Global Business Services Director

Mission

To build on the existing Shared Services Centre (SSC) organisation, transforming it into a Global Business Services (GBS) organisation, and to ensure Azelis is ready for it - evolving the organisation, operating model and capabilities, and preparing the business for the change. Once this foundation is in place, to drive standardisation, automation and data-driven decision making that create measurable business value, positioning GBS as a strategic partner to the Executive Committee rather than only a back-office service function.

Main accountabilities

Strategy & transformation

Phased roadmap - Build and execute a multi-year, phased GBS roadmap, translated into clear near-term priorities and milestones.

Design phase - Prepare and onboard the project team; design the future state and organisational structure; drive stakeholder alignment; develop the transition roadmap and talent strategy; and design site enablement.

Prepare phase - Establish the governance and leadership structure; prepare the operational infrastructure and site launch; develop change management strategies; and finalise the talent strategy and training plan.

Deliver phase - Implement GBS governance and KPI tracking; track and realise value; onboard and train associates; stand up the site; and execute the transformation and go-live.

Beyond - Expand - Extend GBS to other functions and processes, based on clear business cases and organisational readiness.

Transformation mindset - Champion continuous improvement, simplification and innovation across GBS, rather than steady-state operations.

Operating model & governance

Design the future-state GBS operating model, including end-to-end process maps and the location strategy.

Establish the Global Process Owner roles and the GBS governance structure, with clear ownership, decision rights and accountability for each end-to-end process.

Drive end-to-end process standardisation, balancing global consistency with local and business-specific needs.

Own GBS business planning, budget and resources.

Monitor benefits, risks and mitigating actions; resolve issues escalated from GBS or regional level.

Service excellence & customer experience

Ensure consistent, reliable service delivery to local and regional teams across more than 60 countries, managing the complexity of standardising processes across different regulatory, fiscal and cultural contexts.

Own service quality as a key requirement - setting clear standards, monitoring user satisfaction and performance, and acting promptly where delivery falls short.

Define and evolve the service catalogue, SLAs and performance framework.

Govern service change requests so changes are assessed, approved and implemented without affecting delivery quality.

Build a customer-centric, continuous improvement culture where service excellence is the standard.

Digitalisation & automation

Define and deliver the GBS digital and automation roadmap with the Group Information Services Director, making automation and simplification a core lever of the transformation.

Simplify and standardise processes before automating, then scale intelligent automation and AI-enabled service delivery across countries.

Build reliable data and reporting that enable data-driven decision making for the Executive Committee and the business.

Drive the adoption of new digital tools and ways of working across local, regional and Group teams.

Enterprise value creation

Own the GBS value case, delivering measurable cost, productivity and quality improvements through standardisation, automation and process redesign.

Track value realised against the business case through clear KPIs, and report progress transparently to the CFO and Executive Committee.

Build a scalable GBS platform that supports Azelis’ growth, including the fast integration of acquired companies.

Free up capacity in local and regional teams so they can focus on customers, principals and growth.

Stakeholder leadership

Act as a strategic partner to the CFO and Executive Committee, aligning GBS priorities with Group objectives and growth ambitions.

Build strong partnerships with regional leadership teams and function heads (Finance, HR, SHEQ, IT, Supply Chain etc.), securing their sponsorship and commitment at each phase of the transition.

Balance global standardisation with local needs, building consensus and taking clear decisions when trade-offs are required.

Manage key external partners, including technology and service providers, in support of GBS priorities.

Organisation & talent

Lead the reshaping and strengthening of the GBS organisation with the Regional CFO, regional HR Directors and Group Information Services Director, including recruiting key leadership and staff positions.

Guide them through workload rebalancing during the transition and stabilisation phases.

Partner with HR on the GBS talent strategy, developing and deploying talent where it is needed most.

Build a diverse, collaborative organisation, with associate engagement as a leadership priority.

Living our values

Leads by example in embedding Azelis’ values, fostering a culture that is innovative and resourceful, agile and empowered, collaborative and respectful, and transparent and results oriented.

People management responsibilities

Team leadership - Leads a geographically dispersed GBS leadership team and organisation, largely remotely and across time zones. Sets a clear direction and shared purpose, builds a sense of belonging and keeps teams connected, engaged and accountable wherever they are based.

Inspiring & engaging - Inspires and mobilises people around the GBS vision and the transformation journey; acts as a visible role model; communicates openly and regularly, recognises contributions and sustains energy and engagement through periods of change.

Coaching - Acts as a coach to direct reports and the wider GBS leadership team; holds regular, meaningful conversations, gives honest and constructive feedback, and empowers leaders to take ownership and make decisions.

Facilitation & collaboration - Brings people together, virtually and in person, to solve problems, share best practice and align on priorities across teams, regions and cultures; creates an inclusive environment built on trust, where different views are heard.

Talent development - Identifies, grows and retains talent; builds succession for key GBS roles; creates development opportunities, including mobility across regions and functions, to build the capabilities the organisation will need.

Performance management - Sets clear objectives and expectations aligned with GBS priorities; reviews performance regularly, recognises achievements and addresses underperformance promptly and fairly.

Skills

Leadership & core skills

• •Strategic Enterprise Leadership (Advanced) - Strong enterprise mindset and strategic thinking; able to see the bigger picture, connect operational choices to long-term value, and make sound decisions on complex and ambiguous issues.
• •Executive Influence & Stakeholder Management (Advanced) - Credible and trusted presence at the most senior levels; strong influencing, negotiation and communication skills; able to build consensus across functions, regions and competing interests.

Leading Global Teams & Talent (Advanced) - Inclusive leadership style, at ease leading diverse teams remotely and across cultures; a natural coach and facilitator, able to inspire people, build trust and bring out the best in others.

Change, Innovation & Continuous Improvement (Advanced) - Strong change leadership capability; resilient and comfortable with ambiguity; curious and open to new ideas, with the courage to challenge the status quo and a continuous improvement mindset.

Technical skills

GBS Strategy & Operating Model Design (Advanced) - Deep knowledge of GBS and shared services operating models, sourcing