Zonal Operations Head – East Africa

About the role

The Zonal Operations Head will lead VAS operations across Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, ensuring consistent service delivery, quality, compliance and cost‑efficiency. The role translates regional business objectives into country‑level plans and oversees the launch of new offices and visa application centres.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and oversee VAS operations in the three countries, meeting service level and quality targets.
• Translate regional strategies into actionable operating plans and hold country teams accountable.
• Develop and performance‑manage Country Operations Heads and Cluster Heads.
• Ensure consistent implementation of policies, SOPs and operational controls.
• Mobilise and launch new offices and visa centres, ensuring readiness of facilities, staffing and systems.
• Monitor performance through KPIs, reports and operational reviews, taking corrective actions as needed.
• Manage compliance with local laws, contractual obligations and data protection standards.
• Control zonal operating costs within approved budgets and drive continuous improvement.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management or related field; Master’s degree is a plus.
• Minimum 12 years of operations or regional management experience, preferably with multi‑country responsibility.
• Proven experience leading senior operations teams and delivering measurable performance improvements.
• Background in visa services, BPO, travel, hospitality or government‑facing environments is highly desirable.
• Experience launching or scaling new offices or service centres.
• Strong stakeholder management, budgeting, compliance and risk management skills.