General Manager
Who We Are
Global business is being transformed. At WorldFirst, we’re looking for people who want to lead and shape this change. Our mission is to ‘make it easy to do business anywhere’. That means connecting small businesses around the world with faster and cheaper payments, access to international marketplaces, flexible currency risk management tools, working capital and more.
As part of the Ant Group, we have the best of both worlds – we leverage their superior technology and vast ecosystem and seek to maintain the nimbleness of a fast-moving fintech. That’s the secret to our collaborative and inclusive culture. If you thrive in a team that reflects the diverse world we live in, and you want to take ownership for shaping change, get in touch.
Job Responsibilities
Identify new opportunities for growth that fit WorldFirst’s strategic proposition in European markets and be accountable for the turnover, revenue and profit.
Working within the parameters of the Global Ant Group & WorldFirst Strategy; develop, agree and implement a European expansion strategy, scaling in existing markets and launching in new
Collaborate with the CEO and global country management team to identify areas of best practice and ensure process consistency across regions.
Responsible for development and submission of the EU budget/forecasts and accountable for achieving budget and remaining within agreed expenditure targets unless agreed with CEO.
Responsible for interpreting the MI and providing commentary on the commercial areas which identifies challenges, successes and opportunities for growth, vs budget and other regions.
Build collaborative relationships with key support functions, locally and Globally to ensure the success of the European strategy.
Work with the Group & EU Compliance team to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements within the region and be the accountable business owner within the 3LOD model.
Overall responsibility for managing the growth of the European team in a way that provides the most optimal structure and scalability for both headcount and operations.
Line management of direct reports, ensuring clear goals are set, direct reports are clear on what “expected performance” looks like, that goals are reviewed regularly and direct reports are meeting required standards.
Lead EU regional management meetings – set and circulate the agenda, ensure information is communicated, there is appropriate discussion on agenda items, actions are agreed and followed up.
Demonstrate thought leadership and influence through active participation in both internal and external forums, including but not exclusively, industry organizations, industry events, cross-departmental committees and country management meetings.
Continuously work to identify and implement opportunities to improve service quality and operating efficiency, reduce unit costs, and mitigate operational risk.
Skills/Requirements
Strong knowledge of the European SME landscape, the needs and wants of our customers.
A true growth specialist with experience of leading and launching businesses into new territories.
Able to create and lead an environment where cross-team collaboration is encouraged, where openness and fairness to staff and clients is valued, and where as a leader you are seen as visible and accessible to the European teams and broader organisation.
Connect effectively with peers across multiple and engages in strategic discussions with leadership to create shared understanding; wins respect through your actions and approach.
Balance the needs of the organisation with the needs of the local business.
Monitor change and likely changes in the market and business environment, and adjust plans, decisions and activities accordingly – understanding potential impacts and opportunities for the organisation’s strategy.
Identify, mitigate and appropriately leverage risk to the benefit of WorldFirst. Is quick to spot changes in the environment or emerging trends that may create risk for WorldFirst.
Use data to enhance the quality of strategic decision making.
Support people and teams who appropriately question the status quo and innovate for the future; is honest when ideas can’t be progressed or action can’t be taken.
Engage fully in workforce planning to ensure that capacity and capability levels are in line with current and future requirements.
Create a high performance environment, where high performance is expected, recognised and celebrated.