Construction and New Deployments Lead, Nigeria

About You and The Role

Zipline’s long-range autonomous drone system is already delivering millions of medical products across Africa. As we expand in Nigeria, we’re seeking a Construction and Deployments Lead to oversee all construction and deployment activities nationwide. This senior role is responsible for delivering Zipline distribution centers across the country, leading in-country teams and driving execution excellence from site acquisition and permitting through construction, vendor management, and operational handover. You will serve as the central point of coordination between local teams and global stakeholders across Engineering, Supply Chain, Legal, Regulatory, and Partnerships, ensuring each launch meets Zipline’s global standards while adapting to Nigeria’s regulatory and operational context. You are a builder, leader, and systems thinker who can navigate complexity, align diverse stakeholders, and deliver results at scale.

What You’ll Do

• Own deployment strategy and execution for all new Zipline distribution centers across Nigeria.
• Lead cross-functional coordination between Nigeria teams and global stakeholders to ensure seamless execution of multiple deployments that consistently meets partner expectations.
• Partner with government agencies, regulators, and local authorities in Nigeria to secure permits, approvals, and strong working relationships.
• Identify and secure sites that meet Zipline’s technical, operational, and business requirements.
• Build and manage a high-performing network of Nigerian suppliers and contractors, ensuring cost-efficiency, quality, and reliability of site works.
• Manage in-country budgets, timelines, and resources, making tradeoffs that balance speed, cost, and long-term operational excellence.
• Help hire, develop, and lead a team of deployment project managers.
• Capture and implement lessons learned to continuously refine Zipline’s global deployment playbook.
• Provide clear, data-driven reporting on progress, risks, and performance to leadership.

What You'll Bring

• 8+ years of experience in construction, engineering, or program management, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven success delivering large-scale, technically complex projects within Nigeria, from concept to completion.
• Strong experience working with Nigerian regulatory bodies, permitting processes, and local contractor ecosystems (highly preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop in-country project teams.
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize and make strategic tradeoffs under pressure.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills – able to represent Zipline effectively with partners, contractors, and government officials.
• A systems mindset, with the ability to build scalable processes adapted to local context.
• Grit, adaptability, and resilience to thrive in uncertain, constantly changing environments.
• Willingness and ability to accommodate more than 50% travel within Nigeria.

What Else You Need to Know

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or our other policies.

We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!