Head of Commercial Services

Absa Group

. Provide strategic leadership and end-to-end oversight of Commercial Services for Absa Bank Kenya .

Posted 10/9/2026full-timeKenyaLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in strategic leadership and oversight of Commercial Services, with a strong focus on procurement, supplier management, and property strategy. Proven ability to drive digital transformation, sustainability initiatives, and compliance within a regulated financial services environment.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Strategic SourcingCategory ManagementThird-Party Risk ManagementSpend AnalyticsDigital Procurement

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Contract Lifecycle ManagementNegotiationSupplier ManagementBudget ManagementProperty Portfolio StrategyOccupational Safety ComplianceData VisualisationShould-Cost ModellingTotal Cost of OwnershipSustainability Initiatives

Soft Skills

LeadershipCoachingCross-Functional CollaborationPerformance ManagementEthical Conduct Promotion

Tools & Technologies

Workflow AutomationAI-Enabled AnalyticsDashboardsPredictive Insights

Certifications & Qualifications

CIPSProcurement QualificationFacilities Management CertificationProject Management CertificationSustainability Certification

Industry Keywords

Financial ServicesRegulatory ComplianceOperational ResilienceSupplier GovernanceClimate Resilience

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Provide strategic leadership and end-to-end oversight of Commercial Services for Absa Bank Kenya
Define and execute the Commercial Services strategy, operating model, scorecard and multi-year roadmap
Own the function’s budget, benefits plan and productivity agenda
Lead enterprise spend and demand analytics, should-cost and total-cost-of-ownership assessments, and market benchmarking
Lead category strategies, competitive sourcing, negotiation and contracting
Establish contract lifecycle management covering obligations, renewals, variations, claims, disputes and benefits realisation
Govern supplier segmentation, performance standards, service-level agreements and strategic supplier escalations
Drive supplier innovation, local and diverse supplier participation, responsible sourcing and sustainable partnerships
Oversee source-to-pay effectiveness, requisitioning, purchase orders, invoice resolution and supplier payments
Develop and execute property and workplace strategy across owned and leased premises
Lead lease negotiations, renewals, exits, acquisitions, disposals, valuations and landlord performance
Oversee capital projects, refurbishments and relocations
Ensure effective facilities, utilities, maintenance, workplace, mail, transport, reception, archives and administrative services
Embed energy efficiency, resource optimisation, waste reduction, climate resilience and accessibility
Sponsor digitisation and automation across procurement, contracts, supplier governance, facilities, payments and service requests
Establish dashboards and predictive insights for spend, savings, supplier performance, property, safety, service and risk
Design customer-centred services with service catalogues, turnaround standards and escalation routes
Own the Commercial Services risk and control environment and ensure regulatory, policy and Group-standard compliance
Lead third-party risk governance, continuity planning, incident response, crisis management and recovery arrangements
Oversee occupational safety, health, environmental and building compliance
Build an inclusive, high-performing team with succession coverage and capability plans
Coach leaders and colleagues, manage performance and recognition, and promote ethical conduct, control culture, innovation and continuous learning
Create cross-functional partnerships with CODO, business units, Finance, Risk, Legal, Compliance, Technology, Security, Human Capital and Group functions

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Commerce, Finance, Business Administration, Engineering, Property/Facilities Management or a related discipline
Relevant professional certification is strongly preferred, for example CIPS or an equivalent procurement qualification; facilities, property, project management, sustainability or risk certification is advantageous
At least 10 years’ relevant experience across procurement/commercial management, supplier management, property/facilities or enterprise services, including substantial senior leadership experience
Accountability for significant budgets, complex negotiations, strategic suppliers, outsourced services and/or a multi-site property portfolio
Experience in a regulated financial services or similarly complex environment is strongly preferred
Proven delivery of measurable cost, service, risk, digital transformation, sustainability and stakeholder outcomes
Knowledge of banking operating models, regulatory expectations and operational resilience requirements
Strategic sourcing, category management, competitive tendering, negotiation and contract lifecycle management
Third-party risk management, supplier due diligence, concentration risk, business continuity and exit planning
Spend analytics, demand management, should-cost modelling, total cost of ownership and benefits realisation
Property portfolio strategy, leasing, valuation, workplace planning, facilities operations and capital project governance
Occupational safety, health, environmental and building compliance requirements
Source-to-pay controls, accounts payable interfaces, financial governance and management reporting
Digital procurement, workflow automation, data visualisation and responsible use of AI-enabled analytics
Sustainability, climate resilience, energy efficiency, responsible sourcing and inclusive supplier development

Benefits

Comp & perks

My Career Development Portal with leading-edge guidance, tools and support to unlock potential
Equal opportunity, affirmative action employer
Preference for suitable candidates from designated groups to support equitable demographic representation and workforce diversity