General Manager of Sales

The General Manager (GM) for Papua New Guinea is responsible for leading the strategic, operational, and financial performance of the business within the country. This role oversees all business units and functions — including commercial operations, finance, supply chain, human resources, and stakeholder engagement — ensuring profitability, operational excellence, and sustainable growth. The GM will drive the execution of regional and corporate strategy at a local level, build high-performing teams, and maintain strong relationships with customers, partners, government, and community stakeholders. The GM will drive profitable growth, strengthen brand equity, and ensure operational excellence while fostering collaboration across regional and global teams. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong commercial acumen, people leadership, and stakeholder engagement skills within a dynamic and evolving market.Key Responsibilities1. Strategic LeadershipDevelop and implement the PNG country strategy in alignment with regional and global business objectives.Identify and capitalize on emerging market opportunities, channel expansions, and new product introductions.Lead pricing, trade marketing, and route-to-market strategies to optimize distribution and market penetration.Ensure strong brand positioning and alignment with consumer insights and marketing objectives.2. P&L and Financial ManagementOwn full P&L responsibility for the PNG business, including revenue, margin, and cost management.Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking.Drive disciplined cost management, working capital efficiency, and cash flow optimization.Ensure compliance with corporate governance and local financial regulations.3. Operational ExcellenceOversee end-to-end business operations including sales, marketing, distribution, manufacturing (if applicable), and service delivery.Ensure effective resource allocation, operational discipline, and alignment with safety, quality, and sustainability standards.Lead business continuity planning and risk management initiatives.4. Cross-Functional Leadership and People LeadershipLead and develop a cohesive, high-performing cross-functional leadership team across commercial Sales, finance, HR, supply chain, and technical functions.Foster a culture of performance, accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. Partner with regional and global reams to align business priorities, share best practices and leverage synergies.Ensure talent development, champion a culture of integrity, and employee engagement.5. Stakeholder and Government RelationsRepresent the company with key external stakeholders including government bodies, regulatory agencies, industry associations, customers, and community partners.Ensure compliance with local laws, licensing, and corporate social responsibility standards.Strengthen the company’s brand and reputation in the PNG market.Qualifications & ExperienceBachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Commerce, Engineering, or a related field; MBA preferred.Minimum of 20 years’ progressive leadership experience, with at least 15 years in a senior general management or country leadership role.Proven track record of managing full P&L and delivering business growth in emerging or complex markets. Experience working in emerging or frontier markets, ideally within the Pacific or similar environments.Strong cross-functional leadership experience (e.g., commercial, operations, finance, HR).Deep understanding of the Papua New Guinea market, business environment, and stakeholder landscape.Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams, drive operational performance, and manage regulatory complexity.Core CompetenciesStrategic and Commercial AcumenFinancial Stewardship and Analytical RigorMarket Execution and Customer FocusLeadership and People DevelopmentOperational ExecutionStakeholder Engagement & InfluenceIntegrity, Resilience and Cultural AgilitySuccess MeasuresAchievement of annual revenue, profit, and market share targetsProfitability and cash flow improvementsBrand growth and consumer engagement metricsEmployee engagement and leadership pipeline strength Operational efficiency and compliance performance***Local Contract only