Head of Real Estate & Project Finance at Equity Bank Kenya

 The role holder will be responsible for managing the Portfolio within the Real Estate & Project Finance (RE&PF) Sector, identifying and capitalizing on business opportunities. Collaborate closely with Team Leads, Relationship Managers (RMs) and other business units to close deals, structure credit solutions and drive revenue growth within the portfolio. Actively participate in monitoring, evaluation, and balance sheet optimization activities to ensure alignment with bank strategies and retention of high-quality assets.

Key Responsibilities

Generation of Opportunities and Closure:

• Scan the market for Real Estate and Project Finance business opportunities and convert them into profitable deals.
• Secure 30% of deposit, loan, and insurance opportunities to drive business growth.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships and collaborations with key stakeholders in the built environment for business generation such Clients, Investors and partners.
• Oversee and lead strategic planning and implementation of real estate and projects
• Manage financial forecasting and budgeting of the sector
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and industry standards
• Develop and execute marketing plans to promote the sector to acquire the required market share
• Oversees the acquisition and retention of real estate and project finance business
• Evaluates sector business in alignment with the overall bank’s strategy and ensure compliance
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures for the sector with an outlook to full automation
• Hire, train and manage staff to effectively execute the business as assigned.
• Conduct market research and analysis to identify opportunities and inform for decision making
• Monitor and analyze financial performance of the sector and recommend for improvement
• Represent the Sector to external stakeholders such as Industry Groups and media outlets
• Regularly review the Real Estate Product paper to ensure it remains aligned with market demands and emerging business needs.
• Collaborate closely with Segments, RM/Product Partners and Credit Analysts to structure tailored credit solutions and ensure product appropriateness.

Post Deal Account Monitoring:

• Oversee the initiation and coordinate the monitoring and evaluation of portfolio performance.
• Ensure full compliance with internal and regulatory credit policies, including preparation of the Country Portfolio Standard Checklist and addressing special reporting requirements.
• Regularly attend site visits and meetings for projects under construction to stay closely involved in projects executions.
• Contribute to the review and amendment of Interim Credit Proposals as required by business needs.
• Support Credit Risk on credit proposals and other related issues, ensuring rapid resolution of queries.
• Participate in EAR/Portfolio calls with RMs and Credit Originators to stay aligned with portfolio developments.
• Collaborate with the relationship manager to ensure timely identification of accounts for EAR placement in accordance with bank policies and guidelines.
• Support the Group Special Assets Management team in unwinding real estate and project finance deals efficiently.

Other Responsibilities:

• Facilitate review and assessment of real estate policies and product offerings, proposing necessary improvements to enhance effectiveness.
• Oversee the review of Project Finance policies and recommended changes to ensure alignment with business goals.
• Ensure the timely conducting of stress tests as required to assess risk and stability.
• Manage and review sector reports as required, providing key insights for strategic decisions.
• Optimize the use of bank systems and CRM tools to streamline operations and improve business performance.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field such as finance, business or real estate
• A master’s degree in related field a critical advantage
• Professional Qualification in Credit, Banking, Accountancy required
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in banking and real estate.