Head of Commercial Services

About the role

The Head of Commercial Services will lead the strategic direction and execution of commercial, supplier, property, workplace and payment activities for Absa Bank Kenya, ensuring efficiency, resilience and compliance with risk and regulatory standards.

Key responsibilities

• Define and implement the Commercial Services strategy, operating model, scorecard and multi‑year roadmap aligned with the bank’s priorities.
• Own the function’s budget, benefits plan and productivity agenda, tracking cost, value, risk and sustainability outcomes.
• Lead strategic sourcing, category management, competitive negotiations and contract lifecycle management for goods and services.
• Develop and execute property and workplace strategy, including lease negotiations, capital projects, facilities operations and sustainability initiatives.
• Drive digital enablement, automation and data‑driven insights across procurement, contract management and service delivery.
• Manage risk, control and regulatory compliance for commercial services, third‑party risk and occupational health and safety.
• Build and coach an inclusive high‑performing team and partner with finance, risk, legal and other enterprise functions.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Finance, Business Administration, Engineering, Property/Facilities Management or related field; postgraduate qualification or MBA is advantageous.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience, including senior leadership in procurement/commercial, property/facilities or enterprise services.
• Demonstrated accountability for large budgets, complex negotiations and multi‑site property portfolios.
• Experience in a regulated financial services environment is strongly preferred.

Required skills

• Strategic sourcing and category management
• Negotiation and contract lifecycle management
• Spend analytics, should‑cost modelling and total cost of ownership
• Property portfolio strategy, leasing, valuation and facilities operations
• Source‑to‑pay controls and financial governance
• Digital procurement, workflow automation and data visualisation
• AI‑enabled analytics and responsible use of emerging technologies