General Manager - International Business

Navlakha Management Services; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Navlakha Management Services in Bengaluru seeks a hands-on commercial leader to build and scale international pharma markets across B2B and B2C. You will own multi-country P&L, launch new markets, and lead country managers and distributors.

You will drive strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, and governance, align HO with country teams, and develop scalable structures. Travel 90–120 days annually.

Qualifications

• 15–22 years total pharmaceutical commercial experience
• 6–8 years in domestic B2C operations, managing field teams, targets, and brand execution
• 3–5 years as a Country Manager in an international market (preferred)
• OR 5–8 years overseeing multiple international markets from Head Office
• 3–5 years managing Country Managers or senior market leaders (preferred)
• Strong experience in business planning, budgeting, and profitability management
• Experience working with international distributors in emerging markets
• Strong analytical ability to interpret market data, financial metrics, and operational performance

Responsibilities

• Drive revenue growth and achievement of targets across international B2B and B2C markets
• Run structured monthly performance reviews with Country Managers (B2C) and key distributor accounts (B2B)
• Identify performance gaps and implement corrective action across both models
• Own annual business planning, budgeting, and forecasts for international B2B and B2C markets
• Manage working capital cycles, cost control, collections, and inventory management across both models
• Ensure expansion into new markets B2B or B2C is commercially and financially viable
• Lead commercial readiness for new international market launches, under either B2B or B2C models
• Validate team structure and coverage models for B2C launches; validate distributor selection and onboarding for B2B launches
• Establish structured launch milestones
• Monitor early-stage performance and intervene decisively
• Own distributor development and strategic partnerships across B2B markets
• Align commercial plans, inventory discipline, and credit structures with distributors
• Ensure sustainable and structured commercial practices in emerging markets
• Evaluate and onboard new distribution partners as new B2B markets are activated
• Provide strategic leadership for the international product portfolio across both business models
• Lead product selection based on commercial opportunity, competitive landscape, regulatory feasibilit and profitability
• Guide the complete product lifecycle — from opportunity identification through launch, growth, optimization, and rationalization
• Recommend country-specific and model-specific pricing, positioning, and commercialization strategies
• Manage multiple international markets simultaneously across both business models
• Coordinate cross-functional Head Office teams (Regulatory, Supply Chain, Finance, Procurement, Commercial Support)
• Remove operational bottlenecks between HO and country teams / distributor accounts
• Recruit, mentor, and develop Country Managers and international business professionals.
• Build leadership capability across international operations.
• Develop scalable organizational structures and succession plans.
• Create a culture of ownership, accountability, and commercial excellence
• Establish and continuously improve: Monthly Business Reviews, Quarterly Business Reviews, Country Scorecards, Distributor Scorecards, Sales Forecasting, Business Planning, KPI Dashboards, Commercial Review Systems

Job description

The Role

You will lead and scale up our existing international B2B and B2C operations and take full responsibility for launching and governing new markets under either model as they are activated.

Your mandate is clear:

Build commercially strong, financially disciplined, and operationally predictable international businesses across both distributor-led and company-led markets.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

1. Commercial Performance

• Drive revenue growth and achievement of agreed targets across international B2B and B2C markets
• Run structured monthly performance reviews with Country Managers (B2C) and key distributor accounts (B2B)
• Identify performance gaps and implement corrective action across both business models

2. Financial Ownership & P&L Discipline

• Own annual business planning, budgeting, and forecasts for international B2B and B2C markets
• Manage working capital cycles, cost control, collections, and inventory management across both models
• Ensure expansion into new markets B2B or B2C is commercially and financially viable

3. New Market Launch Leadership

• Lead commercial readiness for new international market launches, under either B2B or B2C models
• Validate team structure and coverage models for B2C launches; validate distributor selection and onboarding for B2B launches
• Establish structured launch milestones
• Monitor early-stage performance and intervene decisively

4. Distributor & Channel Oversight (B2B)

• Own distributor development and strategic partnerships across B2B markets
• Align commercial plans, inventory discipline, and credit structures with distributors
• Ensure sustainable and structured commercial practices in emerging markets
• Evaluate and onboard new distribution partners as new B2B markets are activated

5. Product Portfolio & Commercialization

• Provide strategic leadership for the international product portfolio across both business models
• Lead product selection based on commercial opportunity, competitive landscape, regulatory feasibilit and profitability
• Guide the complete product lifecycle — from opportunity identification through launch, growth, optimization, and rationalization
• Recommend country-specific and model-specific pricing, positioning, and commercialization strategies

6. Multi-Country & Head Office Coordination

• Manage multiple international markets simultaneously across both business models
• Coordinate cross-functional Head Office teams (Regulatory, Supply Chain, Finance, Procurement, Commercial Support)
• Remove operational bottlenecks between HO and country teams / distributor accounts

7. Leadership & Organization Development

• Recruit, mentor, and develop Country Managers and international business professionals.
• Build leadership capability across international operations.
• Develop scalable organizational structures and succession plans.
• Create a culture of ownership, accountability, and commercial excellence

8. Business Systems & Governance

Establish and continuously improve:

• Monthly Business Reviews
• Quarterly Business Reviews
• Country Scorecards
• Distributor Scorecards
• Sales Forecasting
• Business Planning
• KPI Dashboards
• Commercial Review Systems

Experience Required

We are looking for a a hands-on commercial leader who has successfully built and scaled pharmaceutical businesses across emerging international markets and enjoys creating organizations, systems, and commercial excellence rather than simply managing established operations.

• 15–22 years total pharmaceutical commercial experience
• 6–8 years in domestic B2C operations, managing field teams, targets, and brand execution
• 3–5 years as a Country Manager in an international market (preferred)

OR

• 5–8 years overseeing multiple international markets from Head Office

Preferred, not mandatory:

• 3–5 years managing Country Managers or senior market leaders
• Strong experience in business planning, budgeting, and profitability management
• Experience working with international distributors in emerging markets

International Adaptability

Demonstrated ability to manage pharmaceutical businesses across different international market models — B2B and B2C — understanding that the same product may require different pricing, positioning, distribution, and execution strategies depending on the country and the commercial model in play.

Therapy & Product Understanding

Strong commercial understanding of pharmaceutical therapies and product portfolios. Ability to evaluate product selection, positioning, and launch readiness from a market-fit perspective — across both distributor- facing and field-facing contexts.

Analytical & Reporting Capability

Strong analytical ability to interpret market data, financial metrics, and operational performance across both models. Comfortable presenting structured performance reviews and clear commercial insights to senior leadership.

Leadership Expectations

• Strong, accountable leader who sets performance standards and enforces them
• Comfortable addressing underperformance directly — in a field team or in a distributor relationship
• Leads by example and willing to spend extended time in-market (including up to 1–2 weeks in the field when required)
• Commands respect through clarity, consistency, and commercial judgement — not popularity
• Strong experience managing pharmaceutical field operations is highly preferred; direct B2B distributor management experience preferred

Decision-Making Authority

The GM will have significant autonomy in:

• Country business planning.
• Distributor evaluation and recommendations.
• International commercial strategy.
• Portfolio prioritization.
• Business review mechanisms.
• Team development.
• Performance management.

Final approvals relating to capital allocation, compensation, and strategic investments will remain with the Managing Director.

Success in the Role

Success in this position will not be measured solely by revenue growth. It will also be measured by the ability to:

• Build scalable international systems.
• Develop strong Country Managers.
• Strengthen distributor capability.
• Improve portfolio quality.
• Enhance profitability.
• Build a sustainable international organization capable of supporting long‑term growth.

Travel

This is an active international leadership role requiring regular on-ground presence across markets — both B2C

country teams and B2B distributor partners.

Expected travel: approximately 90–120 days annually, aligned with structured review cycles and launch execution.

What You Can Expect

• End-to-end ownership of the International Business Division.
• Opportunity to shape international strategy across B2B and B2C businesses.
• A strong product portfolio and growth pipeline.
• Direct collaboration with the Managing Director and senior leadership.
• Significant international exposure and long-term career growth.
• A performance-driven entrepreneurial environment.