Head of Public Affairs & Country Manager, Thailand

Interested in a career that matters?

Join Novonesis at an important stage of our development in Thailand as we establish our first production site in the country. The new facility will expand advanced biotechnology manufacturing in Thailand and support our global production of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs).

As Head of Public Affairs & Country Manager for Thailand, you will play a central role in building our presence in the country. You will lead government affairs and media engagement, support our license to operate, market access and reputation, and bring together local, regional and global stakeholders around key priorities.

The role & your impact

This is a strategic leadership role combining public affairs leadership, country coordination and people management. You will represent Novonesis externally in Thailand while working closely with senior regional management and commercial, functional and site leaders.

Your contribution will help shape the successful establishment and long-term operation of Novonesis in Thailand, requiring sound judgment, strong stakeholder management and the ability to coordinate across functions with a high degree of independence.

Your key responsibilities in this role

• Support the establishment of Novonesis’ first production site in Thailand by coordinating relevant country-level priorities and stakeholder engagement.
• Represent Novonesis externally in Thailand and lead government affairs and media engagement in line with global positioning and APAC priorities.
• Build relationships with government agencies, embassies, industry associations, media, communities and other key stakeholders to support our license to operate, market access and reputation.
• Monitor policy, regulatory, socio-political and reputational developments, assess their business implications and coordinate appropriate responses.
• Lead and develop the Thailand team and facilitate alignment among commercial, functional and site leaders across the country.

What you'll need to be successful in this role

• A bachelor’s degree or above in Public Policy, Political Science, International Relations, Communications, Journalism, Business, Life Sciences, Chemistry, Biotechnology or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in public affairs, government affairs, public relations or stakeholder engagement.
• Strong ability to translate policy, regulatory and societal developments into business implications, senior-level recommendations and practical engagement plans.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Thai, together with strong writing, presentation and executive briefing skills.
• Strategic thinking and sound business judgment, with the ability to connect policy, reputational, operational and commercial considerations.
• Strong stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, with the credibility to represent Novonesis with senior external stakeholders.
• Effective people leadership and the ability to build alignment across teams, functions and locations.
• A proactive and pragmatic mindset and the ability to operate effectively in an evolving environment.

Additional skills & interests we value

• Experience from biotechnology, food ingredients, chemicals, manufacturing or another regulated industry.
• Experience working with or within government agencies, embassies, chambers of commerce, industry associations, NGOs or policy organizations.
• Previous management experience coordinating across functions in a multinational company.

What we offer you

This role offers an opportunity to contribute to a significant biotechnology manufacturing investment in Thailand and help shape the development of Novonesis’ local organization and external engagement.

You will work in a role with strong connections across Thailand, APAC and our global organization, combining public affairs leadership, country coordination and people leadership in an evolving business environment.

Working conditions

The role is hybrid and can be based in Bangkok or Rayong, with presence at the Rayong site based on business needs. Travel is required for government, industry, media and internal engagement.

You will work across APAC and global time zones, requiring flexibility, strong prioritization and independence while remaining closely aligned with the regional team.

Our purpose guides the way

In Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we've gotten so far. And it’s how we'll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

Opportunities for everyone

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.

We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.

Explore other openings

If this position isn’t the right fit, you may still find other opportunities with us. You’re welcome to explore open roles or create a job agent to stay connected with future opportunities at novonesis.com/Career

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Our History

In 2024, Chr. Hansen and Novozymes joined forces to form Novonesis.

We are 10,000 people worldwide whose expertise spans more than 30 different industries. All around the world our biosolutions already create value for thousands of customers and benefit the planet. Our biosolutions enable feeding and fueling the world more sustainably, from healthy and sustainable nutrition to biofuel. Our biosolutions also reduce the use of fossil-based resources, chemicals, energy and water. And this is just the beginning.