Associate Director- Real Estate

Zepto; Mumbai; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Zepto is seeking an experienced Senior Manager/Associate Director – West, Real Estate, to lead and support property acquisition across Zepto’s West network. The role is based in Mumbai with regular travel across the West region.

You will drive end-to-end lease transactions, renewals, expansions, terminations, and reconfigurations of stores, coordinating with Finance, Legal, Operations, Facilities, and Projects teams to meet timelines and budget targets.

Qualifications

• MBA, Civil Engineering degree or diploma, Chartered Surveyor qualification, or RICS membership with relevant real estate exposure.
• Experience in real estate management, lease negotiations, and site selection.
• Experience managing vendors and building relationships with landlords, brokers, and contractors.
• Strong project management, budgeting, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Familiarity with real estate compliance, legal documentation, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Proficiency with relevant tools and software for project tracking and reporting.
• Ability to adapt and deliver in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Real Estate, or a related field; experience in retail or e-commerce is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the West real estate team in delivering the overall strategy for maintaining and developing Zepto’s space requirements across the region.
• Build and manage a network of brokers and consultants to deliver property requirements across different geographies in the West region.
• Develop a strong understanding of real estate development and related regulatory requirements across the assigned geography.
• Maintain regular communication and alignment with business stakeholders, including local and central Finance, Legal, Operations, Facilities, and Projects teams.
• Manage landlord relationships, lease negotiations, and contractor relationships; elevate issues that require intervention beyond routine daily activities.
• Oversee alteration and reconfiguration activities, with a focus on reducing fixed building-related costs.
• Drive transaction progress, stakeholder coordination, and project execution to meet agreed timelines and budget requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Real estate management

Lease negotiations

Stakeholder management

Project management

Budgeting & cost control

Regulatory compliance

Vendor management

Communication

Adaptability

Education

MBA

Civil Engineering degree

Chartered Surveyor / RICS

Job description

Zepto is looking to hire an experienced Senior Manager/Associate Director – West, Real Estate, to lead and support property acquisition activity across Zepto’s West network.

This role will be based in Mumbai and will require regular travel across the West region.

The role is responsible for ensuring the timely completion of new lease transactions, including renewals, expansions, terminations, and reconfiguration of existing dark stores.

Responsibilities span the end-to-end real estate process: working with local management to define requirements; negotiating commercial and legal lease terms; conducting on-site surveys; preparing comparative financial analyses of lease transactions; and managing projects through completion.

The primary objective is to secure adequate, cost-effective space for Zepto’s storage and operational needs across the West region, within market conditions, challenging timelines, and budget requirements.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the West real estate team in delivering the overall strategy for maintaining and developing Zepto’s space requirements across the region.
• Build and manage a network of brokers and consultants to deliver property requirements across different geographies in the West region.
• Develop a strong understanding of real estate development and related regulatory requirements across the assigned geography.
• Maintain regular communication and alignment with business stakeholders, including local and central Finance, Legal, Operations, Facilities, and Projects teams.
• Manage landlord relationships, lease negotiations, and contractor relationships; elevate issues that require intervention beyond routine daily activities.
• Oversee alteration and reconfiguration activities, with a focus on reducing fixed building-related costs.
• Drive transaction progress, stakeholder coordination, and project execution to meet agreed timelines and budget requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• MBA, Civil Engineering degree or diploma, Chartered Surveyor qualification, or RICS membership, with relevant real estate exposure.
• Demonstrated experience in real estate management, lease negotiations, and site selection.
• Experience managing vendors and building relationships with landlords, brokers, and contractors.
• Strong project management, budgeting, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Familiarity with real estate compliance, legal documentation, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Proficiency with relevant tools and software for project tracking and reporting.
• Ability to adapt and deliver in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Real Estate, or a related field; experience in retail or e-commerce is a plus.