Job Description

At Lapaire, we transform people’s lives.

Because good eyesight is essential for living well and fulfilling your dreams, we have developed a unique concept: a service where the customer is at the heart of our project and quality, stylish products at fair, transparent prices.

Joining the Lapaire team is first and foremost joining an inspiring pan-African adventure that impacts the health and well-being of the people around us, and therefore their lives.

But it is also and above all :

• Serving our clients at best to improve their lives.
• Working and acting as an entrepreneur, contributing to the Lapaire project with ideas and initiatives.
• Participating in the expansion of a dynamic company by organizing and anticipating work efficiently.
• Learning every day to continue to grow and surpass yourself.
• Collaborating with young and multicultural teams while sharing your knowledge.

The Lapaire Group was created in 2018 in Kenya and already has over 120 Optical Shops and over 600 employees in Uganda, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali, Benin, Togo and Senegal.

Lapaire, See Beyond.

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Country Manager- West Africa

Type of Employment : Full Time
Location : Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire

General mission of the role :

The Country Manager is responsible for the development and implementation of the strategic plan to ensure the growth of the business in the country.

He/She is in charge of setting up and overseeing optimized operations throughout the country. He/She will supervise directly local Operations, Marketing and Admin HR teams. He/she will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer and the other members of the Leadership team.

The responsibilities of the Country Manager :

Own the country P&L, annual budget, and regularly review the company's financial performance to ensure targets are met.

• Implement the sales and development strategy in line with the company's overall goals and objectives, to drive sales growth and profitability in the country.
• Work on the opening plan with the COO
• Identify key partners and engage them to collaborate with Lapaire
• Drive sales growth in existing branches

Lead and motivate the local team leveraging established HR’s processes and tools, as well as Operational Excellence team’s support.

• Conduct interviews to find top talents for the team
• Ensure adequate onboarding of the new recruits
• Share insights on training needs with HR and Operational Excellence Teams
• Ensure completion of training locally to upskill your team

Gather market and customer insights to identify opportunities and adapt marketing and comms strategies to grow sales and build the brand locally.

• With the Group Marketing team develop a local marketing strategy and supervise the coordination of the marketing activities accordingly
• Work closely with the Communications Department to convert the global strategy to the local context by reviewing Comms projects and suggesting new ideas

Manage autonomously local operations and external relationships, and share reports to your line manager

• Monitor and ensure compliance with company policies and procedures
• Work closely with the Supply Chain Department to optimize operational processes, efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Develop and nurture relationships with local suppliers, partners and government agencies to ensure smooth operations and compliance with local regulations.
• Independently resolve administrative and legal issues.
• Provide regular reports and updates to the leadership team on sales performance, market trends and business opportunities.

Requirements

Bachelors in Business Administration, Finance or Management

Proven experience in a management role in the retail sector, with a strong track record of network development and monitoring operational performance and financial profitability

In-depth knowledge of retail, including market trends, customer behavior and competition.

Knowledge of local regulations, laws and business practices in the country of operation.

Excellent command of IT tools (excel, google suite, CRM, ERP)

Professional English, both spoken and written

Willingness to travel within the country

Personal qualities required to succeed in this position

• Effective leadership You are able to inspire and motivate teams to achieve objectives.
• Sense of responsibility You can be relied upon in all circumstances and are accountable for your work
• Strategic thinker You are able to develop in-depth analysis and strategic thinking for your business, have a keen eye for detail and the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Organized You are highly organized and a good time manager, able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Business acumen You know your business environment, can strategize and negotiate
• Excellent communicator You know how to build and maintain relationships with your contacts, whoever they may be
• Adaptable You enjoy working in a dynamic and changing environment, you are comfortable and adaptable to the changing needs of the business.