Country Manager

Job Description
Country Manager – Philippines

Location: Manila, Philippines

Executive Summary

On behalf of our client, a leading international organisation expanding its consumer presence across Asia, Axentia Global has been retained to identify an exceptional Country Manager to lead and scale its Philippines business. The role carries full market leadership responsibility, including strategic growth, brand stewardship, financial performance, and operational execution across a fast-growing retail ecosystem. The successful candidate will navigate a complex joint-venture environment, influence multi-stakeholder decision-making, and build a high-performance organisation that delivers long-term value creation.

The Opportunity

The Country Manager will serve as the organisation's senior-most representative in the Philippines, accountable for shaping market strategy, strengthening brand equity, and delivering commercial and operational excellence. Operating in a dynamic and competitive environment, the leader will guide store performance, customer engagement, property expansion, supply chain alignment, governance, and cultural leadership — all while managing expectations of JV partners and the global executive team.

This mandate requires a seasoned, influential, and culturally agile leader capable of balancing strategic vision with disciplined execution.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic & Commercial Leadership

• Develop and implement long-term market strategies aligned with corporate objectives and JV partner priorities.

• Deeply understand customer behaviour, market dynamics, and competitive trends to refine the customer value proposition.

• Drive sustainable revenue and profitability through strong commercial judgment and disciplined cost management.

• Lead market analysis, innovation initiatives, and business model refinement to support growth and competitiveness.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee end-to-end retail operations ensuring efficiency, consistency, and alignment with global brand and operating standards.

• Strengthen supply chain execution and product availability while ensuring compliance with import and regulatory standards.

• Optimise store operations, in-store experience, and operational capabilities to maximise productivity and customer conversion.

Brand, Marketing & Customer Engagement

• Ensure the brand's customer value proposition is faithfully executed across all stores and marketing channels.

• Leverage data insights to build deep understanding of customer needs and design initiatives to grow loyalty and retention.

• Build a cost-effective, high-impact marketing and communication strategy that enhances brand visibility and customer reach.

People & Culture

• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing leadership team of functional heads across operations, finance, HR, property, and marketing.

• Foster a values-driven, customer-centric culture that reflects the brand's ethos.

• Ensure strong talent management, succession planning, and leadership capability development across all levels.

• Oversee HR governance, policies, workforce planning, and organisational development.

Property & Store Development

• Provide strategic input into long-term property and expansion plans.

• Oversee identification, evaluation, and development of new store sites aligned with growth priorities and brand standards.

• Partner with landlords and relevant stakeholders to secure commercially attractive retail locations.

Stakeholder Influence & Relationship Management

• Build and sustain trusted, productive relationships with JV partners, landlords, suppliers, investors, and key external bodies.

• Represent the business to regulators, community leaders, and relevant government and industry organisations.

• Navigate complex stakeholder environments with diplomacy, transparency, and strategic maturity.

Governance, Compliance & Financial Stewardship

• Lead full P&L accountability, ensuring strong financial performance, forecasting accuracy, and disciplined expenditure.

• Oversee risk management, legal compliance, audit readiness, and adherence to all in-country regulations.

• Provide timely, accurate reporting to the Board, including strategic updates, financial results, and risk considerations.

• Ensure transparent and effective governance of the joint-venture structure.

Key Requirements
Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience in retail, consumer, or multi-site operations within fast-paced, growth-oriented environments.

• Proven success leading large teams (direct and indirect) with demonstrated capability to build high-performance cultures.

• Experience influencing Boards, JV partners, and senior global stakeholders in a complex governance model.

• Demonstrated track record managing large P&Ls, driving commercial improvement, and delivering sustained financial outcomes.

• Strong understanding of retail operations, supply chain, customer experience, and market expansion.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen and ability to translate insights into action.

• High emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal influence, capable of aligning diverse stakeholders.

• Hands-on leadership style with the agility to shift between strategic and operational demands.

• Values-driven, authentic, and known for transparent communication and sound judgment.

• Effective change agent with resilience and the ability to lead through ambiguity.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in business, management, or related disciplines preferred but not essential.

• Strong financial literacy and understanding of business drivers.

Position Dimensions

• Direct Reports: 6

• Indirect Reports: ~150

• Revenue Responsibility: ~USD 15–20 million

• CAPEX / OPEX Oversight: USD 5 million+

Why This Role Matters

This is a pivotal role in one of Asia's most exciting consumer markets. The successful candidate will directly influence market growth, stakeholder confidence, organisational capability, and the long-term success of the joint-venture. It represents a rare opportunity to build and shape a market from the ground up in partnership with a globally recognised brand.

Confidentiality

Axentia Global represents this search exclusively.
All inquiries will be treated with strict confidentiality.

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