Real Estate Development Manager

Description
Job description:

Real Estate Development Manager – Business Development

Position Summary

The Real Estate & Lease Manager will support Luckin Coffee’s expansion strategy by identifying, evaluating, negotiating, and managing real estate opportunities for new store locations. This role will be responsible for developing and maintaining a pipeline of potential sites, conducting market and site research, coordinating site evaluations, negotiating lease terms, and managing the lease process from initial opportunity through execution and ongoing administration.

The ideal candidate combines strong commercial real estate knowledge with business development, negotiation, financial analysis, and project management skills. This position will work closely with Business Development, Operations, Finance, Legal, and other cross-functional teams to ensure new locations meet the company’s strategic, financial, and operational requirements.

Responsibilities
Real Estate Market & Site Development

Research and identify potential locations that align with the company’s expansion strategy, target markets, customer demographics, and store requirements.

Develop and maintain a pipeline of prospective sites and real estate opportunities.

Identify opportunities through brokers, landlords, developers, property owners, real estate databases, market research, and direct outreach.

Establish and maintain relationships with commercial real estate brokers, landlords, developers, property owners, and other industry contacts.

Conduct preliminary site assessments and determine whether locations meet established business and operational criteria.

Coordinate site tours and evaluations key stakeholders.

Prepare site summaries and recommendations for management review and approval.

Lease Negotiation & Transaction Management

Lead and coordinate the lease negotiation process for new store locations from initial proposal through execution.

Review and analyze letters of intent (LOIs), lease proposals, term sheets, and other real estate documents.

Negotiate key commercial terms, including base rent, rent escalations, free rent, tenant improvement allowances, operating expenses/CAM, security deposits, options, assignment rights, exclusivity, signage, delivery conditions, and termination provisions.

Work closely with Legal and other internal stakeholders to ensure lease terms align with company requirements and risk tolerance.

Coordinate landlord, broker, legal, finance, construction, and internal approvals throughout the transaction process.

Track deal milestones, deadlines, contingencies, and required documentation to ensure timely execution.

Maintain accurate records of all active and prospective real estate transactions.

Lease & Portfolio Management

Manage the company's existing retail lease portfolio and maintain an accurate lease database.

Monitor lease expiration dates, renewal options, rent increases, notice periods, security deposits, insurance requirements, and other critical lease obligations.

Coordinate lease renewals, amendments, extensions, assignments, and other lease-related transactions.

Partner with Finance and Operations to ensure rent, CAM, taxes, and other lease-related payments and obligations are accurately tracked.

Identify upcoming lease events and proactively communicate required actions to relevant stakeholders.

Review landlord statements and other lease-related charges and coordinate resolution of discrepancies when necessary.

Maintain organized and up-to-date lease files and documentation.

Business Development & Expansion Support

Partner with senior leadership to develop and execute real estate expansion plans.

Develop recommendations regarding market entry, store density, location strategy, and expansion priorities.

Evaluate potential locations based on financial, operational, and strategic criteria.

Support financial analysis of prospective locations, including rent-to-sales considerations, occupancy costs, estimated build-out costs, and other relevant financial metrics.

Monitor market trends, competitor activity, commercial development, and changes in local real estate conditions.

Identify opportunities to improve the company's real estate strategy and overall store economics.

Cross-Functional Project Management

Serve as the primary point of contact for real estate matters during the development of new locations.

Coordinate with Operations, Construction, Finance, Legal, and other departments to move locations efficiently from site identification through opening.

Establish timelines and track deliverables for each real estate project.

Escalate material risks, delays, cost concerns, and other issues to management.

Ensure relevant stakeholders have timely and accurate updates regarding the status of real estate projects.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in real estate, Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field preferred.

3–7+ years of experience in commercial real estate, retail real estate, lease administration, real estate development, or a related field.

Demonstrated experience sourcing, evaluating, and securing retail locations in New York City and/or other major U.S. metropolitan markets.

Direct experience working and negotiating with landlords, property owners, developers, and commercial real estate brokers.

Established relationships with landlords, developers, and real estate professionals in NYC and other major U.S. retail markets strongly preferred.

Experience negotiating commercial leases, LOIs, term sheets, and other real estate agreements.

Strong understanding of retail lease structures and commercial lease terms, including base rent, NNN/CAM charges, rent escalations, tenant improvement allowances, free rent, security deposits, renewal options, exclusivity, assignment rights, signage, and termination provisions.

Experience identifying and evaluating retail sites based on location, demographics, traffic, visibility, accessibility, competition, surrounding businesses, and overall market potential.

Strong financial and analytical skills, with the ability to evaluate site economics, occupancy costs, projected sales, and overall store-level investment.

Experience managing multiple real estate transactions and lease negotiations simultaneously.

Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-management skills, particularly when working directly with landlords and external partners.

Excellent project management and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.

Ability to work effectively across Business Development, Operations, Finance, Legal, Construction, and other cross-functional teams.

Willingness to travel regularly for site visits, market research, landlord meetings, and other real estate activities.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience supporting rapid retail, restaurant, coffee, food & beverage, or other multi-unit consumer expansion.

Strong landlord and broker network in NYC and/or major U.S. metropolitan markets such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Miami, or other high-density urban markets.

Experience independently taking a retail site from initial identification through LOI, lease negotiation, execution, and handoff to construction/operations.

Experience managing a multi-location retail lease portfolio.