Managing Director, Head of Philippines

Job Type: Full-Time

Reports To: Senior Executive Leadership within Client and Customer Experience (U.S.-based)

NOTE: This role will be an expatriate assignment in our new site in the Philippines for 3-4 years. Candidates must be willing to relocate during the assignment.

Job Description Summary

Primary Purpose of the Role

The Site Executive Leader will serve as the senior-most leader for our operations in the Philippines, with full accountability for the site’s day-to-day performance, long-term strategic growth, and cultural alignment with U.S. operations. This role has both operational and ambassador responsibilities for establishing a high-performing, culturally connected site while navigating the complexities of local governance, market dynamics, and geopolitical risk.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Oversee all aspects of site operations, ensuring performance, compliance, and employee engagement.
• Establish and maintain a strong cultural bridge between the Philippines site and U.S. headquarters.
• Drive operational excellence, continuous improvement, and service delivery aligned with enterprise goals.
• Lead with autonomy and sound judgment in a time zone-disconnected environment.

Strategic Growth & Development

• Develop and execute long-term strategies for site expansion in partnership with and aligned with the Cigna global capability center strategy, including potential future functions in the Philippines beyond operations.
• Act as a General Manager with the foresight and capability to scale operations across multiple business lines.
• Build a sustainable leadership pipeline with a long-term goal of transitioning site leadership to a Filipino national.

Governance & External Relations

• Serve as the face of the company in the Philippines, representing the organization with government bodies, industry peers, and regulatory agencies.
• Monitor and assess geopolitical and regulatory risks; develop mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity.
• Influence local industry agendas and contribute to shaping favorable regulatory environments.

Culture & Connectivity

• Instill and maintain a culture that mirrors the values and expectations of the U.S. organization.
• Ensure alignment between local decision-making and broader enterprise strategies.
• Foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose across geographically dispersed teams.

Qualifications & Experience

• Required:
  • Global Operations Leadership Experience – Proven track record leading large-scale, cross‑functional operations in a global or regional capacity. 15+ years of leadership, preferably in a call center or service delivery environment or equivalent experience.
  • Executive level Strategic Acumen – Demonstrated ability to drive long‑term strategy and influence enterprise‑wide decisions.
  • Cultural Fluency & External Representation – Experience working across cultures and engaging with external stakeholders.
  • Expatriate Readiness – Willingness and ability to relocate to Manila, Philippines for 3-4 years; prior international relocation experience preferred.
  • Operational Excellence & Transformation – Background in building or scaling operations with a focus on performance, cost efficiency, and service delivery.
  • Proven track record of leading complex, cross‑functional teams in international settings.
  • Deep understanding of U.S. corporate culture and operational models.
  • Exceptional judgment, autonomy, and problem‑solving skills in ambiguous environments.
  • Experience navigating regulatory and labor environments in foreign markets.
• Preferred:
  • Prior experience working in or with the Philippines or other international markets.
  • General Management experience with exposure to multiple business functions.
  • Strong government relations experience.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• A seasoned executive with U.S. operational experience and a global mindset.
• A strategic thinker who can build from the ground up while planning for long‑term scalability.
• A cultural ambassador who can bridge geographies and foster unity.
• A resilient leader capable of navigating ambiguity, complexity, and change.
• A global operations leader with the required experience listed above.

If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10 Mbps download/5 Mbps upload.

For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary of 203,600 – 339,300 USD / yearly, dependi