Director of Operations

Role: Operations Director - Côte d’Ivoire

GSM (Green SM) - Vingroup-backed EV Mobility Platform

Reports to: General Manager - Côte d’Ivoire Team: Builds and leads the operations team across depot, fleet, and driver operations Location: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Travel: Mostly within the market; periodic travel to HQ Start date target: Tied to market launch timing Compensation: TBC (discussed at offer stage with recruitment team)

In one line

Build and run the operational engine behind Côte d’Ivoire’s first all-electric ride-hailing fleet.

About GSM (to be adjusted based on GSM policies)

GSM (Green SM) is building the world’s first fully electric ride-hailing platform - reinventing how people move through cities, one clean ride at a time. Our scope is global and our model is unusually broad: we operate at the intersection of electric vehicle solutions, vehicle financing, EV charging and depot infrastructure, technology development, and ride-hailing. In under three years we have become one of the fastest-scaling players in our markets, and we are now bringing our all-electric service to Africa, beginning with Côte d’Ivoire.

The role

You will build and lead the operations function for GSM in Côte d’Ivoire - the engine that keeps the fleet on the road, drivers earning, and service quality high. From standing up the first depot to deploying vehicles and onboarding the first drivers, you own the day-to-day operating machine that turns the launch into a service people can rely on.

This is a hands-on builder role. You will design the processes, stand up the depot and fleet operations, hire and train the team, and then run the engine to performance from a standing start. You report to the General Manager and work closely with our global operations teams in Vietnam, who support you across the early phase.

What you’ll own

Depot and fleet operations - Stand up and run the depot, charging, and service workshop operations - Own the vehicle lifecycle: intake, readiness, handover to drivers, and deployment to market on schedule - Manage maintenance and repair schedules to keep vehicle uptime high - Track vehicle status (idle, in service, under repair, held by authorities) and expedite repair and redeployment

Driver operations - Own driver onboarding and the ongoing support that keeps drivers active and engaged - Build a strong, well-served driver community as the foundation of supply - Manage driver receivables and settlements with discipline, which matters in a cash and mobile-money market

Performance and KPIs - Drive the operational metrics that define a healthy market: utilisation, vehicle downtime, driver attrition, completion rate, and revenue per vehicle per day - Find the bottlenecks, fix them, and raise the operating standard continuously

Process, compliance and safety - Build the standard operating procedures, audits, and controls from scratch - Ensure compliance with company policy and local regulation, including fire safety and occupational health - Run corrective actions and close audit items fully

Financial discipline - Prepare and manage the depot budget and cash flow - Control advances, reimbursements, and expense settlements per financial rules - Keep receivables and outstanding balances tight to protect unit economics

Team and organisation - Hire, train, and lead the operations team from a standing start - Set the standards, the rhythm, and the culture of the operation

Who you are

You’re an operator and a builder. You’ve stood up or scaled a real field operation before - a depot, a fleet, a logistics hub, a service network - and you know how to go from an empty site to a running engine. You’re energised by building, not just maintaining.

You run on data and process. You read operational KPIs instinctively, you design clean processes, and you know which levers actually move utilisation, uptime, and cost. You bring order to a lot of moving parts.

You’re hands-on and close to the ground. You’d rather be in the depot solving the real problem than managing it from a deck. When something breaks, you are there.

You know Côte d’Ivoire. You understand the local operating environment, how things get done here, and you bring a network you can put to work from day one.

You lead frontline teams well. You know how to hire, train, and get the best from depot staff, technicians, and field teams, and you set a high bar without losing people.

You’re resilient under pressure. Launch operations are messy and fast. You absorb the chaos, recalibrate, and keep the engine running.

What you bring:

Fluent French and working English Deep knowledge of the Ivorian market, with an established local network 8+ years in operations, including team leadership, in transportation, ride-hailing, fleet, logistics, last-mile delivery, or service operations Strong command of operational KPIs, process design, and cost and cash discipline Based in or ready to relocate to Abidjan, hands-on by nature

Things that would make us excited:

Direct experience in ride-hailing, mobility, fleet operations, logistics, or last-mile delivery Experience standing up a depot or field operation from scratch Familiarity with EV, charging infrastructure, or fleet-maintenance economics A background in consulting, a startup, or both

What we offer:

Build the operational backbone of a category-defining launch - the country’s first all-electric ride-hailing service Real ownership of the depot, the fleet, and the operating engine from day one EV mobility frontier - work at the intersection of vehicles, charging infrastructure, and platform operations Direct visibility to senior leadership - your work is seen and supported at the highest level Competitive compensation with relocation and local allowance support

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