Role Purpose:
The position is responsible for maintaining the Real Estate Portfolio Management (lease administration) function in the Saudi market. The role of lease administration is as a support function to the Real Estate & Property Management team to manage effective controls, data accuracy & tracking, maintaining an effective audit trail and effective lease signing aligned with Americana standards & policies to meet the department goals.
Role Responsibilities:
- Process Lease signing as per organizational objectives.
- Monitor and track the status of lease signing forecasted signing monthly.
- Ensure effective transactions, internal & external governance & accuracy of lease data to mitigate operational risk and optimize portfolio value.
- Validate, with Legal, the ownership status of the premises prior to executing lease contracts.
- Review lease contracts against commercials approved with a focus on mitigating risk to Americana through negotiation of key priority A conditions in the contract.
- Manage and monitor day-to-day activities within KSA and support the operations of the Portfolio Lease Administration Service Line.
- Oversee company portfolio of retail store leases and supervise individuals in the Lease Administration Department in KSA Market.
- Lead actions related to legal cases with the RE Legal team.
- Collaborate closely with Finance to maintain consistency in Tango financial records in order to release timely payments.
- Support and assist with Americana's Restaurant Division initiatives & change management.
- Recommend new approaches, policies, and procedures to effect continual improvements in efficiency of services performed and apply them consistently across the markets.
- Ensure Americana standards are implemented, met and maintained.
- Provide timely and accurate documentation and reporting.
- Execute special projects as assigned by Senior Real Estate Portfolio Manager.
- Collaborate on high profile projects that will require special attention and reporting.
- Manage, train, and develop team members in current work scope as well as the stakeholders.
- Demonstrate initiative and reflect a sense of urgency in daily duties by meeting or improving upon deadlines.
- Closely track and provide updates to the plan for securing NSOs.
- Tracking of key metrics & KPI's required by senior management.
- Co-lead digital & transformation initiatives with the aim of continuous improvement within the control function.
- Supervise store closures to ensure the closure process is followed, adhering to timelines and avoiding holdover penalties.
- Ensuring authority compliance is maintained at all times with respect to converting legacy contract to digital Ejar.
- Leading the audit & risk initiatives for the hub.
- Track critical dates (renewal options, sunset dates, kickouts, rights to terminate and expirations) for existing stores and generate and maintain several reports and weekly updates with respect to same.
- Ensure that all stores with upcoming critical dates are addressed with management in a timely manner and follow through with decisions while meeting critical deadlines.
- Draft and/or review lease amendments and termination agreements with respect to existing stores.
- Assist in the development and implementation of procedures to ensure the integrity of the lease database system.
- Write reports as requested in the lease database system for the Real Estate Department.
- Assist in lease preparation and review against Americana policy & top lease conditions
- Maintain an accurate, detailed audit trail for each deal , and track and document decisions related to the same
- Receive cheques from finance related to the lease agreement, check if they are aligned with the particulars of payments as per lease and ensure they are delivered to the Landlord on timely manner.
- Follow up with the Landlord on the executed lease agreement & required official documentation in a timely manner, escalating any delays to the Real Estate deal owner.
- Maintaining administrative records in relation to payments issued to LL's and tracking of active security deposits, fit out deposits & outstanding payments.
Experience, Qualifications & Skills:
- Master's degree in management legal background is a plus
- 10 years of prior leasing administration experience in a retail chain or shopping center environment.
- Strong understanding of regional real estate and/or leasing practices, metrics and municipality/authority regulations.
- Knowledge of legal terms & language of the lease
Language Proficiency:
- Arabic (Mandatory)
- English (Mandatory)
- French (Desirable)
Knowledge:
- Excellent knowledge of Word, Excel, Access, and Power Point is essential
- Excellent quality checking & compliance skills
- Ability to plan, organize and adapt in various situations to meet business objectives
- Experience of business process re-engineering
- Experience of extensive Real Estate System Implementation projects
- Strong analytical abilities
Skills:
- Ability to interpret complex retail lease language
- Exceptional communication and negotiating skills
- Ability to meet deadline with strong bias for action
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
- Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects
- Strong organizational skills
- High-quality work ethics without supervision
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent time management skills
- Ability to solve problems by drawing upon the collective thinking of the broader team through influence and negotiation.
- Strong leadership skills
- Client relationship management skills.
