Zonal Operations Head – East Africa

About the role

The Zonal Operations Head will lead VAS operations across Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia, based in Kampala. This senior role translates regional objectives into country‑level plans, builds new offices and visa centres, and ensures consistent service quality and compliance.

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 monitor country performance.
• Manage and develop Country Operations Heads and Cluster Operations Heads.
• Implement VAS policies, SOPs and operational controls uniformly across the zone.
• Mobilise, set up and launch new offices and visa application centres, ensuring readiness of facilities, staff and systems.
• Monitor KPIs, service metrics and conduct operational reviews, applying corrective actions as needed.
• Ensure compliance with local laws, regulations, data protection standards and contractual obligations.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks, service disruptions and business continuity issues.
• Control zonal operating costs within approved budgets, working with Finance and HR heads.
• Build relationships with diplomatic missions, government authorities, partners and service providers.
• Support business development, contract renewals, tender submissions and market expansion.
• Coordinate with IT, Security, Quality, HR and Finance to meet operational requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement, standardising processes and enhancing productivity.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management or related field; Master’s degree is a plus.
• Minimum 12 years of experience in operations or regional management, preferably with multi‑country responsibility.
• Proven track record managing senior operations teams and delivering performance improvements.
• Experience in visa services, BPO, travel or government‑facing customer service environments is highly desirable.
• Background in launching or scaling new offices or service centres.
• Strong stakeholder management, budgeting, compliance and risk management skills.
• Previous work across East African markets, especially Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia, is an advantage.
• Fluent English (reading, writing, speaking); knowledge of local languages is a plus.