Associate Director Marketplace & Expansion Ops

The Associate Director – Marketplace & Expansion will be a key player in leading and improving Careem's marketplace dynamics, while also spearheading strategic expansion into new markets and verticals. Reporting to the Head of Central Ops, this role will be responsible for creating and implementing successful growth strategies, maintaining a balance between supply and demand, and guaranteeing a smooth experience for both customers and Captains. This high-impact role will involve close collaboration with cross-functional teams to influence the strategic direction and future success of Careem's marketplace operations.

Key Responsibilities

Marketplace Strategy & Optimization

• Develop and execute strategies to optimize marketplace supply and demand, ensuring service reliability and efficiency.
• Analyze marketplace metrics (e.g., pricing, incentives, fleet utilization) to identify growth opportunities and improve operational performance.
• Work closely with Data & Analytics teams to set KPI targets, forecast trends, and enhance real-time marketplace operations.

Expansion & Growth

• Identify and evaluate new market opportunities, from initial market assessment through to launch.
• Lead cross-functional teams (Ops, Marketing, Product, Finance) to execute go-to-market strategies in targeted regions or verticals.
• Establish goals, roadmaps, and timelines for market expansion and ensure successful delivery against these objectives.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams to develop and enhance marketplace-related features, tools, and products.
• Partner with Marketing to design growth campaigns that attract and retain Captains and customers.
• Work with Finance to create financial models, assess ROI for expansions, and manage budgetary constraints.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as a key liaison between marketplace operations, leadership, and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment on goals and priorities.
• Represent Careem’s interests with regulatory bodies, partners, and relevant industry associations as needed.
• Present regular updates to senior leadership on marketplace health, expansion milestones, and key performance metrics.

Team Leadership & Development

• Build and lead a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and innovation.
• Mentor and develop team members, providing clear objectives, career development support, and performance feedback.
• Champion Careem’s values of ownership, agility, and customer-centricity, setting a strong example for the team.

Performance Reporting & Analytics

• Oversee the design and implementation of dashboards/reports that provide real-time visibility into key operational and financial metrics.
• Utilize analytics to derive actionable insights, optimize strategies, and drive data-informed decision-making across the organization.
• Continuously track and measure the effectiveness of new initiatives, conducting post-mortems to iterate and refine approaches.
  
  

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Engineering, or a related field.
  • MBA or equivalent is required.
    
    
• Experience:
  • 8-10+ years of progressive experience in marketplace strategy, operations, or growth, ideally within tech, e-commerce, or on-demand services.
  • Proven track record of leading market expansions or large-scale operational initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
  • Experience managing cross-functional teams and working with diverse stakeholder groups.
    
    
• Technical & Analytical Skills:
  • Strong proficiency in data analysis and familiarity with tools such as Excel, SQL, or BI platforms.
  • Demonstrated ability to leverage data insights to drive decision-making and continuous optimization.
  • Passion for Analytics: A natural problem-solver who relies on deep data analysis to design solutions and optimize fleet utilization.
    
    
• Leadership & Collaboration:
  • Exceptional leadership capabilities with experience building and mentoring teams.
  • Strong communication, presentation, and influencing skills to align cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.
  • Leader Mindset: Ability to take the initiative, inspire people to raise the bar, and establish new operating standards.
    
    
• Entrepreneurial Mindset:
  • Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment; comfortable with ambiguity and pivoting when needed.
  • Entrepreneurship: Always thinking about the business, taking ownership, and continuously improving the model.
    
    
• Project Management & Execution:
  • Hunger to Get Things Done: Super-strong project management skills with a bias for action and practical problem-solving.
    
    
• People Skills & Culture Fit:
  • Strong Work Ethic: Willingness to work hard, embrace open culture, and share information for broader visibility.
  • People Skills: Adept at building relationships with diverse groups, both direct and indirect; able to effectively sell ideas and influence stakeholders.
  • Empower People: Encourage team members to identify and fix processes or policies, driving positive change across the organization.
    
    
• Operational Excellence:
  • Drive Standardization: Belief in standardizing workflows, processes, and policies to ensure seamless operations and predictable outcomes.
    
    
• Regional Knowledge:
  • Understanding of MENA (Middle East and North Africa) or other emerging markets is highly desirable.

• Language Skills:

Excellent written and spoken English is required; proficiency in Arabic or other regional languages is a plus.