Country Manager

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Description

Simba Group, a partner of VAS Global Services, is seeking a Country Manager to support Visa Application Centre operations in Ethiopia. To manage operations of all Visa Application Centres in the country, with accountability for process adherence, revenue, profitability, customer satisfaction, as well as overall responsibility for interaction and relationship management with the respective Mission / Embassy and the Business Partner.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. Lead and manage all Visa Application Centre (VAC) operations within the assigned 

    country, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy and service standards.

    Accountable for:

• Process adherence and operational compliance
• Revenue generation and profitability
• Strategic resource planning, cost control, and workforce allocation
• Delivery of exceptional customer experience and satisfaction

2. Financial Management:

• Direct responsibility for the country’s profitability and achievement of targets (EBIT) set by the company
• Develop, manage, and monitor expense, budgets and resource utilization to drive cost efficiency
• Conduct periodic financial and productivity analysis to inform strategic decisions
• Collaborate with Finance teams to support long-term financial planning, cash flow management, and reporting

3. Operational Excellence: Lead continuous process improvement initiatives to

    enhance productivity and quality at all levels:

• Develop, implement, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), policies and manuals
• Ensure strict compliance with internal processes and meet the defined SLAs
• Ensure process enhancements to improve quality & efficiency and lead new process roll outs in the respective VACs
• Improve the operational systems; processes and policies to support better management reporting, information flow and management, business process and organizational planning

4. Risk Management:

• Ensure robust physical and data security protocols across all VACs
• Proactively manage risk through regular assessments, policy enforcement, and incident prevention strategies
• Uphold compliance with information security standards and statutory regulations

5. People Management:

• Lead and inspire operational teams, driving staff efficiency, productivity, engagement and performance
• Forecast and plan manpower requirements using data-driven methods such as time-and-motion studies and historical trends
• Facilitate ongoing training, coaching, and development programs to build capability and service excellence
• Promote a culture of ethics, integrity, and compliance with corporate values and procedures

6. Business Development:

• Collaborate with the Value-Added Services team to identify and launch new revenue channels
• Engage with Ministries of foreign affairs and government bodies to explore cross-border business opportunities
• Build strategic partnerships to expand service offerings and enhance market presence.

7. Relationship Building:

• Cultivate and maintain high-trust relationships with Embassy and Consulate officials, ensuring alignment and satisfaction.
• Lead client retention including rebidding and contract renewal negotiations
• Manage Relationships with vendors & partner, to ensure service consistency and operational synergy

8. Monitor competitive landscape and market trends to enable informed strategic

    planning and business positioning

9. Ensure responsible use of natural and organizational resources, promoting  

    operational sustainability.

10. Adhere to and promote the organization’s environmental, health and safety 

    policies and objectives across all operations.

Requirements

Education:

1. Minimum: Postgraduate or Global Equivalent Degree in any stream

Experience:

1. 10-15 years of work experience in relevant domain (BPO / Travel / Hospitality / Visa) of which last 5 years should be in senior management position/level

Knowledge & Key Skills:

1. Should have cross domain knowledge and experience (e.g. HR, IT, Admin, Finance, Operations) in a large set-up spread over a wide geographical area
2. Experience in strategic planning and execution
3. Project management and people management skills
4. Business Acumen
5. Technology Savvy

Behavioural Competencies:

1. Entrepreneurship
2. Quality & Service Orientation
3. Teamwork & Collaboration
4. Diversity Sensitivity
5. Personal and Professional Development
6. Delivering Results
7. Communication
8. Networking
9. Leadership

Functional Competencies:

1. VAC Operation Management
2. Project Management
3. Selling & Business Development

Others/Extra Details

Key Interactions:

External: 1. Vendor 2. Missions 3. Tourism Department

Internal: 1. Departments within VAS Services 2. Regional Operations Head 3. VAC Operations Managers

Additional/Desirable Requirements:

1. Experience in setting up new ventures (Local/International)
2. Knowledge of a foreign Language
3. Experience of working in a culturally diverse environment
4. Cross functional expertise

KPIs:

1. Set EBITA, GOP and Financial Targets set for the region
2. Meeting Clients SLA's
3. Meeting Value Added Services revenue targets
4. Satisfaction Index/Score from Applicants
5. Satisfaction Index/Score from Diplomatic Mission