General Manager South Africa

Company Description

LGC Standards is a leading global manufacturer and service provider of quality assurance and research tools, supporting analytical needs in more than 120 countries worldwide. We use our expertise to produce to the highest standards, including ranges produced under ISO/IEC 17025 and accredited to ISO 17034.

With a variety of reference materials and proficiency testing schemes, our experience in outsourcing and customs allows us to quickly adapt and provide customised solutions to meet our customers' analytical needs. We use science to ensure the safety and integrity of products and services, aligned with our vision of science for a safer world.

Job Description

General Manager – South Africa

Fixed‑Term Contract

We are seeking a General Manager to lead our distribution site in South Africa!

This role is responsible for overall site performance, including commercial outcomes, operational delivery, and people leadership. The General Manager will play a key role in supporting change initiatives and ensuring the site operates effectively and consistently.

Reporting into senior leadership, the role has full accountability for the site and will work closely with internal and external partners to stabilise performance, improve ways of working, and support future requirements.

Key Responsibilities
• Provide leadership across Sales, Operations, Customer Service, and Finance.
• Lead site performance, including revenue, cost control, service delivery, and operational standards.
• Support teams through periods of change, including transformation and new ways of working.
• Build effective working relationships with internal teams, customers, and partners.
• Identify and deliver improvements that increase efficiency, productivity, and service quality.
• Promote consistent processes and continuous improvement across the site.

Experience & Skills
• Experience in a General Manager, Site Lead, or senior operational leadership role.
• Proven ability to lead multi‑disciplinary teams in a site‑based or distribution environment.
• Experience supporting organisational change or restructuring.
• Strong commercial understanding with experience managing budgets and performance.
• Clear and effective communicator with strong team member management skills.

A people‑focused leader who supports accountability, collaboration, and team development.y focused General Manager to direct our site in South Africa. This vital leadership role entails boosting commercial and operational efficiency, enabling organisational change and transformation, and encouraging an inclusive culture at the site.

Reporting into senior leadership, the General Manager will have full accountability for the site. They will play a key role in stabilising, optimising, and positioning the operation for success. This is an outstanding opportunity to lead a dynamic team and make a significant impact on our continued growth!

Qualifications

Key Responsibilities

We will provide strategic, commercial, and operational leadership across the full site operation, including:
• Sales – generating revenue growth, assisting commercial teams, and identifying chances to broaden business potential
• Operations – ensuring efficient, safe, and high‑quality delivery of services and outcomes
• Customer Service – maintaining strong customer relationships and ensuring high levels of happiness
• Finance – coordinating budgets, cost control, forecasting, and financial performance

Key focus areas include:
• Guiding, nurturing, and assisting both new and established teams during times of change, transformation, and growth.
• Building a cohesive, collaborative, and inclusive culture that aligns with organisational values and encourages accountability and engagement.
• Improving commercial results through recognizing opportunities to increase operational efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
• Strengthening internal and external partner relationships, ensuring clear communication, alignment, and effective collaboration.
• Embedding a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence, implementing standard processes across all functions.

Experience & Skills
• Proven experience in a General Manager, Site Lead, or senior operational leadership role, ideally within a complex, multi‑functional environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional groups across commercial and operational sectors.
• Demonstrated experience managing change, transformation programmes, and evolving organisational structures.
• Commercially astute, with the ability to balance critical thinking and hands‑on delivery while managing competing priorities.
• Strong team member management and relationship‑building capability, both internally and externally.
• A people‑centric leader with a passion for inclusion, collaboration, and high performance, able to motivate and encourage teams during periods of change.

Additional Information

Location

This role is in Kyalami, Johannesburg, South Africa

Our values
• PASSION
• CURIOSITY
• INTEGRITY
• BRILLIANCE
• RESPECT

Equal opportunities

LGC strongly believes that every job applicant and employee should be valued for their individual talents. Shortlisting, interviewing, and selection will always be carried out without regard to gender, sexual orientation, marital status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age, or trade union membership.

For more information about us, please visit our website www.lgcgroup.com