Managing Director South Africa - Orthopedics

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at jnj.com.

As guided by Our Credo, Johnson & Johnson is responsible to our employees who work with us throughout the world. We provide an inclusive work environment where each person is considered as an individual. At Johnson & Johnson, we respect the diversity and dignity of our employees and recognize their merit.

Job Function:

Job Sub Function:

Job Category:

All Job Posting Locations:

Job Description:

Johnson & Johnson announced plans to separate our Orthopaedics business to establish a standalone orthopaedics company, operating as DePuy Synthes. The process of the planned separation is anticipated to be completed within 18 to 24 months, subject to legal requirements, including consultation with works councils and other employee representative bodies, as may be required, regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and approvals.

Should you accept this position, it is anticipated that, following conclusion of the transaction, you would be an employee of DePuy Synthes and your employment would be governed by DePuy Synthes employment processes, programs, policies, and benefit plans. In that case, details of any planned changes would be provided to you by DePuy Synthes at an appropriate time and subject to any necessary consultation processes.

Overall Purpose of the Role

The Managing Director, DePuy Synthes South Africa is accountable for leading the South Africa business and delivering sustainable growth, market development, organizational effectiveness, and operational excellence.

The role has overall responsibility for the execution of the South Africa strategy and leads the business through a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct commercial operations and indirect/distributor channels. The Managing Director will ensure that both models operate effectively and cohesively, with clear strategic priorities, strong commercial execution, disciplined governance, and a consistent focus on customers and patients.

As the senior DePuy Synthes business leader in South Africa, the Managing Director will provide strong leadership to the organization, build strategic relationships with key customers and stakeholders, develop organizational capabilities, and lead the transformation required to strengthen the company’s position in the South African orthopaedics market.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Strategy & General Management

• Define and execute the South Africa business strategy in alignment with Trade Markets and broader DePuy Synthes priorities.
• Hold overall accountability for business performance and delivery of agreed financial and strategic objectives.
• Translate regional and cluster priorities into clear country-level strategies, business plans, and execution priorities.
• Identify market opportunities, competitive developments, business risks, and potential areas for expansion.
• Drive disciplined business planning, forecasting, performance reviews, and corrective action where required.
• Provide clear market insights and recommendations to Trade Markets leadership.

2. Commercial Leadership & Growth

• Lead the commercial agenda for South Africa with a strong focus on sustainable growth, market-share development, customer engagement, and commercial execution.
• Establish clear commercial priorities and ensure effective execution across the direct and indirect businesses.
• Strengthen relationships with strategic customers, healthcare institutions, surgeons, key opinion leaders, and other relevant external stakeholders.
• Ensure appropriate commercial capabilities, account management discipline, and execution standards across the organization.
• Monitor market, customer, competitive, and portfolio dynamics and translate insights into actionable growth initiatives.

3. Hybrid Go-to-Market Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and governance of the South Africa hybrid go-to-market model, ensuring effective integration of direct and distributor-led channels.
• Lead the direct commercial organization, ensuring clarity of priorities, capabilities, accountabilities, and performance expectations.
• Establish strong strategic governance of distributor partnerships, including business planning, performance management, execution, compliance, and relationship management.
• Ensure alignment between direct and indirect channels to optimize customer coverage and market opportunities.
• Regularly assess the effectiveness of the go-to-market model and recommend adjustments based on market dynamics and business performance.

4. Financial & Operational Leadership

• Own the South Africa business plan and financial performance, ensuring disciplined execution against agreed targets.
• Drive revenue growth, profitability, operating discipline, and effective resource allocation.
• Lead forecasting, business reviews, investment prioritization, and performance management.
• Partner closely with Finance and relevant functional teams to understand performance drivers and implement appropriate actions.
• Ensure operational capabilities support commercial priorities and customer requirements.

5. Customer & External Stakeholder Leadership

• Act as the senior DePuy Synthes representative in South Africa.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key customers, key opinion leaders, healthcare stakeholders, distribution partners, and other relevant external stakeholders.
• Represent the company’s strategic priorities and values with credibility and integrity.
• Build a strong understanding of the evolving South African healthcare and orthopaedics environment and its implications for the business.

6. People & Organizational Leadership

• Provide visible and inspiring leadership to the South Africa organization.
• Build a highly engaged, accountable, collaborative, and performance-oriented culture.
• Attract, develop, engage, and retain critical talent and build sustainable local leadership capabilities.
• Establish clear objectives and accountability across the organization.
• Lead organizational change and capability-building required to support the evolving South Africa business model.
• Foster effective collaboration between commercial teams, enabling functions, and the broader Trade Markets organization.

7. Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner effectively with Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, Customer Service, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Human Resources, and other relevant functions.
• Ensure cross-functional priorities are aligned to business objectives and customer needs.
• Lead through influence within a matrix organization and create strong alignment between country, cluster, regional, and functional stakeholders.
• Ensure organizational dependencies and business risks are proactively identified and addressed.

8. Governance, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure the South Africa business operates in accordance with applicable company policies, quality requirements, industry standards, and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Champion a culture of integrity, accountability, compliance, and ethical business conduct.
• Ensure appropriate governance and oversight across both direct operations and distributor relationships.
• Proactively identify and mitigate commercial, operational, organizational, and compliance risks.
• Support appropriate audit, compliance, and governance processes.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Economics, Marketing, Life Sciences, Healthcare Management, or another relevant discipline.
• MBA or other relevant postgraduate qualification preferred.

Experience

• Significant progressive leadership experience in general management, commercial leadership, sales, business development, or similar senior business roles.
• Strong experience within medical devices, healthcare, life sciences, or another highly regulated sector; orthopaedics experience is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience leading a commercial organization and delivering sustainable business growth.
• Strong experience managing both direct commercial operations and distributor/indirect business models.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational transformation and business change.
• Experience managing complex customer and external stakeholder relationships.
• Strong financial and business management capability.
• Experience working successfully in a multinational and matrix organization.

Leadership Competencies

• Strong general management and commercial acumen
• Strategic thinking combined with strong execution discipline
• Direct and indirect channel leadership
• Distributor and partner management expertise
• Customer and market orientation
• Financial and operational management capability
• Organizational and change leadership
• Talent development and people leadership
• Ability to lead and influence in a complex matrix environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability
• Executive-level communication and stakeholder management
• Sound judgment, integrity, accountability, and compliance orientation
• Resilience and effectiveness in a dynamic and evolving environment

Johnson & Johnson is committed to the principles of employment equity to achieve equity and equality in the workplace.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

About Us

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/.

Our Credo calls on us to respect the dignity of every individual and create an environment for all people to thrive. Throughout the recruitment process - from application through hiring - we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations/adjustments for qualified candidates with disabilities. If you need support at any stage of the recruitment process, please complete our candidate accommodation request form so we can assist you.