Managing Director, Southeast Asia Singapore Posted on 02/20/2024 Trending We are looking for a [...]

APCO Worldwide, an advisory and advocacy consultancy, is seeking a Managing Director to join our Singapore office to lead our work in the Southeast Asia region. The ideal candidate will have a background in consultancy, public affairs, or communications. The Role The Managing Director leads by example and inspires a team of professionals dedicated to delivering the highest levels of client service across Southeast Asia. The MD develops new business, retains and nurtures talent, and builds APCO’s brand across the region. Working under the direction of the CEO and the Chair for Asia and collaborating with the worldwide corporate team, the Managing Director shapes the strategic three-year business plan and the budget for Southeast Asia, strives to meet or exceed these goals, and moves swiftly to address any delta that may emerge between stated business objectives and ongoing performance. The Managing Director is responsible for directing annual budgeting, forecasting, producing a monthly P&L for the region’s operations, and communicating the business plan and financial reports to staff, informing and empowering staff at all levels to contribute to shared business success. The Managing Director will demonstrate successful performance by delivering on the following objectives: Prioritised Objectives: Leadership : Secure the loyalty and commitment of all staff by setting a clear vision and strategy; demonstrate where all colleagues fit in relation to the business mission and purpose, clearly and effectively communicate and motivate others to excel as part of a cohesive overall team. Profile-building : Actively network in Southeast Asia to identify new business prospects, solutions, and talent for the firm; update the Southeast Asia marketing strategy, maximizing value from chamber/association memberships to build the APCO brand. Work with colleagues and managers to propose innovative ideas that increase market share. Ongoing Objectives: Leadership and Business Expectations : Securing, maintaining, and building client business; hiring, retaining, and managing a diverse and collaborative team of employees, contractors, strategic partners, and other affiliates; ensuring that APCO can provide expert service across multiple industries and sectors; maintaining an external profile as a thought leader, driving APCO to become a respected market-leading advisory and advocacy consultancy. Business Performance : Deliver results against the business plan by setting goals, responsibly managing budgets and operations; generating revenue growth and meeting expected levels of profitability. KPIs : Meeting or exceeding assigned new business and personal KPI targets developed in partnership with the CEO and the Chair for Asia. Business Planning and Budgeting : Collaborating with the corporate team to develop a business plan and budget for the Southeast Asia business. Client Engagement and Oversight : Managing client relationships and ensuring an exceptional, consistent level of service to all clients; identifying and nurturing key client relationships; improving overall client satisfaction; managing regional and global client teams where relevant. Client Management : Leading client meetings, offering knowledgeable observations and suggestions; establishing credibility through insights shared; encouraging and motivating others to communicate ideas and advice. Project Management : Demonstrating effective project management, constructively addressing and resolving issues, and educating others on how account engagements tie to APCO’s business performance and brand aspirations. Cross-Selling : Cross-selling APCO’s full breadth of services and driving business across the geography and the global network. Budgeting and Overseeing Client Assignments : Ensuring accurate scoping of work, completion of contracts, and budgeting of proposals. A Culture of Collaboration : Creating a positive inclusive environment founded on APCO’s vision and values, ensuring teams in diverse offices and practices work seamlessly to meet common goals. Career Development : Taking ownership of and actively stewarding team member development; demonstrating thoughtful planning to increase individual skill sets, setting smart objectives, and looking for opportunities for talent development. Policy Implementation : Ensuring all colleagues are aware of APCO’s policies and established practices; taking responsibility for implementing those policies in Southeast Asia. Regional Leadership : Participating as an active member of the Asia regional management team, working to secure the performance goals set for the region overall. Qualifications and Standards Minimum of 15+ years' relevant experience in a consulting firm, corporation, diplomatic post, or media role; strong project, budget, and client management skills; experience pursuing and developing new business. Experience in reputation and issues and crisis management is desirable. Strong understanding of the Southeast Asia and Korean political and business environments. Proven track record in client retention and new business generation (assuming the candidate has worked in a consultancy). Management experience of a large team and familiarity with management best practices. Outstanding analytical and problem-solving abilities. Strong project management and budgeting experience. Exceptional writing skills. Strong presentation skills. Fluent written and oral English (other languages, particularly Asian, desirable). About APCO APCO Worldwide is an advisory and advocacy consultancy helping leading public and private sector organizations be catalysts for progress by navigating the challenges of today, acting with agility, anticipating social risk, and building organizational reputations, relationships, and solutions to succeed. APCO is proudly an independent and majority women-owned business. In a rapidly evolving global context, rising expectations for organizations, and a time of transformational change, APCO strives to add value to our clients’ enterprises and benefit society. We enable clients to achieve their objectives through insightful counsel, compelling narratives, and creative solutions. The values we share reflect our commitment to our people and our clients, and we aspire to meet the highest business standards in our industry. Our work transcends borders, and in addition to our almost 40 years of experience, the reach of APCO’s team allows us to meet client challenges across the globe. We have more than 30 offices around the world, with our work reaching more than 80 markets and going far beyond lines on maps. #J-18808-Ljbffr