Lease Operations Manager

Mitchells & Butlers PLC; St Albans; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Brand discounts

Friends & Family discount

Additional holidays

Pension contributions

Private healthcare

Cycle to work

Annual leave

Hybrid working

Job summary

Mitchells & Butlers PLC is seeking a Lease Operations Manager to oversee the Leased estate across the South of England, with a focus on North London and surrounding areas. The role is field-based, autonomous and partner-facing.

You will drive profitability, manage rent reviews, build a network of tenants, ensure compliance, and support growth with internal teams. A commercially minded leader will thrive.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years’ experience managing multi-site Leased/Tenanted pub & restaurant businesses.
• Ability to understand and support P&Ls of businesses.
• Proven ability to engage with tenants/stakeholders to maximise potential.
• Sound commercial and financial awareness and market condition awareness.
• Motivation and influence skills; curiosity about competitors and industry trends.

Responsibilities

• Maximise district profit by delivering annual rent and wholesale profit targets.
• Ensure sites are let, legally compliant, and trading in line with terms.
• Manage debt levels within the district and undertake rent reviews.
• Develop a network of tenants, assess business plans and support succession planning.
• Recruit suitable tenants as vacancies occur; ensure Pub Code compliance.
• Manage transfers to Leased estate and brief operators on required information.
• Provide business development support to tenants to boost profitability.
• Lead quarterly business meetings and ensure financial stability growth.
• Asset management via annual inspections with Building Surveyors.
• Maintain due diligence on licences, food safety, standards, and property condition.
• Coordinate lease range reviews with Drinks Category team and align menus.
• Oversee asset management, maintenance, and compliance of properties.
• Manage internal and external advisors to support Leased estate.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Relationship driven

Operational expertise

Market insight

Strong network

Identify opportunities

Tenant recruitment

Business development

Regulatory compliance

Job description

At Mitchells & Butlers, we're proud to be at the heart of hospitality. With over 1,700 pubs, bars and restaurants across the UK, our portfolio includes some of the nation's most loved brands alongside thriving, community-focused businesses. This is a rare opportunity to join our Estate Management / Leased Estate team as a Lease Operations Manager, playing a key role in supporting and growing our successful Tied Lease Estate.

We're looking for a commercially minded and relationship-driven operator who is passionate about helping hospitality businesses succeed. In this highly visible role, you'll partner with our leased and tenanted partners to drive sustainable business growth, maximise profitability and maintain exceptional standards across your estate. Acting as a trusted advisor and industry expert, you'll use your operational expertise, market insight and strong network to identify opportunities, support tenant recruitment, develop businesses & relationships and ensure statutory compliance across your region.

As one of three Lease Operations Managers, you'll enjoy a varied and autonomous field-based role, managing a portfolio across the South of England, with a particular focus on North London and the surrounding areas. If you're an experienced hospitality professional who thrives on influencing performance, building successful partnerships and making a tangible commercial impact, we'd love to hear from you.

What’s in it for me?

• 33% discount across all M&B brands.
• 20% Friends & Family discount for up to five people.
• Option to buy up to two additional weeks of holiday.
• Matched pension contributions (up to 1.5x your contribution).
• Private healthcare and dental plan.
• Cycle to Work and wellbeing schemes.
• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Hybrid working and flexible approach.

The Opportunity – Lease Operations Manager

• Maximising district profit by delivering the annual budget for rent and wholesale profit, ensuring sites are let, operationing legally and compliant with terms of trading
• Successfully minimising and managing levels of debt within the district
• Undertaking rent reviews with professional advisors
• Developing a successful network of contacts, assessing prospective tenants and their business plan for financial and business suitability and supporting succession planning for non-performing tenants
• Recruitment of suitable tenants as vacancies occur, ensuring compliance with the Pub Code
• Managing transfers of existing managed businesses into the Leased estate, ensuring compliance with approvals and liaising with operators to ensure clear & timely briefings of required information
• Providing business development support to existing tenants to help them increase their profitability and in turn the company profitability by delivering quarterly business meetings, ensuring legal compliance and supporting growth of sales and focus on financial stability
• Asset management of properties with annual inspections with our internal Building Surveyors
• Ensuring all sites within your remit maintain appropriate due diligence in relation to licences, food safety, statutory standards, property condition etc
• Undertaking lease range review with our internal Drinks Category team and reviewing menu offers in line with Mitchells & Butlers cycles.
• Ensuring asset management, maintenance & compliance of properties – including repair, licensing & food safety
• Managing both internal & external advisors to maximise support & development of the M&B Leased estate

What you’ll need to bring to the Lease Operations Manager role:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience of managing multi-site Leased / Tenanted pub & restaurant businesses
• Understanding and capability to support and develop financial P&Ls of businesses
• Proven ability to engage with tenants/stakeholders to maximise business potential
• Sound commercial and financial awareness, and understanding of the impact of changing market conditions
• Passion & commitment to motivate and influence others
• Curiosity – particularly in relation to competitor offers and industry developments

What makes Mitchells & Butlers a great place to work?

At M&B we value the unique perspectives each person brings. We believe that by fostering a culture of inclusion, respect, and allyship, we create a sense of belonging, engagement and teamwork which are essential to delivering great guest experiences.

Join us and be a part of a great team!