Food Lettings Manager

KERB; London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

KERB is seeking a Food Lettings Manager to lead the scouting and onboarding of food talent for their innovative projects. This role involves managing tenant relationships, negotiating leases, and contributing to the strategic development of food businesses across various global locations. Ideal candidates will possess strong negotiation skills, extensive knowledge of the food industry, and the ability to build lasting relationships. Join KERB and help shape the future of food entrepreneurship.

Benefits

Generous F&B discount

25 days holiday + birthday day off

Personal Wellbeing Allowance

Private Medical Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Annual season ticket loan

Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave

London Living Wage

Disability Confident Committed employer

Best Companies accredited employer

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of global food scene.
• Able to travel internationally for work.
• Working knowledge of contract language relevant to leases.

Responsibilities

• Discover and secure emerging food talent.
• Negotiate lease deals for food halls.
• Manage relationships with tenants around the world.

Skills

People Skills

Negotiation

Proactivity

Relationship Management

Food Industry Knowledge

Education

None specified

Tools

Various software systems

Job description

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As the Food Lettings Manager, reporting into our resident Food & Memberships Director James, this is a brand new role where you’ll have a real and exciting opportunity to create impact in a fast growing, people-centric business. Part food scout, part lettings agent, and all-round deal-maker, this is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of food at KERB and beyond.

What you'll be doing

• Discover and secure the next wave of food talent - think future stars like Bleecker, Bao, and Pizza Pilgrims.
• Manage relationships with 60+ tenants across our growing global food network (including but not limited to UK, USA, Denmark, Germany).
• Oversee food scouting missions in London and around the world - yes, you’ll literally eat your way across the globe.
• Contribute to the operational and strategic development of food businesses across our sites.
• Negotiate and secure lease deals for KERB’s food halls both locally and internationally.
• Stay tapped into local and global food trends, identifying what’s hot (and what’s not).
• Identifying gaps in the member offering and proactively filling them by sourcing independent food businesses aligned with KERB’s needs across all entities.
• Manage contracts and leases for all tenants across KERB’s global portfolio.
• Manage all negotiations and lettings for our global food halls.
• Build and maintain professional relationships with tenants, acting as the primary liaison between them and the site teams.
• Ensure all licenses, legal obligations, and regulatory requirements are met.
• Enhance the offer across all fixed sites by managing and implementing quality control feedback.
• Oversee data insights to inform strategic planning around food offerings, pricing, and trader rotations for optimal impact.
• Assist with audits and performance reviews as an internal agent and representative of KERB standards.
• Oversee compliance matters, including breaches of lease or legislation, and ensure performance targets are met.
• Proactively secure talent for KERB food halls, building a robust pipeline of businesses ready for future opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Food Development Manager on menu development and market research, including ongoing quality control and pricing reviews.
• Coordinate with key internal stakeholders (site teams, accounts, marketing, and membership) to ensure smooth onboarding and successful launches of new traders.
• Manage member feedback and reviews, developing tailored improvement plans to uphold KERB standards.
• Contribute to the setup and expansion of global memberships alongside the Food Team, ensuring KERB remains dynamic and relevant in its next growth phase.
• Travel to KVL sites (Copenhagen, Berlin, Saluhall) as needed to assist with scouting, launches, and food reviews.

What you'll bring to KERB

• Deep, unrivalled knowledge of the global food scene - from local gems to international trends.
• Valid passport and ability to travel internationally, including to the United States. (Entry to the U.S. is subject to U.S. Customs and Border Protection policies, which may restrict entry based on certain criminal convictions.) You must be eligible for business travel to the United States.
• Solid working knowledge of contract language and legal frameworks related to leases and tenancy.
• Technically adept and comfortable navigating a range of software and systems.
• Highly proactive self-starter with strong initiative and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Excellent people skills - a clear communicator, approachable, and skilled in building and maintaining long-term relationships with clients and traders.
• Nice-to-have: strong working knowledge of how independent food businesses operate, with the strategic mindset to collaborate with and enable their growth within the KERB ecosystem.
• Natural relationship builder - able to act as a reliable liaison between KERB and its tenants.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and strong sales instincts - capable of driving and closing lease deals across global markets.
• You’ve got spirit, charm, and an unstoppable appetite - figuratively and literally.

What you'll get by joining KERB

• Generous F&B discount across KERB food and drinks
• 25 days holiday (excluding bank holidays) + birthday day off
• Personal Wellbeing Allowance (Juno)
• Private Medical Insurance (Vitality)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Annual season ticket loan
• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave after 2 years
• A London Living Wage and Disability Confident Committed employer
• A Best Companies accredited employer

Diversity & Inclusion
As part of our values, we are dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusivity at KERB. We actively celebrate our teams’ different abilities, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, faith, and gender. Everyone, from any background, is welcome and supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us. Applicants are encouraged to share with our People Team any accommodations or reasonable adjustments required during the recruitment process.

KERB is a business that powers other businesses. We focus on the incubation and growth of innovative, independent food businesses. We run brilliant street food markets, workshops, consultancy, bars, food halls in Central London and across the US and Germany and have developed a growing, successful corporate catering company, KERB Events Limited.

We are a food-obsessed and people-first company who believes that everyone with a bit of spark should have the opportunity to ignite it. Be it food entrepreneurs or team members, our mission is to create opportunity and joy through great food, from the KERB up.