Leasing Manager - Restaurant & QSR

About the role

An experienced Leasing Manager is sought to lead site acquisition, lease negotiation, portfolio management and restaurant expansion across the UAE. The role is central to the growth strategy and calls for a commercially driven leasing professional with proven experience in the restaurant, QSR and F&B sectors. The position is on-site in Dubai.

Key responsibilities

• Identify and evaluate new restaurant and QSR locations, and carry out market, catchment, competitor, footfall and site feasibility analysis
• Negotiate with landlords and developers and manage the acquisition lifecycle from site identification through lease execution and store opening
• Manage active restaurant leases, including renewals, rent reviews, restructurings and renegotiations, and deliver rent reduction and lease optimisation
• Maintain lease expiry schedules and renewal calendars so that no lapses, penalties, default notices or compliance breaches occur
• Prepare and submit franchisor or corporate site approval packages (RFS or equivalent) and coordinate approvals with operations, finance, development and brand stakeholders
• Monitor real estate trends, develop market mapping and expansion plans, and support portfolio optimisation through relocations, closures and network restructuring
• Carry out lease commercial evaluations and financial modelling, including effective rent, rent-free amortization, turnover rent breakpoints, occupancy cost as a percentage of sales, rent comparisons and NPV models

Required profile

• At least 8 years of commercial real estate and leasing experience, and 5 years in restaurant, QSR or F&B leasing, including at least 3 years in the last 5
• At least 3 years at Leasing Manager level or equivalent, with direct responsibility for negotiations and portfolio ownership
• Current or most recent role of at least 2 years, and a portfolio of at least 25 active leases personally managed
• Personally secured and opened at least 8 restaurant sites in the last 3 years, and obtained approval for at least 10 franchisor or corporate submissions
• At least 4 years of continuous UAE market experience, current UAE resident, and proven occupier-side leasing experience
• Strong knowledge of Dubai and Sharjah trade areas; knowledge of Northern Emirates and Oman preferred
• Restaurant, QSR or F&B experience, preferably with an operator, franchisee or restaurant group, and multi-brand portfolio management preferred