Country Manager Vietnam

We are seeking a Country Manager to lead and grow Kinderland's education business in Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City.

This role is responsible for driving business expansion, overseeing multi-centre operations, and ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality early childhood education programmes aligned with Kinderland's standards and philosophy.

The ideal candidate combines strong business acumen with a solid understanding of the preschool sector in Vietnam, and is capable of balancing commercial performance with education quality and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Business Growth

• Lead the overall strategic direction and growth of Kinderland Vietnam, in alignment with regional and HQ objectives.

• Identify and drive expansion opportunities, including new centre development, partnerships, and franchise opportunities.

• Evaluate market potential, investment feasibility, and competitive landscape to support long-term business planning.

2. Operations & Performance Management

• Oversee multi-centre operations to ensure consistency in service quality, operational standards, and brand positioning.

• Drive overall business performance, including enrolment growth, revenue targets, cost management, and profitability.

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) across centres and functions.

3. Education Quality & Compliance Oversight

• Ensure all centres deliver high-quality early childhood education programmes aligned with Kinderland curriculum standards and philosophy.

• Oversee compliance with Vietnam's regulatory requirements (including MOET standards), licensing, and inspection readiness.

• Work closely with academic and curriculum teams to ensure consistency and continuous improvement in programme delivery.

4. Leadership & People Management

• Provide leadership and direction to Centre Directors and key functional leaders.

• Build and develop a strong local leadership pipeline to support business growth.

• Foster a high-performance culture with strong accountability, collaboration, and service excellence.

5. Stakeholder & External Relations

• Build and maintain strong relationships with government authorities, regulatory bodies, strategic partners, and industry stakeholders.

• Represent Kinderland Vietnam in key external engagements, strengthening brand presence and reputation in the market.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Business, Education Management, or related field.

• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in business management, operations, or business development.

• Proven experience managing multi-site operations, preferably in education, retail, or service industries.

• Strong understanding of Vietnam's education landscape and regulatory environment is highly preferred.

• Ability to understand and communicate in Vietnamese is required.

• Must be willing to relocate to Vietnam or be based in Vietnam for the role.

Competencies

• Strong business and commercial acumen with a results-driven mindset.

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into execution.

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills at senior levels.

• Ability to balance business growth with education quality and compliance.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Proficiency in English Vietnamese language capability is an advantage.