Head of Commercial Services

About the role

The Head of Commercial Services will provide strategic leadership and end‑to‑end oversight of commercial, supplier, property, workplace and payment activities for Absa Bank Kenya. The role ensures operational resilience, cost efficiency and a high‑quality environment for colleagues and customers.

Key responsibilities

• Define and execute the Commercial Services strategy, operating model and multi‑year roadmap aligned with bank priorities.
• Lead enterprise spend analytics, total‑cost‑of‑ownership assessments and market benchmarking to identify value opportunities.
• Oversee strategic sourcing, contracting and supplier performance, including contract lifecycle management and supplier innovation.
• Develop and execute property and workplace strategy, manage leases, capital projects and facilities services.
• Drive digitisation, automation and analytics across procurement, contract management and service request journeys.
• Own risk and control environment, ensuring compliance with laws, regulations and internal policies.
• Build and lead a high‑performing, inclusive team and foster cross‑functional partnerships.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Finance, Business Administration, Engineering, Property/Facilities Management or related field.
• Post‑graduate qualification or MBA is advantageous.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in procurement/commercial functions, preferably within banking.
• Professional certification such as CIPS or equivalent is strongly preferred.

Required skills

• Source‑to‑pay processes and systems
• Data‑led analytics and spend modelling
• Automation and digitisation tools
• AI‑enabled analytics and workflow automation