General Manager, India

The General Manager, India is responsible for leading and growing VCLS India as a strategic business unit and operational centre of excellence. This role combines commercial leadership, organisational leadership and operational oversight to drive sustainable revenue growth, profitability, client satisfaction and employee engagement. 
 
As the senior leader for India, you will be accountable for developing and executing the India growth strategy, expanding our client base, strengthening our market presence, leading the India organisation and ensuring alignment with VCLS global priorities.

Strategic Leadership 

·       Develop and execute the India business strategy in alignment with VCLS global objectives. 

·       Identify market opportunities, emerging segments and strategic partnerships to accelerate growth. 

·       Establish annual revenue, profitability and growth plans for the India business. 

·       Provide strategic insight into market trends, client needs, competitor activity and regulatory developments. 

·       Represent India within the VCLS leadership team and contribute to global initiatives. 

Business Development & Revenue Growth 

·       Drive profitable revenue growth across all VCLS service offerings. 

·       Build and maintain executive-level relationships with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medtech and life sciences organisations. 

·       Personally lead business development activities and key client opportunities. 

·       Develop and execute account growth strategies for existing clients. 

·       Build and maintain a strong pipeline of new business opportunities. 

·       Represent VCLS at industry conferences, networking events and client meetings.

 

Operational Leadership 

·       Ensure effective management of the India operation to achieve financial and operational objectives. 

·       Monitor business performance, utilisation, margin and delivery metrics. 

·       Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives. 

·       Ensure delivery of high-quality services that meet client expectations and VCLS standards. 

·       Partner with Finance to manage budgets, forecasting, profitability and cash collection. 

People Leadership 

·       Lead and develop the India leadership team. 

·       Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, collaboration and high performance. 

·       Build organisational capability through workforce planning, recruitment and succession planning.

·       Coach and mentor leaders and future talent. 

·       Ensure strong employee engagement and retention. 

Client Leadership 

·       Act as executive sponsor for strategic client relationships. 

·       Ensure high levels of client satisfaction, retention and repeat business. 

·       Support resolution of escalated client issues and commercial discussions. 

·       Promote VCLS as a trusted strategic partner within the Indian life sciences market. 

Governance, Risk & Compliance 

·       Ensure compliance with local employment law, corporate requirements and business regulations. 

·       Identify and mitigate operational, commercial and people risks. 

·       Maintain effective governance, reporting and controls. 

Performance Measures 

·       Revenue growth versus budget. 

·       EBITDA and profitability performance. 

·       New client acquisition. 

·       Client retention and expansion. 

·       Employee engagement and retention. 

·       Leadership effectiveness

·       Degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Biotechnology, Medicine or related scientific discipline. 

·       Minimum 15 years' experience within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CRO, consulting, regulatory or life sciences sectors. 

·       Proven experience leading a life sciences organisation, business unit or country operation within India. 

·       Demonstrated success driving business growth, revenue generation and market expansion. 

·       Experience managing full P&L responsibility. 

·       Strong understanding of the Indian pharmaceutical and biotechnology landscape. 

·       Experience leading multifunctional teams within complex organisations.