Managing Director - Software Portfolio

Location: Flexible within Europe (UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, or other major hubs)

About Shop Circle

We are building a next-generation AI-first technology holding focused on acquiring, scaling, and modernizing mission-critical B2B software businesses.

As software evolves from systems of record to systems of action, AI is becoming a core driver of value creation across both products and operations.

We are looking for a Managing Director to lead and grow a portfolio of software companies across Europe, with full ownership across performance, operations, and long-term value creation.

What you’ll do

• Full P&L ownership of a portfolio of software businesses
• Act as “CEO of CEOs”, setting direction and driving performance across multiple companies

Growth & Commercial

• Drive organic growth across product, pricing, and go-to-market

Operations & Efficiency

• Lead post-acquisition integration and operational alignment
• Identify inefficiencies and streamline core workflows across support, product, and internal operations
• Implement systems to increase speed, reduce manual work, and improve scalability

AI & Systems

• Work closely with product and engineering teams to embed AI into customer-facing features and internal operations

Leadership

• Build, mentor, and oversee leadership teams across multiple geographies

M&A

• Support evaluation and execution of new acquisition opportunities

What we’re looking for

• Experience as a CEO, Managing Director, or senior operator in a B2B software company
• Strong track record of driving performance and scaling software businesses
• Experience managing multiple teams, business units, or geographies
• Ability to identify bottlenecks and drive execution through systems, not just people
• Solid understanding of SaaS metrics and commercial levers (growth, churn, pricing)
• Pragmatic approach to AI-driven automation and operational leverage
• High ownership mindset with the ability to operate both strategically and hands-on
• Strong leadership and ability to manage distributed teams
• High flexibility to travel regularly across Europe to work closely with portfolio teams

Nice to have

• Experience within a software portfolio or serial acquirer environment (e.g. The Access Group, Volaris Group, Vitec Software Group, Visma)
• Exposure to multi-entity or multi-product setups
• Background in sales or go-to-market leadership
• Experience with automation, AI tooling, or process optimisation at scale
• Experience with post-acquisition integrations or transformations

What we offer

• Full ownership and accountability across a portfolio of software businesses
• Opportunity to build and scale a high-performing software group in Europe
• Direct exposure to M&A, capital allocation, and strategic decision-making
• Ability to drive meaningful operational leverage through systems and AI
• Competitive compensation with meaningful upside

Location

Flexible within Europe (UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, or other major hubs)

Ready to build and scale a portfolio of software companies like an owner—not just manage them? Let’s talk!