China Country Manager

About the Company:

Our client is a fast-growing tech start-up founded in 2018 that is revolutionizing the way travelers stay connected to the internet abroad. With a diverse team of over 500 professionals globally, they are helping millions of travelers stay connected across more than 180 destinations worldwide.

About the Role:

Own the end-to-end launch and scaling of our client in China: define and execute the go-to-market plan, build the initial local team (starting with 2 direct reports), establish compliant operations, leverage global functional teams (Product, Tech, Legal, Marketing, Finance, Ops) and external partners to reach sustainable growth.

This is an entrepreneurial role: you will be the face of our client in China and accountable for performance, execution quality, and building a long-term market presence using global resources.

This role is ideal for a strategic thinker and strong executor who is excited to build something from scratch and thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Market Entry and Growth
• Define and continuously refine the China market-entry strategy (segmentation, positioning, channel mix, pricing, and launch phasing) to ensure scalability.
• Own end-to-end GTM execution across acquisition, conversion, retention, and brand-ensuring local relevance (platforms, creators/KOLs, partnerships) and scalable growth.
• Establish a performance cadence: weekly funnel reviews, experiment roadmap, and cross-functional execution with Global teams.
• Develop and execute the China partnerships strategy across distribution, travel ecosystem players, device/retail channels, payments, affiliate/KOL networks, and B2B alliances.
• Operations, Finance & Local Team
• Define and set up local operating rhythm coordinating cross-functional resources globally to deliver locally.
• Manage external China counsel to ensure compliance requirements that impact growth and operations, own the compliance roadmap, proactively track regulatory changes, and align actions with our client's global Legal team.
• Manage external accountants (bookkeeping, tax filings, statutory reporting, payroll coordination) in close alignment with Global Finance, ensuring timely closes, accurate reporting, compliant local processes and controls.
• Manage and hold accountable external partners, including marketing agencies and other third parties as required, ensuring clear objectives, performance tracking, and alignment with business goals.
• Coach, and lead the initial two-person team, with a scaling plan as the business grows. Build a scalable operating model to support sustained growth
• Product Localization
• Build a plan and ensure execution to customize our product to the Chinese users, ensuring local adaptations and scalability (full UX adaptation, language, support flows, purchase journey, local trust signals).
• Advise on China local tech stack and coordinate delivery with Global Tech.
• Own the “China readiness” roadmap and ensure launch quality.
• Business Ownership
• Own the China P&L inputs (budgeting, forecasting, unit economics, and spend governance), ensure reporting and controls, and stay tightly aligned with Global Finance and executive leadership.
• Report progress and trade-offs to the executive steering group; align global teams on priorities and timelines.

Requirements

Must-Haves

• 8-12+ years in high-growth tech / consumer internet, with 3-5+ years owning China go-to-market and building local operations from scratch.
• Demonstrated success launching and scaling a digital product/brand in China, delivering measurable outcomes. Knowledge of China’s key digital platforms and growth levers (e.g., performance marketing, affiliate ecosystems, major distribution channels).
• Strong partnership and negotiation capability; comfortable building ecosystems from scratch. Demonstrated success managing external partners, including negotiations, performance oversight, and alignment to business objectives.
• Ability to translate regulatory/compliance requirements into practical roadmaps that protect growth, Experience managing budgets, forecasts, unit economics; able to partner closely with Global Finance and drive clean reporting and controls.
• Strong ability to mobilize global resources and teams across time zones with clear prioritization and reliable follow-through.
• Comfortable operating with ambiguity; hands-on builder mindset; can lead with a small team while mobilizing global functions Strategic thinker with a builder’s mindset, able to independently develop go-to-market plans and operations from the ground up.
• Experience leading small, high-impact teams; can coach early hires and scale the org as growth increases.
• Fluent Mandarin + professional English with strong stakeholder management and cross-cultural communication.

Nice-to-Haves

• Prior experience working in travel, e-commerce, telco, or consumer tech industries.
• Familiarity working with China-specific tech tooling and constraints (local hosting, analytics, platform integrations) and translating product needs into delivery plans with central Tech teams.
• Prior experience working alongside local counsel/accounting firms on filings, tax, payroll, and statutory processes.
• Experience localizing a global brand for China (positioning, pricing, trust-building, channel strategy).
• MBA or consulting strategy background is a plus.