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Partnership Lead
NBST Management Limited
Nairobi, Kenya
Our client, NBST, is building something exciting in Nairobi: a mixed-use urban node in Ngara that brings together workspaces, culture, food, community, and residential spaces. NBST mission is to revitalise the urban built environment in African cities for Africa’s young entrepreneurs, innovators and creatives. Spaces are activated, key tenants are in place, and programming is underway.
We are looking for a Partnerships Lead to own the deals that will accelerate the next phase of development. If you are a proven dealmaker with a track record of ideating, structuring, negotiating, and closing a variety of partnerships, commercially sharp, internationally experienced, and comfortable operating with parties from Lagos to London across food, film, music, tech, art, and design, we'd like to speak to you.
Job Description
The Client
NBST Management Limited (NBST) is an innovative urban development platform that revitalizes and activates "urban nodes" within Africa’s fast-growth economies. Operating with a unique philosophy that views physical buildings as "hardware" and the integrated programs, services, and networks as "software," the company creates carbon-neutral real estate solutions tailored for the next generation of African entrepreneurs, innovators, and creators. Their first major project is based in Ngara, Nairobi, and focuses on generating strong economic returns through a mix of rental properties, co-working spaces, and event venues, with a full operational launch scheduled for Q2 2026.
The Role
NBST needs a Partnerships Lead to own their end-to-end partnerships engine from pipeline through to signed agreements, live activations, and measurable outcomes. This is a build role: you will design the function, establish the operating system, and close the deals that make Ngara come alive. You will work closely with the CEO on high-leverage corporate and capital partnerships, and independently manage the full activation portfolio. The ideal candidate is a commercially sharp dealmaker who has lived or worked internationally, understands what Ngara is trying to become, and is ready to be in Nairobi doing it.
Key Responsibilities
● Own and manage a two-lane partnerships portfolio: activation partnerships (space, pop-ups, programming, co-hosted events) and corporate/strategic partnerships (capital, sustainability, strategic capability, global credibility).
● Structure, negotiate, and close partnerships end-to-end: from initial brief through term sheet to signed agreement and delivered activation.
● Work CEO-close on capital, sustainability, and strategic capability partnerships; manage briefs, follow-ups, and due diligence.
● Build and maintain the partnerships operating system: pipeline dashboard, deal templates, approval gates, and monthly CEO-ready reporting.
● Launch partnerships with operational rigour; maintain NBST's quality and brand standards throughout.
● Own measurement, renewal, and the portfolio learning loop: tracking footfall uplift, tenant leads, partner satisfaction, and sustainability outputs.
● Represent NBST in partner conversations: across Nairobi, Pan-African markets, and international contexts including London, New York, and Paris.
Required Qualifications
● Proven track record of closing complex, non-standard deals — term sheets, revenue shares, in-kind arrangements, or equity-adjacent structures.
● Background in corporate finance, strategy consulting, hospitality, real estate, or a related field with strong commercial exposure.
● Experience operating across different counterparty profiles — local operators, Pan-African businesses, and international partners.
● Kenyan or East African diaspora, or non-Kenyan with significant Kenya or East Africa operating experience.
● Degree-level education; MBA or equivalent commercial training an advantage.
Skills and Competencies
● Structured deal-making: you can take a complex partnership from concept to signed agreement without losing momentum or rigour.
● Speed and decisiveness: you process fast, move fast, and know when to push and when to pause.
● Commercial range: you are as comfortable in a room with a Scandinavian investor as you are negotiating with a local Nairobi operator.
● Operational follow-through: signing the deal is not the finish line — you make sure it lands well.
● Pipeline discipline: you build and manage structured pipelines, not just relationships.
● Stakeholder management: you can work alongside founders without needing to be out front.
● Communication: written and verbal, clear and direct, across cultures and seniority levels.