Business Lead of Acquisitions

The Opportunity
Development continues to be one of the most critical strategic pillars for McDonald’s to achieve its ambitious growth targets and market share within the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Business Lead of Acquisitions, Construction and Real Estate Management will be responsible for leading the Development agenda in one of the largest real estate opportunities across the UK & Ireland; we also have ambitions to add 400 restaurants into our estate over the next 4 years, as well as to continue with large reinvestment into our existing estate. This role sits on the market’s Senior Leadership Team and is a key leader contributing to an £8bn business.

The role has accountability to provide hands-on leadership and direction to the regional restaurant development teams and will work closely with Owner/Operators and regional staff. This includes developing and implementing a comprehensive development strategy to meet store-opening objectives and encompassing market and site evaluations, business case developments, financial and demographic analyses, construction and redevelopments, and design for all restaurants.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning/Business Results

• Participate in long-range planning and development of business cases for the growth of the corporation as it relates to the development, design, and construction of restaurants and ensuring that restaurant development supports the long-term growth strategies and brand building image, aligned with the McDonalds global Accelerating the Arches strategy. This includes incorporating and aligning regional and corporate strategies.
• Proactively engage in horizon scanning on real estate assets, maintaining an outward looking perspective.
• Ensure that construction procedures and standards reflect acceptable project management, construction, estimating, and value engineering principles.
• Provide leadership to the corporation to produce effective and innovative solutions that optimize/maximize volume capacities and development opportunities while balancing menu variations and restaurant operations and drives collaboration between Restaurant Development and critical partners/key customers. This also includes proposing areas for continual improvement and incorporating more sustainable building materials to align to McDonald’s sustainability and impact commitments, where possible.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, innovations, methods, and processes related to development, design, construction, and management and incorporate trends to best address customer needs.
• Work collaboratively with Global counterparts and represents United Kingdom and Ireland market interests with various Global stakeholders.

Acquisitions, Real Estate Development and Construction Management

• Direct the Company’s new restaurant opening programme for the UK and Ireland.
• Lead the continual review and development of McDonald’s UKI’s Real Estate portfolio as it relates to owned real estate, leasing, construction, divestitures, and renovations / relocations.
• Manage all Real Estate assets including re-acquisitions, value of leases, development projects, condemnations, excess property, etc.
• Create and manage departmental budget including working with budget and project management tools and keep project teams and third-party vendors accountable to timeline and budgetary commitments.
• Protect the brand and assets of the portfolio, developing a strategic approach to all renewals and owned real estate and supporting the system for property management issues.
• Strengthen working relationships with all third-party vendors including leasing firms, general contractors, municipalities, landlords / tenants, etc.
• Integrate the goals and priorities of the Real Estate and Construction teams to ensure the optimization of the site development processes, construction speed, capacity, and costs.
• Ensures quality control standards for Real Estate and Construction transactions (cost, time, location, economics, market needs, and deal quality, etc.).
• Create, manage, and execute the Development Plan to meet portfolio returns with the Development Team.
• Continually understand and implement McDonalds corporate design guidelines and specifications.
• Ensure Development Audit protocols are adhered to and updated in line with industry requirements.
• Work with the Impact team to ensure proactive local government conversations.
• Ensure legal requirements are adhered to from terms of contracts / head leases / purchases and general contract and supplier agreements.

Leadership

• Lead the Development leadership team which includes the Head of Acquisitions, Head of Construction, Head of Estates and oversee a large team of ~70 indirect reports.
• Own the vision and culture of the Development department that meets the needs of key customers today and into the future and keep the team accountable to achieve corporate growth targets.
• Set high standards for living the McDonald’s Values, enhancing commitment, communication morale, and team spirit. including strengthening business partnership and communication with franchisees.
• Play a key leadership role in fostering talent development and succession planning within the Development team and overall organization.
• Effectively supervise, review, and facilitate individual development plans for the Development department.
• Manage and adjust to maintain a balanced workload among staff members while still meeting department and regional goals.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in real estate, business, law, management, and/or a comprehensive understanding of the real estate industry and its various property types with a strong emphasis on Commercial Real Estate. Design and Construction Background is a plus.
• Chartered surveyor, MCRIS.
• Extensive senior leadership experience in real estate, commercial business development, construction.

Knowledge & Experience

• Direct QSR experience an asset, franchise environment preferred.
• Experience in developing both short-term and long-range real estate strategies.
• Proficient in financial and demographic site analysis. Ability to work with financial concepts to assess financial feasibility and ensure returns expectations.
• Experience in new store design and creating outstanding customer experiences.
• Knowledge of current and changing restaurant trends and ability to revise and communicate strategies to optimize growth opportunities.
• Dealmaker's sensibility of Development Projects deployment and skills to proactively identify new projects.
• Excellent project management, organizational and leadership skills. Lead teams of contractors and external consultants, and to effectively solve problems on a variety of issues that may occur during the real estate development process.

Leadership

• Superior client service. Strong ability to collaborate and communicate effectively at all levels, cross functionally and across a system.
• Demonstrated ability to lead effectively in a complex, multi-functional business environment supporting a variety of initiatives.
• Works well across an organization and builds high performance teams through ongoing coaching and development. Excellent management and leadership skills who is committed to working within a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in facilitation, conflict negotiation, team building and group dynamics.
• Analytically and strategically minded. Skilled ability to be proactive and capable of resolving complex problems expeditiously.
• Extremely organized and detail oriented.
• Outstanding communication, public speaking skills and stakeholder management.