Head of Internal Services

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

My Career Development Portal: Wherever you are in your career, we are here for you. Design your future. Discover leading-edge guidance, tools and support to unlock your potential. You are Absa. You are possibility.

Job Summary

The Head of Internal Services is accountable for end-to-end leadership of Internal Services to enable the bank’s strategic, operational and regulatory objectives.

The role ensures safe, compliant, resilient and cost-effective environments, underpinned by robust sourcing governance, supplier and third-party risk management, effective facilities and property lifecycle management, and disciplined project delivery.

The role acts as a strategic partner to the COO and Executive, balancing cost, service, risk, sustainability and customer experience, while embedding Group standards, local regulatory compliance and ESG commitments across the Internal Services portfolio.

Job Description

Business & Functional Leadership

• Act as the country expert and strategic advisor on Internal Services, property, facilities, sourcing, administration, sustainability and SHE matters.

• Agree and deliver a balanced scorecard with the COO covering cost efficiency, service excellence, risk, ESG and customer experience.

• Contribute to country Operations strategy, annual plans and medium-to-long-term outlooks based on demand forecasting, property strategy, procurement pipelines and operating model evolution.

• Translate Group strategies and standards into locally executable plans with measurable outcomes.
   

Financial & Commercial Management

• Own accountability for the Internal Services cost base, including property, facilities, administration, suppliers and staff costs.

• Drive rigorous cost discipline through monthly analysis and governance of:

• Overtime and staffing costs

• Maintenance and lifecycle expenditure

• Utilities, telephony and stationery

• Sundry losses and total cost of ownership (TCO)

• Identify and deliver cost optimisation opportunities without compromising safety, service or compliance.

• Ensure accurate forecasting, accruals, reconciliation and authorisation of accounts payable.
   

Facilities, Property & Corporate Real Estate Management

• Lead end-to-end management of owned and leased properties, including:

• Acquisition, disposal, lease negotiations, renewals and terminations

• Space planning, utilisation optimisation and standards

• Furniture, fittings, equipment and asset lifecycle management

• Oversee facilities management services, security, access control and site integrity systems.

• Partner with CRES and Transformation teams to support property-related change programmes and projects.

• Ensure property standards (e.g. occupancy density, layouts) align with regulatory, labour and safety requirements.
   

Supplier, Sourcing & Third-Party Risk Management

• Ensure sourcing and supplier management activities comply with Group Sourcing and Supplier Management policies.

• Define, negotiate and govern Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for facilities and related services.

• Monitor supplier performance, manage remediation plans and escalate breaches or disputes as required.

• Maintain oversight of third-party risk, including operational, financial, resilience, ESG and conduct risks.

• Act as escalation point for supplier incidents and ensure sustainable root-cause resolution.
   

Safety, Health, Environment & Sustainability (SHE & ESG)

• Ensure delivery of a safe, healthy and compliant environment for employees, customers and visitors.

• Maintain compliance with local Health & Safety, Building and Environmental legislation.

• Commission and review SHE risk assessments, audits and inspections; ensure timely remediation.

• Lead operational sustainability initiatives (energy efficiency, waste management, responsible sourcing) aligned to Group ESG commitments.
  
   

Project & Change Delivery Support

• Provide governance and oversight for Internal Services and CRES-related projects, including building works and refurbishments.

• Ensure projects are properly incepted, governed, delivered on time and within budget.

• Track and realise property, supplier and operational benefits from approved initiative
   

Internal Customer Experience

• Act as a strategic service partner to front and back-office units.

• Challenge demand, clarify requirements, source market options and provide commercial analysis.

• Institute and analyse a quarterly internal customer perception survey, driving action plans and service improvement.

• Benchmark services against industry standards and raise the internal service bar.

• Act as escalation point for unresolved internal customer complaints.
   

People Leadership & Capability Development

• Build, lead and develop a high-performing Internal Services team.

• Embed performance management, coaching, feedback and succession planning.

• Own recruitment, training needs analysis, talent development and workforce planning for the function.

• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, recognition and continuous improvement.

• Manage employee relations, discipline and grievances in partnership with HR.
   

Risk, Governance & Controls

• Embed a strong risk awareness culture across Internal Services.

• Maintain robust governance and controls aligned to Group policies and local regulations.

• Act as escalation point for audit findings; ensure timely and sustainable closure.

• Achieve green audit outcomes and maintain a live control issue log for escalation to control forums.

 

Facilities Management Expertise:

• Demonstrates comprehensive expertise in managing corporate facilities and property portfolios to ensure safe, compliant, cost-efficient and resilient operating environments aligned to business demand and regulatory standards.

• Strategically plans and oversees facilities maintenance, space utilisation and asset lifecycle management.

• Ensures buildings, utilities, security and access systems meet safety, regulatory and Group standards.

• Proactively identifies facilities risks and implements preventative controls and remediation plans.

• Integrates facilities planning with business growth, transformation and operational resilience requirements.
  
   

Financial Management

• Applies strong financial and commercial acumen to manage budgets, optimise costs and deliver value-for-money outcomes across Internal Services.

• Develops, manages and forecasts departmental budgets with disciplined cost control.

• Conducts detailed cost analysis, including TCO and trend analysis, to inform decision-making.

• Ensures accurate accruals, reconciliations and authorisation of payments.

• Identifies and delivers sustainable cost optimisation initiatives without compromising risk or service quality.
  
   

Contract and Vendor Management

• Effectively manages supplier relationships and contracts to ensure service excellence, regulatory compliance and controlled third-party risk.

• Negotiates and governs SLAs in line with Group sourcing and supplier management frameworks.

• Monitors supplier performance and drives remediation for non-performance or SLA breaches.

• Manages supplier incidents, disputes and escalations to resolution with clear root-cause analysis.

• Maintains oversight of third-party operational, financial, resilience and ESG risks.
   

Project Management

• Leads and governs Internal Services and property-related projects to ensure timely, cost-effective and compliant delivery of agreed outcomes.

• Provides clear project governance, milestones and accountability structures.

• Ensures projects are delivered on time, within budget and aligned to business priorities.

• Proactively manages risks, dependencies and stakeholder expectations.

• Realises and tracks benefits from property, facilities and sourcing initiatives.
   

Data Management and Reporting

• Uses accurate data, reporting and insights to drive informed decision-making, performance monitoring and governance assurance

• Maintains accurate property, facilities, supplier and cost data.

• Produces clear, timely management reports and dashboards for executives and governance forums.

• Uses data to identify trends, risks, inefficiencies and improvement opportunities.

• Ensures data integrity and compliance with internal controls and audit requirements.
  
   

Health and Safety Compliance

• Ensures a safe, healthy and compliant environment through proactive management of occupational health, safety and environmental risks.

• Ensures compliance with local Health & Safety, Building and Environmental legislation.

• Oversees risk assessments, audits and inspections with timely closure of findings.

• Embeds a safety-first culture across facilities, suppliers and teams.

• Escalates and manages SHE incidents with appropriate governance and corrective action.
  
   

Customer Service Orientation

• Delivers a high-quality internal customer experience by partnering with business units to meet operational needs effectively and efficiently.

• Acts as a trusted advisor to front and back-office stakeholders.

• Translates business needs into practical, cost-effective Internal Services solutions.

• Monitors internal customer satisfaction and drives continuous service improvement.

• Resolves escalated complaints professionally and within agreed timelines.
  
   

Communication Skills

• Communicates clearly, confidently and credibly with diverse stakeholders to influence outcomes and drive alignment.

• Communicates complex technical and commercial matters in a clear, structured manner.

• Builds strong working relationships with executives, regulators, suppliers and teams.

• Produces high-quality written reports, proposals and presentations.

• Facilitates effective cross-functional collaboration and decision-making.
   

Time Management

• Effectively prioritises and manages multiple responsibilities to deliver outcomes within tight deadlines and operational constraints.

• Balances strategic priorities with operational demands.

• Plans and sequences activities to meet business-critical timelines.

• Ensures timely delivery of projects, reporting and governance obligations.

• Maintains focus and performance under pressure.
   

Adaptability and Flexibility

• Responds effectively to change, ambiguity and emerging risks within a dynamic and regulated environment.

• Adjusts plans and priorities in response to operational incidents or business change.

• Leads teams calmly through periods of transition or crisis.

• Maintains service continuity during disruptions or emergency situations.

• Demonstrates resilience and sound judgement under pressure.
   

Problem-Solving Skills

• Identifies, analyses and resolves complex operational, commercial and risk-related issues with sound judgement and pragmatism

• Diagnoses root causes rather than treating symptoms

• Develops practical, risk-aware solutions aligned to policy and regulatory requirements

• Makes timely, evidence-based decisions with appropriate escalation.

• Learns from incidents and embeds sustainable improvements.

Role / Person Specification

Preferred Education:

• At least a Degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Property, Business Administration or related field

• A master’s degree Facilities Management, Engineering, Property, Business Administration or related field is desirable

• Professional certifications in Facilities Management, Project Management, Procurement or H&S (advantageous)
   

Preferred Experience:

• At least 8-10 years Senior leadership experience in Internal Services, Facilities, Property or Corporate Real Estate

• Proven experience managing large budgets, suppliers and third-party risk

• Experience in regulated environments (financial services preferred)

• Demonstrated project and change delivery capability
   

Knowledge & Skills:

• Property and facilities lifecycle management

• Commercial and financial acumen

• Supplier and contract management

• Regulatory compliance and risk management

• ESG and sustainability practices

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Physical Planning and Construction (Required)