execution of GSM Kazakhstan, ensuring safe, reliable, efficient and scalable mobility services. The role oversees the operational ecosystem across depots, frontline operations, driver operations, vehicle management and operational support functions, while working closely with Sales & Marketing, Driver Supply, Vehicle Management, Back-office, Finance & Accounting, HR, Technology/Product, Safety & Quality Control and other relevant functions.

The Director of Operations will translate the CEO's business objectives into operational plans, establish performance standards, drive cross-functional execution and continuously improve operational efficiency as GSM Kazakhstan scales.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operations Strategy & Execution

-

Develop and execute Kazakhstan's operations strategy in alignment with business objectives set by the CEO.

-

Translate business targets into operational plans, priorities and resource requirements.

-

Oversee end-to-end operational performance, ensuring service quality, productivity, readiness and cost efficiency.

-

Establish performance reviews, track action plans and address operational gaps.

-

Ensure the operating model can scale with business and fleet expansion.

1. Depot & Frontline Operations

-

Oversee depot readiness, frontline performance, manpower, facilities and operational capacity.

-

Standardize operational procedures while adapting to local market requirements.

-

Monitor depot productivity, utilization, service quality, turnaround time and costs.

-

Coordinate with Depot and Setup teams to support new locations and business expansion.

-

Improve frontline workflows and resource utilization.

1. Driver Operations & Supply Coordination

-

Partner with Driver Supply / Driver Acquisition to ensure sufficient driver capacity to meet business demand.

-

Coordinate driver onboarding, activation, utilization, retention and performance.

-

Monitor supply-demand balance and address bottlenecks affecting service availability.

-

Improve driver productivity and standardize driver-related operational processes.

1. Vehicle Management & Fleet Operations

-

Partner with Vehicle Management, Depot and relevant teams to maximize fleet availability, utilization and readiness.

-

Monitor fleet utilization, downtime, turnaround time and operational losses.

-

Coordinate vehicle allocation, maintenance, inspection, charging and deployment.

-

Improve asset utilization and control fleet operating costs.

1. Cross-Functional Business Partnership

-

Act as the key operational partner to Sales & Marketing, Driver Supply, Vehicle Management, Depot, Back-office, Finance, HR, Technology/Product, Safety/QC and other functions.

-

Translate business requirements into operational plans and capacity needs.

-

Align operational resources with demand generation, campaigns and market expansion.

-

Resolve cross-functional bottlenecks and ensure clear ownership of action plans.

-

Contribute to business planning, budgeting, manpower planning and resource allocation.

1. Performance Management & Data-Driven Operations

-

Define and monitor operational KPIs covering service quality, driver supply, fleet utilization, productivity, safety and cost efficiency.

-

Develop dashboards and reporting to track performance and identify improvement opportunities.

-

Analyze operational data, identify root causes and implement corrective actions.

-

Conduct regular performance reviews with the CEO and functional leaders to ensure accountability.

1. Operational Excellence & Process Improvement

-

Continuously improve operational processes, SOPs, workflows and controls.

-

Drive initiatives to increase productivity, reduce costs and improve service quality.

-

Lead process improvement and operational transformation as the business scales.

-

Promote operational discipline, ownership and data-driven decision-making.

1. Safety, Compliance & Risk Management

-

Ensure compliance with Kazakhstan laws, internal policies and operational standards.

-

Partner with Safety, QC/Inspection, Legal and relevant teams to mitigate operational risks.

-

Establish controls to prevent safety, quality and compliance issues.

-

Coordinate responses to major incidents and escalate material risks to the CEO.

1. Organization & People Leadership

-

Build and lead a high-performing Operations organization to support business growth.

-

Define team structures, roles, responsibilities and performance expectations.

-

Develop operational leaders and succession plans for critical roles.

-

Coach managers and frontline leaders to strengthen execution and accountability.

-

Partner with HR on manpower planning, recruitment, workforce productivity and organizational development.

1. Governance & Management Reporting

-

Ensure operations comply with approved business plans, budgets, SOPs and governance requirements.

-

Provide timely reporting to the CEO on performance, risks, resource needs and improvement opportunities.

-

Escalate significant operational, safety, financial and business risks.

-

Ensure decisions and resource allocation remain within approved authority frameworks.

-

Support audits and ensure identified operational gaps are addressed.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, Engineering, Logistics, Transportation or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive operations experience , with significant experience leading large-scale operational teams.
• Proven experience in ride-hailing, mobility, transportation, logistics, fleet management, e-commerce, automotive or other high-volume operational businesses .
• Experience managing multi-site, multi-layer or geographically distributed operations.
• Proven track record in scaling operations, improving productivity and implementing operational transformation.
• Strong experience in cross-functional coordination across commercial, driver supply, fleet/vehicle and support functions.
• Strong understanding of operational KPIs, data analysis, cost management and performance management.
• Experience working in Kazakhstan or the broader Central Asian/CIS market is an advantage.
• Experience working within a regional or global organization is preferred.

Language Requirements

• English: Fluent – required.
• Russian: Fluent – required.
• Kazakh: Fluent – required.

Note:

+Due to the high volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stage of the recruitment process.

+ We sincerely appreciate your interest in GSM Kazakhstan and thank all applicants for your time and consideration. We encourage you to apply for future opportunities that match your qualifications and career aspirations.

+ All applications and personal information submitted will be treated with strict confidentiality and handled in accordance with applicable data privacy regulations.

+ This JD is provided as a reference and may be subject to adjustment based on business needs, organizational requirements, and further discussions during the recruitment and interview process