Country Manager

Position Overview

As the Country Manager, you will serve as the primary representative of our organization, overseeing all operational, technical, and sales activities within the country. Your leadership will be pivotal in driving revenue growth, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring profitability while fostering a rewarding and high-performance work environment. This role demands a strategic vision, exceptional leadership capabilities, and a deep understanding of market dynamics to position our business for sustained success.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Planning: Develop and execute a comprehensive regional business plan focused on growth, sales execution, and brand enhancement. Your strategies will align with corporate objectives while addressing local market opportunities and challenges.
• Team Leadership and Development: Lead the local Quality Evaluation (QE) team, overseeing all aspects of business management and personnel development. Foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement to drive team performance.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate closely with the President and peers to share resources, best practices, and innovative ideas. Act as a bridge between local operations and global leadership to ensure alignment and synergy.
• Performance Optimization: Make data-driven management and strategic decisions to enhance business performance. Prepare and oversee aggressive yet achievable budgets and business plans that balance ambition with realism.
• Brand Advocacy: Serve as the ABS ambassador, promoting the brand’s reputation, values, and offerings to customers, partners, and stakeholders. Ensure consistent brand messaging and customer experience across all touchpoints.
• Market and Competitive Analysis: Maintain an in-depth understanding of the market landscape and competitive dynamics. Identify and capitalize on growth opportunities, including new services and potential acquisitions, to strengthen our market position.
• Financial and Operational Excellence: Ensure competitive pricing strategies aligned with business guidelines while minimizing costs without compromising service quality or delivery. Oversee financial metrics such as Accounts Receivable, cash flow, and Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) to maintain financial health.
• Process Implementation and Compliance: Implement and enforce standard group processes related to IT, HR, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and other functional areas. Establish robust financial and process controls to mitigate risks and ensure operational integrity.
• Ethical Leadership: Uphold the highest standards of ethics in accordance with the ABS Code of Integrity and Professional Conduct. Promote a culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability throughout the organization.
• Safety and Risk Management: Ensure a safe working environment by establishing and maintaining a strong safety culture. Proactively identify and mitigate risks to protect employees, customers, and business assets.
• Talent Development: Identify, assess, develop, coach, and promote top talent within the organization. Create succession plans and career pathways to build a high-performing and resilient team.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Drive the achievement of KPIs by setting clear expectations, monitoring progress, and implementing corrective actions as needed. Focus on delivering consistent service quality and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications and Competencies

To excel in this role, you must possess a blend of education, experience, and leadership qualities. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in business management, strategic planning, and team leadership within a technical service or consulting environment.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited university in a business, quality-related, or technical field. Alternatively, equivalent business or quality-related experience will be considered.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive industry experience, with a strong emphasis on leadership and business management.
• Relevant certifications and/or licenses in your area of specialization, as required by the industry or regulatory standards.
• Prior experience with management systems certification (e.g., ISO, AS9100) is highly advantageous.
• Demonstrated experience in managing Profit & Loss (P&L) statements and financial performance.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Leadership and Team Management: Exceptional ability to coordinate and motivate teams toward achieving common goals. Skilled in translating strategic visions into actionable plans and executing them effectively.
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Strong written and verbal communication abilities, with the capacity to engage stakeholders at all levels, from employees to senior leadership.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficient in using computers and business software for preparing presentations, managing communications, and operating ABS QE’s platforms.
• Industry Expertise: Deep understanding of technical service and/or consulting industries, with a focus on quality evaluations and assurance systems.
• International Exposure: Experience working in multicultural environments and a willingness to travel internationally to support business operations and client engagements.
• Adaptability and Energy: Ability to thrive in dynamic environments and motivate teams to deliver exceptional results consistently. A proactive and energetic approach to leadership is essential.
• Fluency in both the local language and English is required to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• A graduate business degree (e.g., MBA) is a plus.

Reporting Structure

This position reports directly to the Vice President or President of ABS Quality Evaluations (QE). The Country Manager may also oversee individual contractor direct reports, depending on the organizational structure.