What is the term for expatriates who are paid to manage operations abroad?

The term for expatriates who are paid to manage operations abroad is indeed parent-country nationals. This term specifically refers to individuals who are citizens of the country where the multinational company is headquartered and who are sent to work in a foreign subsidiary. They are often utilized in management roles to ensure that the company's core values and operational procedures are maintained in international branches.

Parent-country nationals bring insights and knowledge from the home country's operations, which can be crucial for aligning the subsidiary with the overall strategic vision of the organization. Their roles often include overseeing local staff, implementing policies, and ensuring the strategic integration of the operations in the global context. This distinguishes them from host-country nationals, who are locals employed in their home country; third-country nationals, who are employees from a country other than the home or host country; and locals, who are not expatriates at all.