Lyra Health is the leading provider of mental health solutions for employers supporting more than 20 million people globally. The company has delivered 13 million sessions of mental health care, published more than 20 peer-reviewed studies, and delivered unmatched outcomes in terms of access, clinical effectiveness and cost efficiency. Extensive peer-reviewed research confirms Lyra’s transformative care model helps people recover twice as fast and results in a 26% annual reduction in overall healthcare claims costs. Lyra is transforming access to life-changing mental health care through Lyra Empower, the only fully integrated, AI-powered platform combining the highest-quality care and technology solutions.

The Managing Director, Lyra Southern Africa is the accountable country/regional head for Lyra’s business across Southern Africa, with full responsibility for strategy, commercial growth, clinical and operational performance, and people leadership in the region. The role reports to the President, Lyra International, and serves as the primary interface between Lyra’s global leadership and the Southern African market.

The Managing Director, Lyra Southern Africa, leads a growing regional subsidiary providing mental health benefits, employee assistance, and digital health solutions to enterprise and multinational clients across Southern Africa. The role sets and executes the regional strategy, owns the P&L, and ensures that Lyra’s global clinical, technology, and operating model are successfully localised and scaled within the Southern African social, economic, and regulatory context. Working through a multidisciplinary leadership team, the Managing Director is accountable for sustainable revenue and EBITDA growth, outstanding client and member outcomes, and a strong culture aligned with Lyra’s global values and governance standards. The role acts as Lyra’s senior executive in Southern Africa, engaging regularly with the Board, global leadership, regulators, and key external stakeholders.

Primary location is Johannesburg, with regular presence at Lyra’s regional offices and client locations.

The role requires regular domestic and regional travel within Southern Africa, and periodic international travel to global leadership meetings and strategic events, in line with business needs.

A hybrid working model is anticipated, combining in‑person engagement with teams, clients, and stakeholders with virtual collaboration across Lyra’s global organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and growth for Southern Africa
Define and execute a multi‑year growth strategy for Southern Africa, aligned with Lyra’s global strategy and approved by the Board and President, Lyra International, covering South Africa and, where appropriate, priority neighbouring markets.
Continuously scan the regional market, competitive landscape, and macro environment to identify growth opportunities, risks, and diversification options across sectors and geographies.
Develop and secure approval for annual business plans and budgets for the region, translating them into clear commercial, clinical, and operational priorities for local teams.

P&L ownership and financial performance

Own the Southern Africa P&L, delivering revenue, EBITDA, cash generation, and capital efficiency in line with Board‑approved targets and Lyra’s global financial standards.
Ensure robust financial controls, forecasting, and month‑end processes in partnership with Finance, including resolution of accounting queries and accurate reporting to the Board and global leadership.

Commercial leadership (enterprise clients, partners, channels)

Lead enterprise and key‑account strategy for Southern Africa, including retention, and expansion of large blue‑chip and multinational clients, with clear revenue and margin targets.
Oversee the full sales cycle (from pipeline generation to negotiation and contracting) and coordinate with global/regional sales teams on cross‑border and global deals.
Build and manage strategic partnerships (e.g., brokers, insurers, distribution partners, and ecosystem collaborators) that extend Lyra’s reach and strengthen market positioning in Southern Africa.

Clinical quality, member outcomes, and regulatory compliance

Ensure Lyra’s global clinical standards, product protocols, and outcome measurement frameworks are fully implemented and appropriately adapted for Southern African regulatory, cultural, and linguistic contexts.
Oversee the regional clinical network and operations to ensure safe, ethical, and evidence‑based care, including effective triage, risk management, and escalation pathways.
Provide executive oversight of compliance with applicable health, data protection, labour, corporate, and governance requirements (e.g., Companies Act, King‑aligned practices), engaging with internal Legal & Compliance and external regulators as required.

Operations, delivery, and technology enablement

Lead end‑to‑end service delivery for Southern Africa, ensuring service‑level commitments, response times, and quality metrics are consistently met or exceeded for all clients and members.
Drive adoption and effective use of Lyra’s digital platforms, analytics, and technology tools in the region to improve access, efficiency, and user experience for members, clients, and providers.
Anticipate and resolve significant operational issues (e.g., capacity shortfalls, incident response, data/reporting gaps), escalating appropriately to global functions when needed.

People leadership, culture, and organisational development

Build and lead a high‑performing, multidisciplinary team across clinical operations, provider network, customer success, commercial, and enabling functions, with clear goals, coaching, and performance management.
Shape and role‑model a culture that reflects Lyra’s values, supports psychological safety, and advances diversity, equity, and inclusion across all levels of the Southern Africa organisation.
Ensure robust leadership succession, talent development, and workforce planning for key roles in the region, in partnership with Global and Local HR and Talent teams.

Key performance indicators and success measures

Success in this role will be demonstrated by:
Delivery of annual revenue and EBITDA targets for Southern Africa, with year‑on‑year growth in line with Board‑approved plans.
Improvement in enterprise client retention, share‑of‑wallet, and new‑logo acquisition, including achievement of agreed win‑rate and renewal metrics.
Strong member and client experience indicators (e.g., NPS/CSAT, complaint ratios, turnaround times) at or above Lyra’s global benchmarks.
Achievement of defined clinical outcome and quality metrics (e.g., symptom improvement measures, adherence to clinical protocols, incident rates) within acceptable thresholds.
Clean or favourable outcomes from internal audits, external regulatory reviews, and risk/compliance assessments, with timely closure of any findings.
Positive employee engagement, leadership effectiveness, and culture scores across the Southern Africa team, with low regrettable turnover in critical roles.
Demonstrable progress in building a scalable regional platform (e.g., expansion into priority neighbouring markets, successful integration of new products or acquisitions).

Scope and governance

Geographic scope: Primary accountability for South Africa, with responsibility for selected neighbouring Southern African markets (e.g., Namibia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Eswatini, and other countries designated by Lyra as part of the Southern Africa cluster).
Business scope: Full accountability for Lyra’s mental health benefits, employee assistance, and related digital health solutions delivered to B2B and B2B2C clients in the region, including direct enterprise contracts, brokered deals, and relevant partnerships.
Governance responsibilities: Acts as the senior executive and, where appointed, director and/or local representative for Lyra’s Southern African legal entities, with duties aligned to applicable company law, fiduciary standards, and Lyra’s global governance framework. The role operates within defined global limits of authority for contracting, pricing, investments, and risk, and ensures adherence to global policies on compliance, data protection, ethics, and information security.

Key relationships

Internal
President, Lyra International / Board of Directors: Align on strategy, performance, risk, and major investments; provide regular business updates and seek approval for material decisions affecting the region.
Global Clinical, Product & Technology, Operations, Finance, Legal & Compliance, HR/Talent: Collaborate to localise products and services, implement global standards, secure required resources, and share insights from the Southern African market.
External
Enterprise clients and prospects: Act as executive sponsor for key accounts, lead senior‑level relationships, and represent Lyra at client governance forums and contract negotiations.
Channel partners (e.g., brokers, consultants, insurers), clinical networks, regulators, and industry bodies: Build trusted partnerships, influence market standards, and ensure Lyra is recognised as a leading, responsible mental health provider in Southern Africa.

Experience

Extensive senior leadership experience (typically 10+ years) in high‑growth B2B or B2B2C environments within health technology, healthcare services, employee benefits, or closely related sectors, including demonstrated P&L accountability.
Proven track record of leading commercial growth (sales, account management, partnerships) in complex enterprise or multinational client segments.
Experience operating in South Africa and at least one other Southern African market, with deep understanding of local regulatory, cultural, and socio‑economic dynamics affecting mental health and workplace benefits.
Demonstrated success in scaling multidisciplinary teams and operations in a multinational or PE‑backed context, ideally within a matrix organisation.
Experience working with or alongside clinical organisations, EAPs, health insurers, or digital health platforms, with comfort engaging on clinical and regulatory topics with experts and regulators.
Experience engaging Boards and executive committees, including preparation and presentation of strategic, financial, and risk reports.

Education and qualifications

A bachelor’s degree in business, commerce, health sciences, psychology, or a related field is required.
Postgraduate commercial qualification (e.g., MBA or equivalent) is preferred for this role.
Clinical, psychology, or health‑related professional qualifications or registration are advantageous but not mandatory, provided the candidate can credibly engage with clinical leadership and regulatory stakeholders.

Leadership competencies and personal attributes

Strategic and systems thinker with the ability to translate global strategy into a pragmatic, prioritised regional roadmap and to make data‑driven trade‑offs.
Strong commercial acumen, negotiation capability, and comfort in owning and optimising a regional P&L under demanding growth and profitability expectations.
Skilled stakeholder manager who can build trust and influence across Boards, global leadership, regulators, clients, partners, and internal teams in a matrixed environment.
Deep commitment to mental health outcomes, clinical integrity, and ethical practice, including a strong sense of fiduciary and governance responsibility.
Inclusive, resilient leader who can build high‑performing, diverse teams, foster psychological safety, and manage under pressure and ambiguity.
Highly collaborative and effective in virtual and hybrid global teams, with the ability to self‑manage and operate with high accountability.

Additional Information

The Managing Director is expected to embody and champion Lyra’s mission to transform access to high‑quality mental health care, and to advance the organisation’s commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and responsible use of technology and data.
Appointment is subject to standard executive background checks, reference checks, and any “fit and proper” or professional registration requirements applicable in relevant Southern African jurisdictions.
The role is governed by Lyra’s global and local policies on confidentiality, data protection, conflicts of interest, and restraints of trade, reflecting the seniority and sensitivity of the position.

In accordance with the Employment Equity Act, preference will be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups, including persons with disabilities.

In accordance with our Employment Equity Plan and the company’s commitment to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE), preference will be given to candidates from designated groups.

"We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information or any other category protected by law.

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