Country Manager – New Market Expansion

First Circle

. Build and lead First Circle's local entity in Malaysia, including incorporation, licensing, and regulatory registration workstreams.

Posted 9/24/2026full-timeKuala Lumpur • MalaysiaSeniorLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates extensive experience in launching and scaling financial services businesses, with a strong focus on regulatory compliance and relationship management. Proven ability to execute country strategies and manage local teams in fast-paced environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Financial Services ExperienceRegulatory Relationship ManagementCountry Strategy ExecutionTeam Building and LeadershipProblem-Solving Skills

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Financial Services Business LaunchData AnalysisRisk ManagementUnderwritingOperations Management

Soft Skills

Entrepreneurial MindsetStrong CommunicationAnalytical ThinkingHands-On Execution

Certifications & Qualifications

Fit & Proper Approval

Industry Keywords

MoneylenderBankingEmerging MarketsM&A ExperienceLocal Market Strategy

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build and lead First Circle's local entity in Malaysia, including incorporation, licensing, and regulatory registration workstreams.
Define and execute the country strategy, including product sequencing, pricing, and risk management approach, for the local market.
Own delivery against launch KPIs, including issuing the first loan and hitting early gross profit targets.
Build and manage relationships with regulators, banking partners, and local service providers.
Recruit, hire, and build out the founding local team.
Handle day-to-day execution across underwriting, operations, and customer issues while setting overall strategy.
Represent First Circle to regulators, partners, and prospective customers in Malaysia.
Report progress, risks, and learnings to the Head of Expansion and wider leadership team.

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of experience in the Financial Services industry, including 3+ years in a management role at a moneylender, bank, or similar lending institution.
Track record of launching or scaling a financial services business, ideally in a new or emerging market.
Demonstrated experience managing relationships with regulators and other key external stakeholders.
Comfortable operating hands-on and in the details.
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with comfort working with data to make decisions.
Experience with M&A is a plus.
Entrepreneurial mindset, with a bias to action in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
Fluency in English and Malay.
Existing professional network in Malaysia is a plus.
Successful applicant must pass Fit & Proper approval with the local regulator.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Work at a fast-growing fintech on meaningful products that reshape SME finance in Southeast Asia.
Pay competitively versus market rate.
Macbooks.
Health insurance.
Training budget.
Rapid growth opportunities within a fast-growing business.
Flexibility to work remotely within Malaysia with opportunities for travel.