Property Leader Sub-Saharan Africa at General Electric - GE

Role Summary:

Global Operations Properties (GO-P) leads the full spectrum of real estate support functions from global facility management to worldwide construction projects to defining real estate strategy for locations and offices housing GEs 300K+ employees. The Property Leader Sub-Saharan Africa is responsible for this entire end-to-end scope for GE properties in Sub-Saharan Africa, the current main countries (which may change at any time) being South Africa, Angola, Nigeria and Kenya.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Managing facilities across the Sub-Saharan Africa region, the Property Leader will provide leadership, direction and will communicate/present ideas and requirements to all levels to optimize the property portfolio.
• Serve as a properties expert for GO-P in the sub-region providing advice and counsel to GO-P staff in the region and GE businesses in development of Growth Playbooks and Budgets
• Develop capital project requirements and define roles, responsibilities of project team with appropriate resources
• Contractual management (Regional Facilities Operations/Real Estate Operations & Projects)
• Manage process for approval of funds required to optimize the property portfolio
• Ensure lease agreements are executed and maintained compliantly
• Develop execution plans for capital projects, optimizing GE value
• Manage project(s) scope, control costs and schedule and ensure compliance with contract documents, whilst always ensuring alignment with business requirements
• Ensure the optimum operation of properties leveraging IFM partners to deliver safe and compliant environments that meet the needs of the stakeholders
• Leverage the marketplace, as well as existing relationships, to maximize value with suppliers
• Work with GO-P regional and wider teams (Operations, Engineering, Legal, Sourcing) to manage leases, capital projects and operations of facilities

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Bachelors degree or international equivalent in Surveying, Engineering, Construction/Building Sciences, Real Estate, Architecture, Project Management or Facilities Management or significant relevant experience
• Ten years of experience managing properties working directly for an owner or as an owner’s representative within the Africa region
• Demonstrated increasing levels of responsibility and accountability gained from within an international corporate environment
• Proven ability to self-manage, self-motivate and drive team performance – able to organize and focus teams and tasks remotely in a matrix environment
• Strong financial acumen, able to build, analyse and manage budgets with an understanding of capital vs operational expenditure with corresponding impacts to the balance sheet and P&L account
• Proven leadership, interpersonal, influencing, communication and presentation skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Office software; experience working with digital online databases
• Project management experience, including identifying projects, developing project plans and execution strategies (must have experience as project leaders/developers, not only as superintendents/field engineers)
• Must be willing to comply with pre-employment screening, which may include drug testing (where allowed by law), reference verification and background check
• Must be authorized and willing to work from an office in Nairobi, Kenya
• Must be willing to travel approximately 30% of the time
• Must have valid authorization to work full-time without any restriction in the roles location

Desired Characteristics:

• Graduate degree and 10+ years of relevant construction/project/property management experience as an end user with an international corporation already operating within the region
• Auditing qualification at a recognized institution (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001)
• Experience with Environmental, Health and Safety oversight
• Good organizational, presentation and analytical skills
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Culturally aware , fluent in English but French and Portuguese would also be an advantage
• Independent thinker, capable of identifying emerging issues and recommending appropriate mitigation
• Ability to self-manage/motivate and independently drive performance in a challenging environment, within a matrix organization and with a limited supply chain
• Ability to lead and motivate a team of direct reports
• Needs to be confident and display enthusiasm for properties. Must have a can-do attitude.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver against measurable goals
• Ability to organize and focus teams, tasks and requests and manage sites/teams remotely
• Ability to translate real estate strategy into project and operational deliverables
• Ability to engage with and report out to internal and external stakeholders at all levels
• Project Management certification from a recognized agency and/or a Chartered Surveyor
• Facility management/maintenance/EHS experience within a corporate environment across multiple locations/countries
• Real estate transactional experience including property/land identification, shortlisting and lease/purchase negotiation

GE offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. GE is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.