Assistant Real Estate Portfolio Manager

Americana Restaurants; Sharjah; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food service company is looking for a Real Estate Portfolio Assistant Manager based in Sharjah, UAE. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in lease administration and legal roles, with a minimum of 5 years of experience. Responsibilities include managing lease lifecycles, ensuring compliance with UAE regulations, and collaborating with multiple stakeholders. Strong communication skills in Arabic and English are required, with an LLB preferred. This role offers an opportunity to contribute to the company's real estate strategy and optimize its portfolio.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in lease administration or legal roles within retail or real estate.
• Strong understanding of UAE real estate regulations and lease frameworks.
• Proficiency in project management and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage full lease lifecycle including review and execution.
• Interpret and analyze lease agreements for compliance.
• Monitor and track lease signing statuses and deadlines.
• Collaborate with internal functions for lease-related resolutions.
• Prepare legal documentation for real estate transactions.

Skills

Lease administration

Negotiation skills

Legal document interpretation

Stakeholder management

Fluent in Arabic and English

Education

Bachelor's degree

LLB preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Real estate systems

Job description

Job Purpose

We are seeking a legally adept Real Estate Portfolio Assistant Manager with strong knowledge of contract law, UAE municipality regulations, and lease compliance. Candidates with an LLB are preferred, as the role requires interpreting legal documents, safeguarding Americana’s real estate interests, and ensuring adherence to regulatory and contractual obligations. The Assistant Manager will manage Americana’s new and existing real estate portfolio across the UAE and relevant markets, ensuring accurate lease administration, timely lease execution, compliance tracking, and strong coordination across Real Estate, Legal, and Finance functions. The role ensures data integrity, risk mitigation, and alignment with Americana’s portfolio strategy.

Scope of the Role

The role works closely with internal stakeholders such as Real Estate, Property, Finance, FP&A, Legal Counsel, Government Relations, Master Data, and brand leadership teams. Externally, it interfaces with landlords, municipalities/authorities, and key vendors.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the full lease lifecycle including review, abstracting, execution, amendments, renewals, terminations, and compliance.
• Interpret and analyze lease agreements to ensure compliance with contractual, legal, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain and update lease databases with high accuracy, ensuring complete audit trails, critical‑date tracking, and timely reporting.
• Monitor and track lease signing status, forecasts, NSO documentation, and key deadlines for renewals, kickouts, terminations, and expirations.
• Address lease inquiries, resolve discrepancies, and negotiate terms aligned with Americana policies and standards.
• Collaborate with Real Estate, Legal, Finance, and other internal functions to resolve lease‑related issues and ensure alignment.
• Prepare, review, and support legal documentation for lease amendments, renewals, terminations, and due diligence for real estate transactions.
• Ensure adherence to Americana lease policies, governance controls, workflows, and compliance frameworks.
• Monitor compliance and risk exposures; **escalate** issues when required and recommend corrective actions.
• Follow up with landlords to secure executed agreements and regulatory documentation; **escalate** delays when needed.
• Oversee lease‑related payments received from Finance and ensure accurate, timely submission to landlords.
• Support change management, continuous improvement, and portfolio optimization initiatives.
• Prepare accurate reports, dashboards, and summaries for leadership decision‑making and system updates (e.g., Tango).
• Supervise, coach, and develop team members where applicable.
• Demonstrate urgency in meeting deadlines and ensuring all critical‑date‑driven actions are completed on time.
• Maintain high data accuracy, documentation integrity, and reporting quality across all systems and processes.
• Deliver timely signed leases versus targets.
• Ensure lease renewals are executed in line with notice periods and critical dates.
• Maintain consistent data accuracy and reporting quality within Tango and internal systems.

Education, Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; LLB preferred.
• 5–7 years of experience in lease administration or legal roles within retail, real estate, or shopping center environments.
• Strong understanding of UAE real estate regulations, lease frameworks, and legal terminology.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience in real estate systems and data management.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and compliance skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, and manage multiple deliverables.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Mandatory fluency in Arabic and English; French is an advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Ability to interpret complex legal and lease documents.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.
• High attention to detail, accuracy, and data integrity.
• Strong time management, multitasking, and problem‑solving abilities.
• Leadership capability with the ability to coach and influence others.
• Strong ethical standards, integrity, and a commitment to high‑quality work.
• Collaboration and teamwork across functions and markets.
• Ability to drive change, improve processes, and support strategic initiatives.
• Sound commercial awareness and understanding of real estate performance metrics.
• Confident decision‑making, even in situations with incomplete information.