GRM is looking for a Country Manager to Sweden with a strong understanding of mineral exploration and geophysical field operations to build and lead our Swedish organisation.

GRM is a Finnish geophysical contracting and consulting company specialising in mineral exploration. Our core services include ground surveys, borehole surveys and UAV surveys, supporting customers particularly in the mining and mineral exploration industries.

Sweden is already a significant market for GRM. Approximately 40–50% of GRM's current revenue comes from Sweden, and we already have customers, ongoing projects, references and a strong project pipeline in the market. The next step is to build a local organisation around this existing business and create the foundation for further growth.

You will therefore not be entering a new market from zero. You will take responsibility for an existing business and gradually build the local organisation needed to deliver and grow it in Sweden.

The Swedish business today

GRM's activities in Sweden are focused particularly on mineral exploration and mining in Northern Sweden.

GRM currently provides three core service areas in Sweden:

• ground surveys
• borehole surveys
• UAV surveys.

All three services can already be delivered using GRM's existing expertise, personnel and equipment in Finland. The next step is to build local capability in Sweden.

GRM's primary customers are mining and mineral exploration companies.

What will you be expected to do?

In the beginning, your main task is to make sure GRM can continue delivering its existing projects in Sweden while building a local organisation.

You will:

• take responsibility for Swedish projects and field operations
• understand what each project requires in terms of people, equipment and practical arrangements
• recruit and lead the first local field employees
• build the local field organisation and gradually reduce the need to bring field resources from Finland
• work closely with GRM's project managers and technical experts
• establish the practical operating model for Sweden, including local suppliers, subcontractors, agreements and other resources
• take responsibility for the practical management of the Swedish subsidiary.

GRM's ambition is to build a local organisation of approximately 10–15 employees during the first year.

This is not a role where you are expected to carry out the field measurements yourself. However, you need to understand mineral exploration and geophysical field projects well enough to lead the operations, understand what your teams need and have credible discussions with customers and GRM's technical experts.

How will the role develop?

During the first phase, projects, field operations, recruitment and building the organisation come first.

Sales and customer development are also part of the role. GRM already has customers and customer contacts in Sweden, so you will not start by building a customer base from zero. 

As the local organisation becomes established, your responsibility will increasingly shift towards:

• developing existing customer relationships
• winning new business
• leading the financial performance of the Swedish operation
• budgeting and business planning
• developing GRM's position in the Swedish market
• leading an increasingly independent Swedish organisation.

Who are we looking for?

We are now looking particularly for someone who knows the mineral exploration environment and understands the kind of geophysical field work GRM delivers.

Your current title does not need to be Country Manager. You could, for example, have worked in geophysics, mineral exploration, exploration project management or field operations and already have experience in leading projects, operations and/or people.

A background such as Geophysics Manager, Exploration Manager, Field Manager, Senior Geophysicist or Exploration Project Manager could therefore be highly relevant.

We expect you to have:

• solid experience in mineral exploration and/or exploration geophysics
• a good understanding of geophysical field operations and project delivery
• experience in leading projects, field operations and/or people
• enough technical understanding to communicate credibly with customers, project managers and specialists
• the ability and willingness to recruit and build a local team
• an entrepreneurial and practical way of working
• commercial understanding and the ability to develop customer relationships
• excellent Swedish and English language skills.

Experience in business management, P&L responsibility, sales or building an organisation is highly valuable.

Relevant networks in the Swedish mineral exploration industry are also an advantage.

You do not need to know every geophysical method or be GRM's strongest technical expert. GRM's specialists and project managers will continue to provide technical expertise. What matters is that you understand the business and the operating environment well enough to lead it.

Who will you work with?

You will have considerable responsibility in Sweden, but you will not be expected to figure everything out alone.

You will work closely with GRM's CEO, operational management, project managers, business development and finance organisation in Finland.

In the beginning, Finnish project managers, field teams and equipment will continue to support Swedish projects while you build the local organisation.

You will report on the development of the Swedish business to the CEO of GRM.

Why join GRM?

You get the opportunity to build and shape GRM’s Swedish operations on an already established business foundation.There is already business in Sweden: customers, projects, references, equipment and people who know how to deliver the work.

At the same time, the local organisation is still to be built. You will have a major influence on who is hired, how the Swedish operation works and how the business develops. As the Swedish organisation grows, so will your role and responsibility.

Location and working model

The role is based in Northern Sweden.

Initially, you will work primarily from a home office and travel to project sites, customers and other locations when needed. GRM plans to establish local premises as the Swedish organisation grows.

Travel is expected to account for approximately 25% of the role, primarily within Sweden, with occasional travel to Finland and potentially Norway.

Compensation

The salary level depends on the selected candidate's experience and skills.

Recruitment Process

The recruitment process is managed in cooperation with Exe Headhunting and Bolt Works Sweden.Preliminary time table:

• Application period: 11.9.–27.9.
• Discussions with Exe Headhunting: 17.9.–2.10.
• Discussions with GRM: 6.10.–16.10.
• Contract with the future Country Manager: by the end of October

The planned start date is preferably between November 2026 and January 2027, depending on the selected candidate.

For further information, please contact:

Laura Lönnqvist, Executive Search Consultant
tel. +358 44 563 7051
laura.lonnqvist@exe.works

Interested?

If you are an entrepreneurial leader with experience from the Swedish mineral exploration and geophysical field operations, and you are motivated by the opportunity to build and lead a growing business, we would be happy to hear from you as soon as possible.