Manager Projects, Real Estate Services at Standard Bank Group

Job Details

Client Experience & Shared Services: A range of essential and complex services to ensure processes across the bank work as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Job Purpose

Facilities Management: Provide business support to the Senior Manager Real Estate Services and Security Services in the management of the bank’s build projects to ensure alignment to and the achievement of the Bank’s overall strategy. 

Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities

• Strategic Execution
  • Understanding the overall Bank Strategy and how Real Estate Project Management fits into the overall Bank’s strategy.
  • Provide strategic input to the RES Project Management functions through researching and implementing the best practices to meet the customers’ needs.
  • Provide strategic and operational management input, feedback, solutions and innovation from a RES Projects perspective
  • Implements continuous improvement initiatives in coordination with the Senior Manager Real Estate and Security Services with a view to ensuring efficient and effective functioning and high level of service within the RES function.
  • Provide technical quantity surveying input into all Bank RES projects.
• Operational Performance:
  • Liaise with Business Units on a regular basis on RES matters that include Space Planning and Brand image to deliver the required standards on the “look and feel” across all Real Estate; keeping abreast of property acquisitions, disposals, etc
  • Design, cost, implement and manage projects across all phases of the project life-cycle; translate user requirements into practical property solutions and manage projects in terms of quality, timing and cost.
  • Conduct and/or provide independent validation to determine accuracy and reasonableness of costs billed by contractors and/or advised by third party quantity surveyors.
  • Research and update their knowledge and business intelligence on the latest thinking, trends, best practices, international standards, tools and technologies in the construction project management domain
  • Drive a focus on the quality and continuous improvement of the RES function through the on-going guidance of the teams and the on-going review and improvement of policies, services, processes and behaviors
• Cost Management
  • Ensures that throughput is maximised by implementing principles of Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and strategic sourcing principles
  • Ensure for each project there is a signed off business case with the scope of what project intends to deliver as a product.
  • Report on actual expenditure against budget, including variance reporting and providing commentary on variances when necessary for all ongoing projects.
  • Manage and control drive the generation of ideas that influence the reduction of project costs.
  • Customer, Business Partner & Stakeholder Relationship Management
  • Ensure that the project team (including the outsourced third-party team members) is effective and efficient in delivering practical, timeous and cost-effective services that meet business needs and enable improved business performance
  • Builds sustainable relationships and partnerships with all relevant stakeholders on a regular basis, in order to secure the necessary relationships and benefits.
  • Investigates complaints and satisfaction levels with the RES projects offerings through continuous interaction to ensure high service levels by the team.
  • Ensure that the impacts of RES projects related changes are communicated effectively to all stakeholders and the associated risks are mitigated in a timeous and holistic manner
• Optimise Risk Profile in Business Unit
  • Champion a high level of risk awareness in the unit aimed at upholding a high, risk culture amongst project team members that fosters responsiveness, confidence, courage and doing the right things all the time (zero tolerance for non-adherence to Bank policies, procedures and guidelines
  • Inculcate a culture of “Get it Right First time” - zero errors and no customer complaints
  • Ensure the operational risk framework, standards and other risk principles are adopted by the project team members i.e. Risk and Control Self Assessments (RCSA’s), Key Risk Indicators (KRI’s), Business Continuity Management (BCM), Information Risk, IT Risk and Risk Assurance
  • Identify major risks affecting the project management team members and take necessary steps to measure, monitor and control accordingly noting to implement appropriate remedial action
  • Ensure compliance with approved limits and levels of authority
  • Limit potential losses to the bank by ensuring that laid-down processes and procedures are adhered to
  • Ensure detailed analysis of incidents is conducted and remediation actions implemented to prevent recurrence
  • Review and evaluate internal controls and propose appropriate recommendations for any changes and/or enhancements to the existing control framework
  • Ensure agreed remedial actions adequately address internal control deficiencies and thereafter ensure regular follow up to ascertain execution and effectivenessMonitoring and Control
  • Identifies and assesses the risks facing RES projects thereby providing effective loss and risk management to mitigate related operational risks.
  • Liaises with business areas through continuous interactions to ensure that best practices are implemented, and a standard approach is followed
  • Ensure that quality assurance processes are embedded, and the monitoring of quality assurance is carried out; drive a culture of innovation, operational efficiency and continuous improvement in a participative and empowering manner
  • Ensure proactive and regular reporting of critical and exceptional RES project related information to the Senior Manager Real Estate and Security Services and required Bank Governance committees.
  •  Change Management and Continuous Improvement
  • Aid in identifying high impact projects/programs/initiatives within the line of business with a view to continuous improvement.
  • Ensure value adding assessments of projects/programs/initiatives are conducted to ensure identified risks are appropriately mitigated prior to the projects/programs/initiatives going live.
• Compliance
  • Ensure adherence to all Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions related requirements contained in policies, procedures and processes. This includes monitoring and identifying any material compliance related breaches and escalating them to line management and the Compliance Office.
• People Management
  • Evaluate and manage the performance of direct reports to achieve a high standard of competence, motivation and service orientation, focusing on the development and retention of talent.
• Reporting
  • Provide relevant, accurate and timely reporting to senior management, governance committees and the regulator where it is applicable.
  • Partner with business units to oversee the optimization of business processes to increase operational efficiency
  • Identify, implement and evaluate projects that have a medium to high impact on customer experience
  • Quality Management System in line with ISO Standards– ISO 9001:2015
  • Ensure that the quality management system conforms to the requirements of the International and local Standards.
  • Ensure that processes are delivering their intended output by monitoring at every stage in the value chain.
  • Report on the performance of the quality management system and on opportunities for improvement.
  • Ensure the promotion of exceptional client experience throughout the organisation.
• Stakeholder Engagement
  • Builds and maintain credible and value adding relationships with partners, stakeholders, including management, peers, internal and external audit.
  • Partners with Business Heads to identify customer service expectations, agree SLAs and align to the Customer Value Proposition in order to deliver an appropriate client service

Preferred Qualification and Experience

• Degree in Building Economics/Construction Project Management
• 5 years post-graduation experience
• Be a registered quantity surveyor with the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors Kenya - BORAQS
• Prince2 Project Management Certified Practitioner

Knowledge/Technical Skills/Expertise

• Detailed understanding of procurement, security, logistics, leasing, facilities and premises policies and practices
• Ability to negotiate in a complex environment
• Comprehensive understanding of Central Bank guidelines, RES and Physical Security including Organisational Health and Safety related regulations.
• Practical knowledge of how to input, access and utilize information to analyze forecast trends
• Working knowledge and principles of capacity management in terms of resource options, availability and costs
• Knowledge of cost management principles and practices
• Up to date business intelligence in Real Estate
• Contract knowledge
• Project and tender management
• Budgeting and cost management principles and processes