Head of Operations

Seniority: Leadership role with strategic and hands-on operational ownership

About Ubimov

Ubimov has quickly become one of the leading TVDE operators in Portugal, growing rapidly over the past 18 months and establishing a reputation for reliability, scale, and strong operational execution. We are now entering a new phase of expansion with the ambition to build the most advanced and professionalized fleet operation in the country.

The TVDE sector remains highly inconsistent in quality, and our mission is simple: bring professionalism, efficiency, and operational excellence to an industry that needs it.

To deliver on this mission at scale, we’re assembling a senior leadership team capable of building the systems, teams, and processes required for hypergrowth. As we enter this next chapter, we’re hiring a Head of Operations who will architect, own, and scale the operational backbone that makes this vision possible.

The Role

The Head of Operations owns Ubimov’s operational engine end-to-end. This includes the full fleet lifecycle, operational processes, maintenance, repairs, uptime management, and the systems that support scaling the fleet while ensuring that every car is operational and contributing to the business.

This is a role for a senior, highly autonomous builder: someone who can design scalable operational models from scratch while also being deeply hands‑on when needed. You will shape how our fleet is managed today and how it scales in the future, build the team, and create the operational playbook that supports long‑term growth.

You Will Own

1. Fleet Operations & Uptime Management

Your mission is to ensure every vehicle in the fleet is operational, compliant, and available for work as consistently as possible.

• Own the full operational lifecycle of each vehicle, from acquisition to daily performance to end‑of‑life
• Build robust processes for maintenance, inspections, repairs, insurance, accidents, breakdowns, and all activities required to keep the fleet healthy
• Establish preventive maintenance programs designed to reduce interruptions and extend asset lifespan
• Lead initiatives toward vertical integration in key areas (e.g., parts, maintenance capabilities, logistics) to reduce dependency, minimize downtime, and increase operational efficiency
• Manage and continuously optimize partnerships with insurance companies, garages, repair shops, and all technical and operational vendors
• Create and refine recovery protocols that ensure vehicles are addressed quickly and returned to operational status with minimal interruption
• Define SLAs, quality standards, and performance expectations for all partners and internal teams involved in fleet upkeep
• Develop forecasting models to anticipate fleet needs, replacements, scalability requirements, and operational capacity
• Design and oversee Ubimov’s fleet management framework: tools, systems, tracking, dispatching structure, and operational workflows to track the right KPIs to make better operational decisions.

You will build the operational infrastructure that ensures stability, reliability, and long‑term scalability of a fleet growing into the thousands.

2. Operational Excellence

• Design the operational model for scale, including workflows, SOPs, automations, and dashboard structures that support a growing multi‑market fleet
• Select, implement, and optimize the tools and systems required for fleet management, maintenance coordination, and operational performance tracking
• Build real‑time visibility into fleet status, downtime, and operational bottlenecks, ensuring issues are identified and addressed proactively
• Use data to diagnose operational patterns, inform strategy, and prioritize improvement initiatives that increase stability and efficiency
• Lead continuous optimization of cost structure, uptime performance, and operational processes, ensuring the fleet runs predictably and efficiently
• Own the Ubimov Operational Playbook, designing and maintaining the standards, processes, and operating principles that will be replicated as the company expands into new markets
• Set‑up our new warehouse where we plan to vertically integrate by creating our own shop and maintenance programs.

You will build and lead the operations team from the ground up.

• Hire, coach, and manage the operations staff across maintenance, support, and logistics
• Build a culture of ownership, autonomy, and high accountability
• Roll up your sleeves and jump into the field to understand issues firsthand
• Lead with clarity, accountability, and a relentless focus on solutions, not problems.

4. Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with founders on strategy, scaling plans, and new market launches
• Work closely with senior management to align car availability with driver demand
• Provide operational insights for forecasting, financial planning, and investor reporting
• Align with product/tech vendors to improve systems supporting fleet and operations

What Great Looks Like

You are:

• A senior operator with meaningful experience managing large‑scale operations or fleets, ideally someone who has built or scaled an asset‑heavy operation from the ground up
• A builder, not just a manager: you’ve created systems, processes, or teams from zero and know what it takes to bring structure to fast‑growing environments
• Comfortable operating at two altitudes:
• Operational: going on‑site, understanding bottlenecks firsthand, and stepping into execution when required
• Highly autonomous, independent, and self‑disciplined: you own problems end‑to‑end without needing oversight
• Analytical and structured: you use data to diagnose issues, spot patterns, and build predictable operational engines
• Someone who thrives in complex, fast‑moving environments, where ambiguity is the norm and clarity must be created, not provided
• Calm under pressure, decisive when facing uncertainty, and consistent in high‑stakes operational decisions
• Motivated by scale and quality: you want to build something big, durable, and operationally excellent

What You Bring

Required

• +5 years experience in operations, fleet management, logistics, mobility, or similar industries
• Proven experience managing asset‑heavy operations with uptime requirements (logistics, mobility, ridesharing, fleets, rent‑a‑car, transportation…)
• Strong process‑design and systems‑thinking skills
• Experience working with external suppliers, repair shops, and technical partners
• Ability to build and manage high‑performing operational teams
• Fluent in Portuguese (English is a strong plus)
• Ability to work on‑site in Lisbon

Nice to Have

• Experience scaling operations in high‑growth environments
• Familiarity with fleet management tools, maintenance systems, operational CRMs and ERPs
• Experience managing complex maintenance pipelines, insurance processes, or multi‑vendor networks
• Analytical/financial comfort with budgets, cost structures, and optimization levers

What We Offer

• A fast‑moving, entrepreneurial setting where your work has immediate and visible impact
• The opportunity to work directly with the founders
• Autonomy to build and lead your own team
• Competitive senior compensation package
• Generous vacation policy
• Hybrid flexibility with meaningful on‑ground presence in Lisbon

Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Management and Manufacturing

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