Managing Director

On behalf of a confidential client; Drammen; Hybrid; NOK 4,200,000 - 6,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car

Bonus scheme

Occupational pension

Home-office allowance

Newspaper subscription

Job summary

Confidential Client in Norway and Sweden seeks a Managing Director to own strategic direction and operations across two entities, with regular Nordic travel and a hybrid working model. The role reports to the European CEO and sits on the European leadership team.

You will manage full P&L, drive growth, lead cross-functional teams, and maintain strong relationships with regulators, customers, and stakeholders. Fluency in Norwegian/Swedish and English is required.

Qualifications

• Requires a university degree in engineering, business, or similar.
• Minimum 15 years of senior leadership experience.
• Proven track record with full P&L responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute strategy for Norwegian and Swedish operations.
• Lead multi-country teams with field-based, hands-on leadership.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and cost management.
• Negotiate major contracts and manage key customer relationships.
• Ensure compliance with Norwegian and Swedish regulations and HSE standards.

Skills

Strategic leadership

P&L ownership

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory awareness

Education

Engineering degree

Business/ Economics degree

Job description

As Managing Director, you will hold full operational and strategic responsibility for the group's operations in Norway and Sweden, two legal entities operating under two national regulatory regimes, with overall accountability for a combined P&L.
Reporting directly to the CEO of the group's European organization, you will be a member of the European leadership team and play a key role in shaping the future direction and performance of the Nordic business.
The position is ideally based at the company's Norwegian head office (Eastern Norway), with regular travel across Norway and Sweden (approx.10-40%) and a hybrid working model. This is a hands-on, field-facing leadership role, not a remote position.

This position becomes available as part of a planned leadership transition, offering a new leader the opportunity to build on a well-established and successful organization while shaping its next phase of growth.

Key responsibilities

Strategic Leadership, Organization & Governance

• Define and execute the strategy for the Norwegian and Swedish operations in line with the group's overall objectives, identifying new business opportunities, driving sustainable growth and strengthening market position
• Build, develop, and inspire local teams through visible, hands‑on leadership in the field, and strengthen the organizational foundation with clear structure, processes, governance and accountability
• Foster a high‑performance culture focused on collaboration, succession planning, people development, and continuous improvement. Ensure transparent communication and effective decision‑making across a matrix organization.
• Drive organizational transformation and continuous improvement to support the company's long‑term strategy
• Take ownership of key business decisions while balancing operational, commercial, and people priorities
• Provide regular reporting to the European leadership team on performance, strategic priorities, and key risks
• Hold full P&L responsibility for both legal entities, overseeing budgeting, financial performance, forecasting, and cost management
• Maintain a strong commercial focus, leading major contract negotiations, strategic partnerships, and key customer relationships
• Optimize operational processes, logistics, distribution, and supply chain procedures to ensure internal efficiency as well as reliable delivery to customers

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture and ensure full compliance with Norwegian and Swedish regulations, HSE standards, and corporate policy

Build and maintain strong relationships with regulatory authorities, customers, and other key stakeholders

We are looking for someone with

Background and experience

You hold a relevant university degree (engineering, business/economics, or similar) or bring at least 15 years of senior leadership experience within an international company, ideally within industrial, commodity trading, construction, manufacturing, logistics, or related industries.
You have a proven track record of full P&L responsibility and operational leadership experience, ideally gained in a matrix organization, combined with strong business development capabilities and a results‑oriented mindset.
Experience leading multi‑country operations - ideally across Norway and Sweden - and familiarity with Norwegian and Swedish regulatory frameworks are strong advantages. You are fluent in Norwegian or/and Swedish and have excellent English language skills. Knowledge of the other Scandinavian language is considered an advantage.

On this foundation, we believe the following personal qualities will set you apart:

• High personal integrity, resilience, and maturity in navigating complex situations
• The ability to drive changes, simplify complexity, and deliver sustainable business improvements
• A field‑oriented leadership style combined with strong cross‑functional collaboration skills
• Strong strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and solid financial understanding
• Excellent relationship‑building and stakeholder management skills across customers, employees, regulators, and corporate functions
• An engaging leader who builds trust, motivates, and develops people
• A strong commitment to safety, compliance, and operational excellence

We offer

• Full P&L ownership and decision‑making authority for both companies, with a seat on the group's European leadership team
• The opportunity to shape the organization's next chapter, building on a well‑established platform with real scope to further develop the teams, processes, and governance your way
• Direct exposure to Board‑level reporting and strategic decision‑making across a global group operating in 30+ countries
• A competitive compensation package, including a company car, bonus scheme and based on the country specification occupational pension, home‑office allowance and newspaper subscription
• Based at the company's Norwegian head office, with a flexible/hybrid working model and regular travel across the Nordics

We encourage qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender, age, or background.

About

Our client is a well‑established international industrial group serving the construction, infrastructure and other relevant sectors.

Headquartered in the US and operations across multiple countries, the company delivers quality products, technical expertise, and customer‑focused solutions.

In the Nordic region, the group's Norwegian and Swedish operating companies provide end‑to‑end solutions, ranging from commodity products and initiation systems to logistics, distribution, and on‑site technical support.

Chief Executive Officer - CEO, Managing Director, Management, Ledelse