Maher Hijazi
Jeddah,Saudi Arabia
Summary
Manufacturing & Operations Manager with 20+ years of experience in steel, sheet metal, HVAC, and heavy fabrication manufacturing, leading multi-site Operations and large Shop-floor teams, with strong expertise in Production, Planning, Cost control, Lean manufacturing, and HSE-compliant operations, consistently delivering improvements in productivity, delivery performance, and overall operational efficiency within ERP-driven manufacturing environments.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
4031
4031
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Manufacturing & Ops Manager
Saudi Signs
Jeddah
2018.04 - 2026.01
- Directed manufacturing operations across 3 plants (Jeddah, Riyadh & Dammam) with 250+ employees, improving overall operational efficiency by 20% through standardized production planning and KPI governance.
- Led fabrication of heavy steel and metal structures, architectural signage, and cladding systems by aligning design, production, and installation workflows.
- Reduced production costs by 15% by deploying Lean manufacturing tools and optimizing material flow and shop-floor layouts.
- Improved design-to-production cycle time by 15% by introducing digital workflows and cross-functional coordination between engineering and production teams.
- Achieved consistent on-time delivery above 95% by strengthening daily production reviews and proactive capacity balancing.
- Supported multimillion-riyal projects by providing technical planning and operational inputs during pre-sales and execution phases.
Production Manager
Sign World, Al Arabia OOH
Riyadh
2016.10 - 2018.03
- Managed end-to-end production operations for custom steel and metal structures with a workforce of 100+ staff across fabrication, finishing, and quality functions.
- Achieved a 20% increase in material utilization through the implementation of Kanban systems, 5S discipline, and controlled inventory replenishment.
- Delivered 95% on-time project completion by synchronizing production schedules with sales, design and site installation teams.
- Strengthened shop-floor productivity by introducing visual performance boards and daily output tracking.
- Enhanced quality consistency by standardizing fabrication processes and inspection checkpoints.
Production Manager
Empower Air Technologies
Jeddah
2015.10 - 2016.10
- Oversaw HVAC duct and sheet metal manufacturing operations, ensuring alignment between factory output and site requirements.
- Increased on-time delivery by 30% by re-planning production sequences and improving coordination with contractors and logistics teams.
- Ensured equipment availability by coordinating preventive maintenance schedules with production priorities.
- Raised team productivity by 12% through the deployment of section-level KPI dashboards and performance monitoring systems.
Production Manager
Electro Industries
Jeddah
2007.09 - 2015.09
- Led fabrication of heavy steel components, sheet metal products, and custom industrial assemblies in a project-based manufacturing environment.
- Improved client approval turnaround by minimizing redesign iterations through early coordination with engineering and design teams.
- Maintained stable production output by balancing manpower allocation and machine loading across multiple fabrication areas.
- Cut production cycle time by 20% by implementing visual controls and optimizing end-to-end shop-floor workflows.
Fabrication Manager
Ghaddar Machinery
Saida
2005.09 - 2007.09
- Managed welding and assembly of 500+ generator enclosures annually by optimizing fabrication sequencing and workforce allocation.
- Reduced release-to-production lead time by 18% by automating BOM preparation and improving engineering–production handover.
- Enhanced shop-floor efficiency by redesigning material handling routes and workstation layouts.
- Enhanced production consistency by 25% through the enforcement of standardized fabrication and inspection practices.
Education
Master of Business Administration -
American University of Science and Technology
Beirut, LebanonMaster of Mechanical Engineering -
Lebanese University
Beirut, LebanonSkills
- Productivity Improvement & Cycle Time Reduction
- Production Planning & Plant Optimization
- Shop-Floor & Multi-Shift Management
- Steel, Sheet Metal & Heavy Metal Fabrication
- Risk & Operational Issue Management
- Cost Control, Budgeting & Variance Analysis
- Cross-Functional & Workforce Leadership
- Production Reporting & Forecasting
- Fabrication Drawing Interpretation
- Welding Operations QA & QC Compliance
Certification
- Project Management Professional (PMP) | Project Management Institute | 2024
- Risk Management Professional (RMP) | Project Management Institute | 2024
- Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB) | The Council for Six Sigma Certification | 2024
- Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (ICGB) | International Association for Six Sigma Certification | 2025
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) | Scrum Alliance | 2025
- Certified Quality Improvement Associate (CQIA) | American Society for Quality | 2025
- SAP S/4HANA: Manufacturing | Planning | Digital Manufacturing | SAP Learning
- 30-Hour General Industry Certification | International Association of Safety Professionals (IASP)
- Supply Chains for Manufacturing: Inventory Analytics | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | EDX
- Leadership and Communications | Harvard University | EDX
- Digital Manufacturing & Design Technology | University at Buffalo | Coursera
- Digital Technologies and the Future of Manufacturing | University of Michigan | Coursera
Timeline
Manufacturing & Ops Manager
Saudi Signs
2018.04 - 2026.01
Production Manager
Sign World, Al Arabia OOH
2016.10 - 2018.03
Production Manager
Empower Air Technologies
2015.10 - 2016.10
Production Manager
Electro Industries
2007.09 - 2015.09
Fabrication Manager
Ghaddar Machinery
2005.09 - 2007.09
Master of Business Administration -
American University of Science and Technology
Master of Mechanical Engineering -
Lebanese University