The Role

The Head, Properties & Real Estate will provide strategic leadership for the planning, development, commercialization, and lifecycle management of LAFSINCO's real estate portfolio, ensuring that every property investment supports the organization's long-term commercial, operational, and food security objectives.

Reporting directly to the COO, the successful candidate will oversee land acquisition, property development, leasing, facilities commercialization, tenant management, valuation, investment analysis, and strategic partnerships while ensuring optimal returns on real estate investments.

This executive role requires a commercially driven leader with extensive experience in property development, infrastructure projects, real estate investment, asset management, and public-private partnerships (PPP). The successful candidate will work closely with government agencies, investors, developers, contractors, financial institutions, and regulatory bodies to maximize value creation across LAFSINCO's real estate ecosystem

Key Responsibilities

Real Estate Strategy & Portfolio Management

Develop and implement LAFSINCO's long-term property and real estate strategy aligned with corporate growth objectives.
Build and manage a diversified portfolio of commercial, industrial, logistics, and agricultural real estate assets.
Identify strategic land acquisition opportunities that support future expansion.
Develop property investment strategies that maximize long-term shareholder value.

Property Development

Lead the planning, design, and execution of real estate development projects from concept through completion.
Oversee feasibility studies, business cases, project economics, and investment appraisals.
Coordinate architects, consultants, engineers, contractors, and project managers.
Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and according to quality standards.

Commercial Real Estate & Leasing

Develop commercialization strategies for warehouses, logistics parks, cold storage facilities, retail markets, office spaces, and industrial assets.
Lead lease negotiations with anchor tenants and commercial partners.
Develop competitive leasing structures and pricing strategies.
Optimize occupancy rates and rental income across the portfolio.

Property Investment & Asset Management

Evaluate new investment opportunities using financial modelling and market analysis.
Maximize return on assets through effective portfolio optimization.
Monitor property performance, occupancy levels, rental yields, and asset appreciation.
Recommend acquisition, redevelopment, or disposal strategies where appropriate.

Stakeholder & Partnership Management

Build strategic relationships with government agencies, private developers, institutional investors, financial institutions, and development partners.
Lead negotiations on land acquisitions, joint ventures, development agreements, and strategic partnerships.
Represent LAFSINCO in engagements with regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders.
Collaborate with investment partners to structure commercially viable real estate projects.

Facilities & Estate Management

Develop standards for property maintenance and facilities management across all LAFSINCO assets.
Ensure optimal utilization of physical infrastructure.
Oversee estate operations, security, utilities, environmental sustainability, and tenant satisfaction.
Implement preventive maintenance programmes that preserve asset value.

Financial Performance

Prepare annual budgets and long-term financial forecasts for the property portfolio.
Monitor capital expenditure and operational costs.
Drive revenue growth through innovative property commercialization initiatives.
Establish KPIs and dashboards to monitor asset performance.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

Ensure compliance with all statutory, planning, environmental, land use, and regulatory requirements.
Manage legal documentation relating to land acquisition, leases, titles, and development approvals.
Identify and mitigate commercial, operational, environmental, and legal risks.
Ensure transparent governance throughout the property development lifecycle.

Leadership & Organizational Development

Build and lead a high-performing multidisciplinary property management team.
Foster collaboration across Engineering, Finance, Operations, Legal, Commercial, and Strategy functions.
Develop succession plans and build organizational capability within the Property Division.
Serve as a trusted advisor to Executive Management on property investment decisions.

Qualification & Skills

· Minimum of 15 years experience in Real Estate Development, Property Investment, Asset Management, Construction, or Infrastructure Development.

· At least 7 years in a senior leadership role managing large-scale commercial or industrial property portfolios.

· Bachelor's Degree in Estate Management, Real Estate, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Quantity Surveying, Urban & Regional Planning, Construction Management, or related discipline.

· MBA or Master's degree in Real Estate, Finance, Business Administration, Construction Management, or Project Management will be an added advantage.

· Professional membership with relevant institutions such as NIESV, RICS, NIQS, NSE, COREN, ARCON, or equivalent is highly desirable.

· Demonstrated experience leading multi-billion-naira property developments and infrastructure projects.

· Strong knowledge of Nigerian land administration systems, development approvals, and property laws.

· Proven expertise in property valuation, investment appraisal, financial modelling, and commercial negotiations.

· Strong understanding of PPP structures and infrastructure financing.

· Excellent leadership, negotiation, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

. High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, ERP systems, project management software, and property management platforms.