Business Manager, Business Assurance – East Africa

About the role

The Business Manager, Business Assurance will be accountable for the growth, profitability and transformation of SGS's Business Assurance business across East Africa. Based in Kenya, the role will develop and execute regional growth plans, ensure operational efficiency, quality, compliance and technical excellence while expanding SGS’s market presence.

Key responsibilities

• Own the East Africa Business Assurance growth agenda, delivering revenue, margin and market development targets.
• Develop and implement a three‑year regional growth plan, identifying priority countries, sectors, services and investment needs.
• Identify and penetrate new geographic markets, selecting appropriate operating models (direct, partnership, affiliate).
• Translate regional and global priorities into actionable country plans with clear commercial, operational and financial targets.
• Transform the commercial organisation toward disciplined prospecting, key‑account growth and improved sales conversion.
• Establish a rigorous commercial cadence covering pipeline, forecasting, major opportunities, tenders and pricing.
• Accelerate under‑penetrated sectors such as QHSE, Food, Sustainability, Digital Trust, Forestry, Supply Chain Assurance, Medical Devices and Academy.
• Develop strategic regional and multinational accounts and drive cross‑selling across SGS businesses.
• Lead major opportunities, tenders and market‑entry initiatives personally.
• Assess and redesign the organisation, leadership capability and operating model to support growth.
• Lead, coach and develop country leadership, sales and operational teams, building succession pipelines and technical capacity.
• Ensure consistent service delivery, customer satisfaction, quality, accreditation compliance and technical excellence.
• Build strong relationships with customers, regulators, government entities, industry associations and partners.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity and regulatory changes to identify new services and partnership opportunities.

Required profile

• University degree in Business Management, Engineering or a related discipline; advanced business qualification is a plus.
• 12–15 years of progressive commercial and business leadership experience with P&L responsibility.
• Proven record of growing and transforming B2B services across multiple African markets.
• Experience entering new markets, developing revenue streams and winning major customers, preferably in TIC, certification or professional services.
• Demonstrated success delivering profitable growth through commercial expansion and operational improvement.
• Experience leading organisational change, capability upgrades and talent development.
• Strong understanding of East African markets and an established regional business network.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship‑management skills; fluent in English.