Strategy Director - Sub Saharan Africa at Saint-Gobain

Why do we need you ?

• Develop and own the Sub-Saharan Africa growth strategy and roadmap, applying the Start Up, Scale Up and Step Up framework to define how each market will enter, grow and transform.
• Translate the regional strategy into practical multi-year plans with clear resource, investment, return, stage-gate and milestone requirements.
• Assess new-country opportunities and determine suitable entry models, including export, distribution, partnership, joint venture, acquisition or greenfield investment.
• Build investment-ready country plans by coordinating Finance, HR, Legal, Supply Chain, Marketing, the Solutions team and external consulting partners.
• Lead strategic planning, M&A and partnership activity across the region, including target screening, valuation, due diligence, negotiation support and integration planning.
• Prepare and present evidence-based growth strategies and investment cases to SSA leadership and Group stakeholders in Paris.
• Monitor economic, political, regulatory, currency, competitor and industry developments across Sub-Saharan Africa and advise the SSA Executive Committee on their implications.
• Ensuring market-entry, partnership and growth initiatives comply with Saint-Gobain governance, risk, compliance, sustainability and investment requirements.

Is this job for you ?

• You will need a degree in Commerce, Economics, Finance, Engineering or a related field. An MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification in Strategy or Business is strongly preferred. You should bring at least 10 years' experience in strategic leadership, including a minimum of 5 years at senior management level, with a proven record of developing and executing growth or market-entry strategies. The role also requires experience in M&A, investment-case development, financial modelling and the management of external consulting partners. Strong executive communication, analytical thinking and stakeholder-management capability are essential.

To make sure nothing is forgotten

• This is a senior regional leadership opportunity for a commercially astute strategist who can turn Sub-Saharan Africa growth ambition into credible, executable and investment-ready plans. Success will require influence across countries and functions, disciplined governance, sound judgement in complex markets and the ability to build confidence with both regional and Group stakeholders.