Managing Director
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Industry: Measurement Technology, Instrumentation, Calibration
Employment Type: Full-time, Executive Management
Reporting to: International Headquarters in Germany
About the Company
The company is part of a leading international group specialising in professional measurement technology, instrumentation, calibration services, connected monitoring solutions, and technical support for demanding industrial and regulated environments.
The South African subsidiary serves customers across Southern Africa with high-quality instruments, technical expertise, calibration services, after-sales support, and industry-specific solutions. The company operates in key markets such as HVAC/R, food safety, pharmaceuticals, industrial measurement, emissions monitoring, thermal imaging, cold chain monitoring, connected monitoring, and calibration.
The Role
We are looking for a commercially strong and technically minded Managing Director to lead the South African business into its next phase of growth.
The Managing Director will have full responsibility for the local subsidiary, including sales growth, profitability, people leadership, strategic market development, operational excellence, customer relationships, compliance, and close cooperation with the international headquarters in Germany.
This is a hands-on leadership role requiring a strong balance of strategic thinking, commercial drive, technical understanding, operational discipline, and people management.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the business strategy for the South African subsidiary in line with the global group strategy.
- Identify and drive growth opportunities across HVAC/R, food safety, pharmaceutical monitoring, thermal imaging, calibration, emissions monitoring, industrial measurement, and connected monitoring solutions.
- Build and manage long-term plans for sustainable revenue growth and profitability.
- Represent the South African business within the wider international group and ensure strong alignment with headquarters in Germany.
- Monitor market trends, competitor activity, customer requirements, regulatory developments, and industry opportunities relevant to the business.
- Translate global strategic priorities into practical and commercially effective local execution.
Sales & Market Development
- Drive sales performance across direct sales, key accounts, distribution partners, and industry-specific verticals.
- Strengthen the company’s position in core markets such as HVAC/R, food production, food retail, quick-service restaurants, pharmaceuticals, cold chain, industrial maintenance, calibration, and emissions testing.
- Develop new business opportunities in South Africa and selected Southern African markets.
- Build, maintain, and leverage a strong business network within South Africa, including customers, distributors, consultants, contractors, regulatory bodies, industry associations, and professional organisations.
- Support the sales team in complex customer negotiations, tenders, and solution-based selling.
- Develop and manage distribution and channel partner strategies to improve market coverage and sales performance.
- Identify and develop strategic partnerships that support long-term market growth.
Financial & Operational Management
- Take full P&L responsibility for the South African subsidiary.
- Manage budgets, forecasts, pricing, margins, working capital, and profitability.
- Ensure efficient operations across sales, service, administration, calibration laboratories, logistics, and customer support.
- Monitor KPIs and implement corrective actions where required.
- Ensure strong cooperation between sales, service, calibration, marketing, finance, and operations.
- Maintain high standards of corporate governance, compliance, reporting, and operational control.
- Ensure the business operates with strong financial discipline and clear accountability.
People Leadership
- Lead, motivate, and develop a team across multiple locations.
- Create a performance-driven, accountable, and customer-focused culture.
- Set clear objectives, monitor performance, and support employee development.
- Strengthen internal communication and collaboration between departments.
- Recruit, retain, and develop high-performing talent.
- Act as a role model for professional leadership, integrity, accountability, and customer focus.
- Build leadership capability within the organisation and support succession planning.
Technical & Service Excellence
- Ensure the company maintains a strong reputation for technical competence, service quality, calibration expertise, and customer support.
- Support the development of calibration and service capabilities in line with market requirements.
- Promote professional standards across all technical and customer-facing activities.
- Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, quality, safety, and certification requirements.
- Support customers in demanding technical and regulated environments with professional, reliable, and solution-oriented service.
- Maintain a strong understanding of relevant industry applications and customer requirements.
Marketing, Industry Presence & Brand Development
- Strengthen the company’s brand visibility in South Africa through professional marketing, events, webinars, exhibitions, social media, and industry partnerships.
- Support marketing campaigns across the company’s portfolio of products, solutions, and services, contributing to business growth and customer engagement.
- Work with global and regional marketing teams to adapt campaigns for the South African market.
- Represent the company at relevant industry events, associations, customer meetings, and professional forums.
- Maintain active involvement in relevant professional organisations, industry associations, or technical bodies.
- Use industry memberships and professional networks to strengthen market presence, credibility, and business development opportunities.
Experience Requirements
- Minimum 10 years’ experience in relevant technical B2B industries is required.
- Relevant knowledge of industries and market sectors, including measurement technology, instrumentation, HVAC/R, food safety, pharmaceutical monitoring, industrial measurement, calibration, emissions monitoring, thermal imaging, connected monitoring solutions, or other related technical fields.
- Minimum 10 years’ experience in a senior leadership, director, general management, or managing director role is required.
- Proven experience with full P&L responsibility, including business planning, budgeting, forecasting, margin management, profitability, and operational control.
- Strong track record in sales growth, market development, key account management, distributor management, and strategic business development.
- Established business network in South Africa within relevant industries, customers, distributors, consultants, contractors, regulatory bodies, or professional associations is required.
- Active membership, involvement, or strong participation in relevant professional organisations, industry associations, or technical bodies is advantageous.
- Experience leading teams across sales, service, operations, administration, calibration, logistics, or technical support.
- Experience working with international headquarters, global corporate structures, or multinational companies would be advantageous.
- Experience in regulated, technical, industrial, or quality-driven markets would be beneficial.
- Proven ability to operate successfully in a hands-on subsidiary leadership role, combining strategic thinking with practical execution.
Education & Language Requirements
Education
- A recognised degree in Economics, Business Administration, Engineering, or a similar relevant field.
- A strong combination of practical senior management experience and commercial leadership may also be considered.
- Additional qualifications in management, sales, finance, technical fields, or leadership would be advantageous.
Languages
- Fluent English is required.
- German language skills are strongly preferred, due to regular communication with the international headquarters in Germany.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a commercially driven senior leader with a strong understanding of technical B2B markets. They should be comfortable leading a subsidiary, managing a team, engaging with an international headquarters, and driving growth in a competitive market.
The successful candidate will have at least 10 years of relevant industry experience, at least 10 years of leadership or director-level experience, and a strong business network in South Africa. They should also be actively involved in relevant professional organisations, industry associations, or technical bodies.
This person will combine strategic thinking with a hands-on management style and will be able to balance commercial ambition, operational discipline, technical understanding, and people leadership.
Key Competencies
- Strategic and commercial thinking.
- Strong leadership and decision-making ability.
- Hands-on management style.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- High level of accountability and integrity.
- Strong problem-solving ability.
- Ability to balance technical detail with commercial priorities.
- Customer-focused mindset.
- Comfortable working in a German and international corporate environment.
- Entrepreneurial drive within a structured global organisation.
- Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills.
- Strong network-building ability within South Africa.
- Ability to represent the company professionally in industry organisations and professional forums.
- Ability to manage complexity across sales, operations, service, finance, and people management.
What We Offer
- A senior leadership role within a respected international technology company.
- The opportunity to lead and grow an established South African subsidiary.
- Exposure to a wide range of industries, technologies, and international stakeholders.
- A strong product portfolio with global brand recognition.
- The opportunity to shape the future growth of the business in South Africa and Southern Africa.
- A professional environment focused on quality, technology, customer value, and long-term growth.
- Market related salary and performance bonus.
Application
Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and a short motivation letter outlining their relevant leadership, sales, technical B2B, general management experience, South African industry network, and involvement in relevant professional organisations.
We are looking for a Managing Director who can combine strategic leadership, commercial growth, operational discipline, technical understanding, strong industry relationships, and a customer-focused mindset to further develop the business in South Africa and the wider region.
Pay: R80 000,00 - R160 000,00 per month
Work Location: In person
