Country Director, Nigeria (On-site)

About Hugo Hugo is a next-generation BPO built for today’s work. With a global team of over 4,500 people, we focus on high-complexity, judgment-led workflows where nuance matters and traditional outsourcing models fall short. Our teams support demanding digital operations, including AI and model evaluation, trust and safety, crisis and escalation workflows, and advanced customer experience programs. Our workforce is designed to operate in ambiguity. University-trained teams work within AI-enabled workflows, combining analytical rigor with a strong culture of accuracy and ownership. Since 2017, we’ve scaled rapidly while maintaining strong retention and consistent execution quality. We are enterprise-ready, but operate differently. Hugo meets the compliance, security, and operational standards of large global BPOs while maintaining the speed and adaptability of a modern, analytics-driven organization. Our teams think like consultants—pairing structured execution with thoughtful problem-solving—delivering enterprise-grade reliability to large organizations and sophisticated operational capability to smaller, underserved companies. Our mission drives everything we do. Outsourcing creates significant global value, yet little of it reaches African communities. Hugo is changing that by channeling opportunity into Africa, building meaningful careers, and proving that African talent can help power the future of the digital economy. Role Summary The Country Director will lead Hugo's Nigerian operations, with responsibility for people, finance, compliance, technology, facilities, and overall operational performance. Reporting to the COO, this role will own the Nigerian P&L, build and lead the local leadership team, and ensure the business operates efficiently while maintaining Hugo's standards for service quality, security, and compliance. The successful candidate will drive workforce strategy, operational excellence, cost optimization, and business continuity while supporting Hugo's continued growth in Nigeria. They will work closely with clients, vendors, regulators, and internal stakeholders to ensure the country operation remains a resilient, high-performing, and scalable part of Hugo's global delivery network. This is role is based in Nigeria and the ideal candidate must be willing to relocate to Nigeria. Core Responsibilities People Build and lead a local senior team (ops, HR, finance, legal, IT); mentor leaders and drive performance culture. Set clear objectives, conduct regular reviews, and manage succession planning. Design and execute workforce strategy: staffing plans, recruiting, onboarding, rostering, performance management. Own total rewards: compensation benchmarking, benefits design, payroll accuracy, and incentive plans. Oversee learning & development to close skill gaps, reduce churn, and support career paths. Manage tooling/platform selection, vendor relationships, and end‑user adoption. Finance & Controls Drive operational efficiency and cost optimization while maintaining high service quality and scalability. Own country P&L, budgeting, forecasting, and cash management. Ensure timely and clean audits (statutory, client, internal); implement strong internal controls and procurement discipline. Legal & Compliance Ensure compliance with local labour law, tax, and sector regulations; prepare for and pass client and government audits. Own contracts, local statutory filings, work permits/visas (if applicable), and engagement with external counsel. Maintain up‑to‑date policies (HR, data protection, security) and lead internal compliance training. IT & Data Security Partner with IT/security to implement and maintain SOC, network, endpoint protections, and business continuity/disaster recovery. Ensure GDPR/DPD/NDPR and client data protection requirements are met; manage incident response and reporting. Facilities & Administration Manage office/operational sites, workplace safety, vendor contracts, and remote/hybrid site strategies. Optimize occupancy and workplace costs; ensure business continuity. Required experience & skills 8–12+ years operational leadership in outsourcing/BPO, contact center, or service delivery; 5+ years senior management. Proven track record managing country operations in Nigeria or a similar emerging market. Strong P&L ownership, budgeting, and cost optimization experience. Experience with IT/security frameworks and compliance (NDPR, ISO 27001, SOC 2 desirable). Excellent client management, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills. Data‑driven, process oriented, strong change management capability. Relevant degree; MBA or professional qualification (CIPD, ACCA, CISSP) is a plus. Fluent in English; strong communication and presentation skills. Success in this role The successful candidate will bring strong operational leadership, sound commercial judgment, and the ability to scale teams and processes in a fast-growing environment. They will balance execution with strategic thinking, build trusted client and regulatory relationships, and create a high-performing culture capable of supporting long-term growth in the region. This individual will have full P&L ownership of the Nigerian country operations. First 90 Days Days 1–30: Diagnose Complete a structured assessment of operations, client health, team capability, and compliance posture. Have a direct conversation with every direct report. Surface the critical risks and the non-negotiables; what must not fail while you find your feet. Days 31–60: Stabilise Close the most urgent gaps. Establish a non-negotiable operating rhythm — weekly direct report reviews, monthly client touch points, and a clear escalation protocol. Own the P&L from day one; no grace period on the numbers. Days 61–90: Commit Deliver a 12-month operating plan: headcount, cost targets, compliance calendar, and a client health assessment. Make clear calls on the team; who is in the right seat, who needs a development plan, and where you need to hire. This plan is the contract between the Country Director and regional leadership. What We Offer A flexible work environment with strong operational support Meaningful autonomy and ownership over high-impact deals Competitive compensation The opportunity to sell services that create long-term value for clients and their teams