Leasing Manager - Food & Beverage Portfolio

Overview

Knowledge Economic City (KEC) is recruiting a highly motivated and results-oriented Leasing Manager specializing in Food & Beverage (F&B) to lead leasing initiatives for our shopping mall portfolio in Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia. This role focuses on securing leading restaurant brands, cafes, and dining concepts, leveraging an extensive network within the regional hospitality sector and comprehensive market knowledge across Saudi Arabia and the GCC.

Primary Responsibilities

• Formulate and execute a strategic leasing plan for the F&B sector aligned with the malls' positioning, customer base, and financial goals.
• Identify, engage, and secure diverse F&B tenants including specialty coffee shops, casual dining, and fine dining brands from local and international markets.
• Utilize a strong network of contacts with F&B operators, franchisees, and restaurateurs to maximize occupancy and cultivate a robust tenant pipeline.
• Lead negotiation and drafting of lease agreements and Heads of Terms to achieve optimal rental returns, service charge arrangements, and contract conditions.
• Conduct continuous market research and competitive analysis in the GCC region to track emerging culinary trends, customer preferences, and benchmark leasing rates.
• Collaborate effectively with Leasing, Legal, Fit-out/Tenant Coordination, Marketing, and Property Management departments to ensure a smooth handover from lease commitment to operational store launch.
• Monitor and report leasing performance, pipeline momentum, budget adherence, and tenant diversity metrics to senior leadership.

Qualifications & Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years' experience in retail or F&B leasing within shopping malls or commercial real estate in Saudi Arabia and GCC markets.
• Possess a comprehensive and active network with key F&B operators, restaurateurs, and franchise managers in the Middle East.
• Proven success in sourcing, negotiating, and securing leases with premium, high-volume F&B brands.
• Strong negotiation and communication capabilities coupled with analytical proficiency for evaluating lease economics, financial statements, and sales forecasts.
• Well-versed in retail real estate laws, leasing structures, and tenant fit-out procedures prevalent in the GCC.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Real Estate, Marketing, or a relevant discipline.
• Fluency in English is essential for this role.