Factory Director (Aerospace & Defence - UAV/UAS Manufacturing) Abu Dhabi, UAE

Sector: Aerospace & Defence / UAV-UAS Manufacturing

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent, On-site

Seniority: Senior Manager / Director

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer

Languages: Fluent Arabic & English mandatory

About The Role

We are supporting the establishment of a new unmanned aerial systems manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi and are looking for an experienced Factory Director / Senior Manufacturing Leader to take full ownership of the facility from initial industrial setup through to serial production and delivery.

This is a greenfield leadership role requiring a highly hands-on executive who can build the operation from the ground up rather than manage an already established factory.

The successful candidate will oversee industrial licensing, CAPEX, facility mobilisation, production, engineering, quality, supply chain, HSE, site administration, customer interface and overall factory performance.

Key Responsibilities

Factory Setup & Industrialisation

• Lead the industrial licensing, permitting and approval process with relevant UAE authorities.
• Develop and manage the CAPEX plan, mobilisation schedule and production-readiness milestones.
• Manage contractors, equipment suppliers and technology partners.
• Oversee equipment installation, commissioning, testing and final handover.
• Drive the facility from greenfield setup through production launch and ramp-up.
  
  

Manufacturing & Operations

• Establish production planning, capacity management and manufacturing processes.
• Define throughput, productivity, cost-per-unit and operational performance targets.
• Ensure material availability and supply-chain readiness with procurement and logistics.
• Drive on-time delivery, manufacturing yield and continuous improvement.
• Lead the transition into stable serial production.
  
  

Quality & Regulatory Compliance

• Establish and implement an AS9100 / ISO 9001 Quality Management System through certification.
• Ensure compliance with applicable UAE aerospace and defence regulatory requirements.
• Oversee configuration management, traceability and first-article inspection.
• Manage customer acceptance activities and FATs.
• Support export-control documentation, end-user requirements and international delivery compliance.
  
  

Customer & Government Interface

• Represent the factory with defence authorities, armed forces, OEMs and system integrators.
• Support commercial teams with technical input, costing, capacity planning and delivery commitments.
• Lead customer visits, audits, demonstrations and factory acceptance activities.
• Support localisation, industrial participation, ICV and offset commitments.
  
  

Leadership & Site Management

• Build the factory organisation from the ground up, including structure, workforce planning and recruitment.
• Lead production, engineering, quality, stores, logistics and administrative functions.
• Own the site's operating budget, P&L, management reporting and KPI framework.
• Oversee HSE, security, facilities and site governance.
• Develop the technical and operational capabilities required for future growth.
  
  

Candidate Requirements

• 12+ years of experience in industrial or manufacturing management.
• Minimum 5 years at senior management / director level.
• Proven experience delivering a comparable industrial project in the Middle East, preferably a greenfield or newly established facility.
• Direct UAV/UAS, aerospace or defence manufacturing experience is required.
• Proven ownership of the full industrial lifecycle: setup, licensing, commissioning, ramp-up and serial production.
• Strong knowledge of AS9100 and/or ISO 9001 within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Experience dealing with government and defence customers in the GCC.
• Strong factory operations, industrialisation and project-management expertise.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Aerospace or a related discipline.
• Fluent Arabic and English – mandatory.
• Able to work full-time on-site in Abu Dhabi.
  
  

Preferred Experience

Experience with UAE defence and industrial authorities, ICV / localisation / offset frameworks, UAE industrial or free-zone factory setups, joint ventures, export controls and defence trade compliance would be highly valuable.

A Master's degree, MBA, PMP or equivalent project-management certification would be an advantage.

Leadership Profile

We are looking for someone who is highly proactive, comfortable building structure in a new organisation, commercially aware and capable of operating in a confidential defence environment.

This is a hands-on factory leadership position requiring strong ownership, decision-making ability and a visible on-site presence

SEGULA Technologies is a global engineering group, boosting the competitiveness of all major industrial sectors: automotive, aerospace, energy, rail, naval, life sciences, and telecoms. With a presence in more than 30 countries and 140 locations worldwide, the Group prioritizes close relationships with its clients, driven by the expertise of its 15,000 employees. As a leading engineering player putting innovation at the heart of its strategy, SEGULA Technologies manages large-scale projects, ranging from initial studies to industrialization and production. SEGULA TECHNOLOGIES is dedicated to gender balance and diversity, recognizing and recruiting talent of all backgrounds.