Country Managing Director Greater Yokohama, Japan Area

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Country Business Planning

• Lead the development and implementation of country business strategies, annual operating plans, and budgets for The Gambia, aligned to JIB's international growth objectives and approved by the Director of International Business.
• Translate Group and JIB strategy into clear country-level targets, priorities, and delivery roadmaps across all business lines.
• Advise the Director and senior leadership team on market dynamics, political and regulatory developments, competitive landscape, and growth opportunities in The Gambia.
• Conduct periodic strategic reviews of country performance and recommend adjustments to strategy, resource allocation, and operating models.

Operational Delivery & Project Execution

• Provide executive oversight for all in-country operations, projects, and service delivery, ensuring safety, quality, timeliness, and cost effectiveness.
• In The Gambia, oversee the operationalization and phased delivery of the Integrated Waste Management Project (IWMP) concession, including stakeholder coordination, project milestones, and service commencement.
• Establish and chair country management structures with clear accountability, reporting lines, and performance review cadences.
• Ensure effective coordination between country teams and JIB functional units (Finance, Legal, HR, Projects, HSE, Business Development).

Financial Performance & Commercial Management

• Accountable for the financial performance of country operations, including revenue growth, profitability, cash flow, and return on investment in line with approved targets.
• Oversee country budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting in collaboration with the JIB Finance function, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and compliance with IFRS and Group standards.
• Drive commercial discipline across contracts, procurement, pricing, and cost management; identify and implement revenue optimization and cost efficiency initiatives.
• Support capital raising and investment appraisal activities by providing country-level financial data, project economics, and investment cases to the JIB Finance & Capital Raising team.
• Monitor financial health and advise JIB leadership on investment opportunities, risks, and resource requirements in The Gambia.

Government & Stakeholder Relations

• Serve as the principal liaison with government ministries, regulatory agencies, municipal authorities, and local communities in The Gambia.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers, including environment, finance, and local government ministries, national environment agencies, and municipal assemblies.
• Lead negotiations on concessions, contracts, partnerships, and regulatory matters in coordination with JIB Legal and the Director of International Business.
• Manage community relations and ensure operations deliver tangible local benefits: employment, sanitation improvement, capacity building, and maintain the Group's social license to operate.
• Represent the Group at high-level forums, industry events, and international engagements as required.

Business Development & Market Expansion

• Lead market entry and expansion initiatives in The Gambia, identifying opportunities aligned with Jospong Group's diversified portfolio (waste management, environmental services, ICT, agriculture, finance, infrastructure).
• Cultivate and manage strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and MOUs with public and private sector actors.
• Support the development of new service lines and business models adapted to local market conditions and customer needs.
• Collaborate with JIB Business Development and Capital Raising teams to originate, structure, and close country-level opportunities and financing transactions.

Risk, Compliance & HSE

• Ensure full compliance with national laws, environmental regulations, labor codes, tax obligations, and industry standards in The Gambia.
• Implement Group-standard health, safety, and environmental (HSE) management systems and drive a culture of safety excellence across all operations.
• Develop and maintain country risk registers covering political, regulatory, operational, financial, and reputational risks; implement mitigation measures and business continuity plans.
• Ensure robust internal controls, procurement integrity, and anti-fraud measures in line with Jospong Group governance requirements.
• Manage crisis response and incident management for country operations.

People Leadership & Team Development

• Build and lead high-performing country team in The Gambia, including direct oversight of country functional heads (Finance, Operations, HR/Admin, Projects, HSE, Business Development).
• Set clear performance objectives, conduct regular appraisals, and actively develop talent and succession pipelines.
• Foster a culture of integrity, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with local labor laws and Group HR policies across the jurisdiction.
• Champion diversity, inclusion, and ethical leadership in all country operations.

Reporting & Communication

• Provide regular (monthly/quarterly) reports to the Director of International Business on country performance, risks, opportunities, and strategic recommendations.
• Maintain clear and timely communication channels with JIB headquarters and Group leadership.
• Prepare and present country performance reviews, business cases, and strategic papers to executive management as required.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Director of International Business.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Strategic & Operational Delivery

• Country business plans and annual budgets approved and executed on schedule.
• Project milestones and service delivery targets met
• Operational uptime and service quality standards achieved across all business lines.

Financial Performance

• Revenue and profitability targets achieved against approved country budgets (±5% variance tolerance).
• Country management accounts and reports submitted to the Director of International Business by the agreed monthly deadline.
• Cash flow and working capital managed within approved thresholds; forecast accuracy ≥ 90%.
• Clean audit outcomes across all country entities; zero material control failures.

Stakeholder & Government Relations

• High-level government and regulatory relationships maintained with zero unresolved disputes or sanctions.
• Concession, partnership, and contractual obligations met; renewals and expansions secured as targeted.
• Community satisfaction and grievance resolution targets met; zero material social license incidents.

Risk, Compliance & HSE

• 100% compliance with statutory, regulatory, tax, and environmental requirements in the jurisdictions.
• Zero lost-time incidents above approved thresholds; HSE targets met.
• Country risk registers maintained and reviewed quarterly; mitigation actions tracked to closure.

Leadership & People

• Team performance appraisals completed 100% within the required cycle.
• Key talent retention and succession plans in place for critical roles.
• Employee engagement and development targets met.

Job Specification

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Economics, International Development, Engineering, Environmental Management, Finance, or a related field is required. A PhD is advantageous.
• Minimum of 12–15 years of progressive experience, with at least 8 years in senior leadership roles (Country Manager, General Manager, Managing Director, or equivalent) in multi-country or international business environments.
• Proven track record of leading operations and delivering results in West Africa, with specific exposure to The Gambia strongly preferred.
• Experience in one or more of Jospong Group's core sectors: waste management/environmental services, infrastructure, ICT, agriculture, finance, or real estate is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in public-private partnerships (PPPs), concession-based projects, and government-facing negotiations.
• Experience managing multi-country P&L, budgets, and operational teams across diverse regulatory and cultural environments.
• Familiarity with both anglophone and francophone business, legal, and regulatory environments is essential.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Proven ability to set vision, translate strategy into execution, and deliver results across diverse markets.

• Political Acumen & Stakeholder Management: Skilled at navigating complex government relationships, regulatory environments, and multi-stakeholder negotiations.

• Financial & Commercial Acumen: Strong P&L management, budgeting, investment appraisal, and business development capabilities.

• Operational Excellence: Track record of driving efficiency, safety, and quality in complex operational environments.

• Cross-Cultural Leadership: Ability to lead diverse, multicultural teams across- countries with different languages, cultures, and business norms.

• Integrity & Governance: Unwavering commitment to ethical leadership, transparency, and corporate governance.

• Resilience & Adaptability: Comfort operating in dynamic, sometimes challenging environments and ability to make sound decisions under pressure.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to present complex matters clearly to boards, governments, investors, and communities.

• Language: Fluency in English and French is required (spoken and written)