Property & Development Lead

As Property & Development Lead, you will lead the delivery of Taco Bell's property, development and estates agenda across the UK & Ireland, supporting both our equity business and our franchise partners. This role brings together three connected workstreams (development and acquisition, estates management and facilities management) to deliver an integrated property function across the UK & Ireland. You will identify, evaluate and progress development opportunities in line with the UK&I growth strategy, secure the right sites on appropriate commercial terms, manage the property portfolio and help ensure our restaurants are maintained to brand standard as we scale. You will operate with a high degree of independence within enterprise and Global frameworks, working closely with franchisees, agents, and cross-functional teams to deliver disciplined, profitable growth and a well-run estate.

Responsibilities

Deliver the UK&I development plan across equity and franchise, identifying and progressing opportunities in line with agreed growth priorities; Source, evaluate and negotiate new site opportunities across agreed target markets, through strong market knowledge, geomapping insight, and regular site visits; Prepare sites for monthly board approvals, including IRR and P&L modelling, and consult with franchisees on site approvals as their expert advisor; Maintain a robust pipeline by tracking upcoming developments and future opportunities, and coordinating activities from feasibility through legal completion; Manage the property portfolio across the estate, including leases, rent reviews, renewals, break options, and dilapidations, protecting brand interests and controlling occupancy cost; Maintain accurate estate and lease data and reporting, giving leadership clear visibility of portfolio risk, liabilities, and opportunities; Provide recommendations on estate optimisation opportunities, including relocations, disposals and lease events; Own facilities and maintenance management across the estate, ensuring PPM compliance and that scheduled work is completed on time, to standard, and within budget; Manage FM providers and contractors to clear service levels, tracking R&M spend, contractor performance, and resolving recurring issues at root cause; Drive simpler, standardised maintenance processes and accurate asset data so restaurants are consistently maintained to brand standard; Partner with Finance, Operations, Legal, Brand, People, and Global teams to align growth, estates, and facilities with commercial and operational standards; Provide functional leadership to the property capability, including coaching, setting best practice, and managing a small or matrixed team; Prepare clear, data-driven updates for leadership and franchise forums, giving visibility on pipeline, portfolio, and estate performance, and where decisions are needed

Requirements

8+ years’ post-qualification experience in multi-site retail, F&B, or hospitality property; Proven track record of acquiring new sites across in-line, drive-thru, and roadside formats, including negotiating favourable terms; Solid estates and lease management experience, including rent reviews, renewals, dilapidations, and portfolio reporting; Working knowledge of facilities and maintenance management, including PPM compliance and managing FM providers to service levels and budget; Strong commercial and financial judgement, comfortable with site economics, IRR, and P&L modelling to support investment decisions; Confident influencing and challenging franchise partners and senior stakeholders with credibility, without relying on direct authority; Able to influence stakeholders, share property expertise and build strong collaborative relationships across cross-functional teams; Highly organised, able to balance acquisition, estates, and facilities priorities across multiple markets and timelines; Willingness to travel regularly across the UK & Ireland

Nice to have

MRICS qualification; experience in a franchised or investor-led environment

Benefits

Hybrid work schedule; Company and performance-related bonus; Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution; Private healthcare with the option to increase to include family cover; Annual holiday allowance starts at 25 days with the option to buy or sell up to 5 extra days per year. After 5 years’ service, annual holiday allowance increases to 30 days; Competitive parental leave and flexible return to work options; Wellbeing Reimbursement - A fund to claim back costs throughout the year that support your well-being such as vitamins subscriptions, language lessons, gym membership; Flexible and Voluntary benefits including Dental Insurance, Health Screening and Gym Discounts