Country Manager Executive Search for Engineering Firms

COUNTRY MANAGER EXECUTIVE SEARCH

The leader who builds your business in a new country

We run country manager executive search for engineering and civil engineering companies that are setting up or growing in the United States. That might be an overseas group opening its first U.S. office, or a U.S. firm opening a new regional business.

We work with companies of every size, from large international groups to specialist firms taking their first step abroad. Our For Clients page explains how our recruitment process works.

What a country manager does

A country manager is the senior person on the ground. They usually own the local P&L, sign off bids, hire the first team and represent the company to clients, partners and regulators, all while reporting to a parent company in another time zone.

In engineering, the job has an extra layer. In the U.S., engineers are licensed state by state, and firms that offer engineering services often need their own authorization in each state where they work. A good country manager knows how that works, or knows who to ask, before the first contract is signed.

Then there is the balance with head office. The best country managers keep the parent company informed without waiting for permission on every decision. That balance is hard to judge from a resume, so we test for it directly.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

What we look for in a country manager

We want leaders who can start with very little and build something that lasts.

Builder experience

Has the candidate opened an office, launched a business line or turned a small team into a real operation? We look for evidence of building, not just maintaining.

Local market knowledge

They should know the clients, procurement rules and competitors in your target market, and have the relationships to get you onto bid lists.

Working across cultures

Reporting to an overseas parent is different from reporting to a U.S. board. We look for people who have done it and can explain how they kept both sides aligned.

Self-reliance

Country managers often work without a big support team. We check how candidates handled hiring, finance and legal questions when there was no one down the hall to ask.

Assessing country managers with RoleDNA™ Mapping

When your head office is an ocean away, a phone screen isn’t enough to judge a candidate. RoleDNA™ Mapping, our own assessment process, gives your leadership team a full picture before anyone books a flight.

Each shortlisted candidate records a short introduction video, answers key competency questions about building a business in a new market, and completes a Behavioral Assessment matched to the profile we build with you. We verify references, and the results sit in an online client dashboard your team can review from any office. More about RoleDNA™ Mapping.

Two interviewers meeting a smiling candidate across a desk in a bright office

RESULTS

Results you can take to head office

98%

Fill rate

of the searches we take on end with a candidate placed.

96%

12-month retention

of the candidates we place are still in their role after 12 months.

12/24

Free replacement

months of cover: 12 as standard, extended to 24 (2 years) for senior roles.

A country manager hire carries real risk for a parent company, so the guarantee matters. Every placement includes our 12-month free replacement guarantee, extended to 2 years for senior roles, subject to the agreed terms of engagement. Read how the guarantee works.

LOCATIONS

Where we recruit country managers

We search across the U.S. from our Miami headquarters. For local market detail, see our pages for Miami, Tampa, Dallas, Houston and Austin.

Once your country manager is in place, the next hires are often a business unit leader and a commercial leader.

Country manager recruitment: FAQs

Can we hire a country manager before we have a U.S. office?

Yes. Some companies hire their country manager first so that person can help set up the office. We talk through practical questions, like how the person will be employed, early in the search so they don’t hold up an offer.

Where should our country manager be based?

It depends on where your clients and projects are. We talk this through before the search starts, because the answer changes the candidate pool.

CONTACT US

Planning a move into a new market?

Talk to us before you commit to a location or a hire. We’ll help you shape the role and give you a straight view of the market. Complete the form, or contact us directly, and a partner will be in touch.

Headquarters: Alexander Executive Search, 1221 Brickell Ave, Suite 900, Miami, FL 33131.

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