Manager: Operational Facilities

We’re Hiring: Manager: Operational Facilities

Are you a strategic facilities management leader with a passion for creating high-performing workplaces, enabling operational excellence, and supporting business growth through world-class facilities management?

Lesaka Merchant is looking for a Manager: Operational Facilities to join our Merchant Operations Division. This role is ideal for an experienced facilities professional who can lead operational facilities strategy, real estate management, workplace optimisation, and compliance initiatives while creating environments that support employee wellbeing, customer experience, and business performance.

Job Purpose

To define, lead, and manage environmentally sustainable, fit-for-purpose, and scalable operational facilities across the Merchant Operations Division. This role ensures optimal space utilisation, operational reliability, effective support of business functions, and alignment to security, risk, compliance, and operational requirements within a fast-growing fintech environment.

Key Responsibility Areas

Operational Facilities Strategy Enabled

• Develop and implement an Operational Facilities Management strategy aligned to digital innovation, customer experience, organisational growth, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop business cases that support real estate acquisition, infrastructure investment, facilities expansion, and leasing decisions.
• Ensure operational facilities support the diverse needs of business functions across the Merchant Operations Division.
• Conduct ongoing reviews and cost-benefit analyses of facilities to identify opportunities for optimisation, scalability, and operational efficiency.
• Ensure facilities layouts promote collaboration, productivity, business continuity, disaster recovery readiness, and employee wellbeing.
• Embed the Lesaka Merchant brand, culture, and values into workplace environments to create a differentiated employee and customer experience.
• ️ Operational Facilities Processes, Systems and Business Rules Optimisation
• Identify and address process inefficiencies that impact service delivery, workplace effectiveness, and customer experience.
• Lead the redesign and optimisation of facilities management processes and business rules.
• Develop, implement, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and governance standards.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve operational efficiency, compliance, and service delivery.
• Ensure facilities processes remain scalable and aligned with business growth requirements.

Leasing, Real Estate and Facilities Management Enabled

• Oversee real estate, property, and leasing activities to ensure alignment with business strategy and approved budgets.
• Ensure accommodation planning supports operational requirements across all business functions.
• Manage facilities maintenance, support services, and infrastructure management to ensure operational reliability and workforce productivity.
• Drive workplace optimisation initiatives, including space utilisation, occupancy management, and environmental sustainability.
• Ensure facilities remain suitable for a modern fintech environment, supporting technological advancement, business growth, and operational resilience.

✅ Compliance and SLA Performance Enabled

• Ensure facilities support operational service levels and customer experience objectives.
• Proactively manage facilities-related risks, business continuity requirements, and operational disruptions.
• Monitor facilities performance against service level agreements and operational requirements.
• Ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and all applicable facilities-related legislation and regulations.
• Conduct audits, risk assessments, and compliance reviews across operational facilities.
• Drive proactive facilities maintenance, risk mitigation, and security management practices.

Stakeholder Management and Alignment

• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders critical to successful facilities management.
• Collaborate across business functions to identify and prioritise facilities requirements.
• Partner with Procurement and suppliers to ensure value-driven facilities solutions and effective risk management.
• Work closely with Field Services and regional operational teams to support facilities management activities nationally.
• Drive effective communication, collaboration, and alignment across all stakeholder groups.
• Ensure facilities initiatives support strategic business objectives and operational priorities.

People Leadership, Capability and Team Performance Enabled

• Lead and develop a high-performing Operational Facilities team.
• Ensure appropriate workforce capacity, capability, and succession planning are in place.
• Manage team productivity, accountability, and performance against agreed objectives.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and development opportunities for team members.
• Drive a customer-focused, high-performance culture aligned to Lesaka values.
• Promote employee engagement, talent retention, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

Matric is Mandatory.

• Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Facilities Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 5–6 years' experience in a management role within Facilities Management, Operational Facilities, Property Management, or Corporate Real Estate environments.
• Experience within banking, fintech, financial services, multi-site operations, or high-growth organisations.
• Proven experience managing large-scale operational facilities, infrastructure, real estate portfolios, and workplace optimisation initiatives.
• Demonstrated success in implementing cost optimisation, facilities improvement, and operational efficiency programmes.
• Strong stakeholder management experience, including engagement with senior executives and leadership teams.
• Recognised as a trusted facilities management advisor capable of influencing strategic business decisions.
• Certified Facilities Manager (CFM) certification is advantageous.

Knowledge Requirements

Products

• Facilities management services
• Real estate and leasing models
• Workspace and operational environment standards
• Utilities and infrastructure management

Systems

• Facilities Management Systems
• Asset Management Systems
• Maintenance Management Systems
• Vendor and Contract Management Systems
• ️ Processes
• End-to-end facilities management lifecycle
• Space planning and utilisation
• Vendor and SLA management
• Budget planning and cost optimisation
• Maintenance and infrastructure management
• Health, safety, and compliance management
• ️ Compliance Requirements
• Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
• Applicable environmental and facilities regulations
• Health and safety audit requirements
• Facilities governance standards

Work Conditions

• Extensive travel across South Africa, including remote locations.
• Regular interaction with operational sites, suppliers, landlords, and business stakeholders.
• Fast-paced environment supporting a growing fintech organisation.

Ready to lead world-class operational facilities, optimise workplace environments, and enable operational excellence across a fast-growing fintech organisation?

Apply now or share this opportunity with a colleague who would be a great fit.

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