Managing Director / Country Manager - East Africa

Main purpose of the job

If you have managed the P&L for a business, or been responsible for a business unit that generated significant $M revenues then you could be the candidate for this role.

An opportunity exists for an individual to continue the development of a business with the winning of significant new business and expansion into the East African market.  In addition to achieving the financial targets, the Managing Director / Country Manager would also be responsible for talent management, business development and supporting global initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Strategic management and control of annual budgets for the East Africa Operation, including revenue, gross margin operating costs, operating profit and headcount
• Maintain financial systems: budgets, re-forecasts, monthly reports, etc.
• Utilise technology to reduce data collection costs where possible
• Client Satisfaction:
  • Accountable for client relationships and satisfaction; build strong rapport and trust, raise client expectations & delivery.
  • constant improvement in measure of “truly loyal” clients as measured via the annual client survey
  • Drive client events to launch our new solutions.

• Actively drive new business development amongst existing clients, identify and develop new business opportunities outside the existing client base & geography’s.
• Employee Satisfaction: constant improvement in measure of “truly loyal” employees as measured via the annual employee survey:
• Providing leadership and clear direction on overall management of staff including overseeing:

• Recruitment of staff
• Training and career development of staff
• Annual evaluations and monitoring of progress
• Setting goals and objectives for senior CS
• Develop appropriate and innovative research designs, provides insights to all stages from proposal preparation, design, survey study methods and report write-ups.
• Consistently demonstrate a high level of marketing knowledge and apply it to research data to solve clients’ business problems (Media & advertising knowledge a plus)
• Consolidate the business development culture

• Develop appropriate and innovative research designs, provides insights to all stages from proposal preparation, design, survey study methods and report write-ups.
• Consistently demonstrate a high level of marketing knowledge and apply it to research data to solve clients’ business problems (Media & advertising knowledge a plus)
• Consolidate the business development culture
• Develop current local talent & increase the technical expertise levels in the company
• Ensure all MB procedures, policies & ISO are adhered to within the operations of the company
• Represent Millward Brown at professional functions and activities
• Participation in seminars, conferences and workshops Publish articles in specialized African publications
• Write & publish articles in specialized magazines so as to maximise MB’s thought leadership positioning in the market.

Key performance measures

• Identify opportunities for geographical expansion out of East Africa into all other East African Markets
• Employee satisfaction survey & productivity
• Efficiency measures
• Customer focus
• Financial targets would include measures on                                                                                                   
  • Turnover
  • Gross margin    
  • Operating profit 
  • SOX Compliant (100%)
  • Chargeable time 70%
• Contribution to Millward Brown learning’s   

Desired Skills & Experience

Minimum Qualifications/Work Experience

Minimum qualifications:

o3 year degree in Research, Marketing or Business, economics is preferred

Previous experience of:

• 10 to 15 year’s relevant market research experience in a research agency, client company, or management or marketing consultancy
• Experience in Africa preferred
• Demonstrated track record and/or flair for growing a business with a strategic orientation
• P&L experience
• Experience managing mid-sized team/office including exposure to operational departments within the business.
• Ability to lead on accounts and lead projects
• Strong people management skills.

Personal Attributes:

• Passionate about research and the industry
• Resilient, up for the challenge of a very demanding job in a high growth environment
• Fast mover/agile in getting work done, leveraging any new business opportunities
• Dynamic self-starter
• Ability and willingness to be “hands-on” and contribute at all levels
• Ability to deal with complexity/ambiguity in the role and managing multiple (occasionally conflicting) priorities.

Competencies Required

Leadership:

• Inspires and challenges others
• Takes a long-term view and initiates organisational change for the future
• Builds commitment to the vision with others.
• Identifies opportunities to move the organisation toward the vision.

Conflict Management:

• Resolves conflicts, confrontations, and disagreements in a positive and constructive manner.
• Strives for win-win solutions.

Managing and Developing others:

• Ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilised, appraised and developed.
• Motivates and guides others toward goal accomplishment.

Customer Focus:

• Anticipates and meets the needs of clients
• Achieves quality end products
• Advocates and takes action for improving services.

Goal Attainment:

• Determines objectives and strategies
• Monitors and evaluates the progress and outcomes of operational plans.
• Anticipates potential threats and opportunities.

Financial Management:

• Prepares, justifies, and administers budgets.
• Plans, administers, and monitors expenditures to ensure cost –effective support of programmes and policies.
• Monitors, oversees, and controls revenue-generating activities.

Company Description

Millward Brown is one of the world's leading research agencies and is expert in effective advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research. Through the use of an integrated suite of validated research solutions — both qualitative and quantitative — Millward Brown helps clients build strong brands and services. Millward Brown has more than 82 offices in 52 countries. Additional practices include Millward Brown's Global Media Practice (media effectiveness unit), The Neuroscience Practice (using neuroscience to enhance traditional research techniques), Millward Brown Optimor (focused on helping clients maximize the returns on their brand and marketing investments), Dynamic Logic (the world leader in digital marketing effectiveness) and Firefly Millward Brown (a global qualitative research business). Millward Brown is part of Kantar, WPP's insight, information and consultancy group.