LATAM Corporate Affairs Lead - Chile

SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,700 laboratories and business facilities across 119 countries, supported by a team of 99,250 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, safety and compliance.

As the LATAM Corporate Affairs Lead, you will be the architect of a new regional function and a primary driver of market access across the region. You will design SGS’s government relations and corporate affairs strategy, shaping the regulatory and public-policy environment in which SGS operates, enters new markets and grows. You will lead through influence across six primary countries and cultures, aligning country leadership, commercial teams and executives around a single regional approach.

Main Resonsibilities:

• Lead SGS LATAM’s market access strategy: identify regulatory, political and institutional barriers and opportunities for entry, retention and expansion in priority countries, in partnership with commercial and country leadership.
• Design and execute government relations strategies with ministries, regulators, public agencies and industry bodies in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Argentina
• Build the LATAM Corporate Affairs function from scratch: operating model, governance, standards, playbooks, country prioritization, and a team and hiring plan as the function matures.
• Lead through influence: align Managing Business Partners, commercial directors and country directors on corporate affairs priorities, without direct reports at launch.
• Engage executives and operational teams across cultures: translate strategy into practical guidance, including clear do’s and don’ts for industry, association and government interactions.
• Build coalitions and alliances with government bodies, regulators, ESG influencers, and industry associations to strengthen SGS’s position.
• Provide strategic insight into political, social, and regulatory developments affecting market entry, operations, or M&A feasibility.
• Lead reputation risk management and proactively coordinate issue/crisis communication with Global and LATAM Executive Committees.
• Support executive visibility through high-impact events, public representation, speeches, and media strategy across top LATAM markets.
• Monitor policy developments and ESG-related legislation and translate them into risk mitigation strategies or growth opportunities.

FORMACIÓN

• Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, International Relations, Communications, Law, or related field.
• Master’s degree or MBA in public policy, international relations or business preferred.

EXPERIENCIA & QUALIFICATION

• 8+ years in corporate affairs, government relations or public policy, including 5+ years in LATAM across at least three countries. Experience building a new function or team is an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience designing and executing market access and government relations strategies in LATAM.
• Deep understanding of LATAM political, regulatory and public-policy dynamics across priority countries.
• Track record of enabling market access and mitigating risk through stakeholder engagement.
• Proven ability to lead through influence, without direct authority, across countries and functions.
• Experience working across cultures with executive and operational audiences; high-level communication and executive forum representation.
• Fluent Spanish and English required; Portuguese strongly preferred.

SKILLS

• Leadership by influence and cross-functional alignment.
• Executive communication and negotiation with government and business stakeholders.
• Multicultural collaboration across executive and operational levels.
• Business acumen linking corporate affairs to revenue and market growth.
• Change management and function building.

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

• LATAM regulatory and public-policy frameworks; government relations and stakeholder mapping.
• Business chambers and industry association ecosystems in LATAM.
• ESG regulation and policy monitoring.
• Crisis and reputation management.
• Media knowledge

What do we offer?

A challenging environment with many opportunities for change and transformation.

An ethical culture supported by integrity, innovation and the peace we do – we create a better, safer and more interconnected world!

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Location: The role can be based in Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, or Brazil, depending on the selected candidate’s location. Candidates must meet the role requirements and have valid authorization to work in the applicable country. Employment will be offered locally in the country where the selected candidate is based.