East Africa Cluster Lead - Senior Project Manager

Role Overview

This position anchors real estate project delivery for a multinational banking client across Kenya and the wider East Africa region, covering both commercial office environments and retail branch networks. Day to day, you will take full ownership of complex, multi-disciplinary projects from initial brief through design, construction, and handover, while also leading a small local delivery team and acting as the client's primary regional contact. Your ability to balance hands-on project leadership with stakeholder management will directly shape the bank's physical footprint and operational readiness across the region.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct end-to-end delivery of retail banking and commercial office projects, owning programme, budget, quality, scope, procurement, and risk from planning through occupancy and closeout.
• Take the lead on the most technically demanding or strategically important projects in the Kenya and East Africa portfolio, adapting quickly as regional priorities shift.
• Translate the client's business needs into clear project briefs and execution plans, ensuring every project starts with a well-defined scope and realistic delivery strategy.
• Coordinate internal and external design teams, guiding the development of solutions that satisfy both functional expectations and financial constraints.
• Navigate local government and regulatory approval processes, working with consultants and contractors to secure necessary permits and compliance.
• Administer complex construction and consultancy contracts, proactively monitoring compliance with terms, conditions, and performance standards.
• Lead tender preparation, critically evaluate bid returns, negotiate contract awards, and present clear recommendations to the client.
• Steer schedules, budgets, and change orders — whether initiated by the client or contractor — and keep all project documentation, cost plans, and risk registers accurate and audit-ready.
• Track contractor progress against approved programmes, ensuring both design outputs and on-site construction match the contractual scope and quality expectations.
• Prepare weekly status reports and maintain cloud-based project management tools, contributing to PMO governance and regional performance reporting.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from a reputable institution, ideally in Architecture, Civil Engineering, or a related built-environment discipline.
• At least six years of project management experience in fit-out, corporate interiors, or commercial real estate delivery, with a proven record of leading projects from inception to completion.
• Strongly preferred: demonstrable experience delivering retail banking, financial services, or similarly regulated corporate projects.
• Established working knowledge of the Kenya and East Africa market, including local regulatory frameworks, consultants, contractors, and approval processes.
• Experience managing consultants, contractors, and complex contracts across all project stages, with strong commercial acumen in cost control, tendering, and change management.
• Some experience leading, mentoring, or supervising a small project team, plus the ability to motivate third-party delivery resources.
• PMP or LEED AP certification is an advantage.
• Fluent English, with excellent written and verbal communication skills for client-facing reporting and stakeholder engagement.