Head of Property & Acquisitions

Cultivate a better world. Food served fast does not have to be a typical fast-food experience. Chipotle has always done things differently, both in and out of our restaurants. We are changing the face of fast food, starting conversations, and directly supporting efforts to shift the future of farming and food. We hope you will join us as we continue to learn, evolve, and shape what comes next on our mission to make better food accessible to everyone.

The Head of Property & Acquisition for Europe is a subject matter expert in restaurant/retail development with a proven track record of supporting aggressive growth in the UK and EU. Initial expansion territories include UK, France, and Germany with additional growth driven by strategic priorities.

This Head of Property & Acquisition will bring a broad network of contacts in the real estate/development community and will understand local nuance and legal frameworks relating to lease criteria and restaurant opening processes & procedures. They are responsible for leading projects end-to-end from identifying the real estate location to opening of the restaurant and may include negotiating post opening issues with the landlord. They will lead and oversee the management of a real estate broker network for Chipotle.

The ideal candidate has the confidence to coach other members of the team (design, construction) in addition to outside brokers and consultants whilst demonstrating the strategic balance which is needed to continue to grow the business. The position will report to the Director of International Development and with a dotted line to the Managing Director, Europe. This position will liaise closely with our international teams to become fully acquainted with enterprise level landlords and existing support systems, and closely with the European team to understand local legislation, relationships and brand lifecycles.

Heavy travel within Europe up to 30%. Working arrangement while in London will generally be 3 days in office / 2 days remote at Chipotle Europe Head Office in Covent Garden.

What You’ll Do

• Lead both internal and external teams to achieve growth goals for multiple territories and countries.
• Manage an effective network of alliance partners for acquisitions, estates, development and legal while supporting new restaurant development.
• Cultivate, manage and develop a broker network for Chipotle.
• Negotiate business terms and conditions of contracts with a range of landlords from small investors to institutions while maintaining ongoing communication with local firms on contract status.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of economic implications of all negotiated terms.
• Oversee and manage each deal from initial market plan through opening.
• Perform market research, both formal & informal, to assess real estate site opportunities while ensuring alignment with Managing Director on trade area priorities.
• Ensure all real estate data in Chipotle’s project management system is up to date and accurate.
• Participate and contribute to the annual market planning process including creation of long term pipeline projections for all European markets.
• Work closely with the Construction team to ensure alignment on design developments, post completion review, and seamless handover from the acquisition to operations phase.
• Deliver executive level presentations to Chipotle’s real estate approval team to gain support for proposed new restaurant deals.
• Prior to executive approval, organize and present market tours with senior Development and Business leadership.
• Represent Chipotle in industry settings, such as local/regional/national events; stay abreast of real estate issues and developments within the region and within the industry.

What You’ll Bring to the Table

• BA/BS or an equivalent in education and experience in real estate, finance or GIS.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience with successful QSR/Fast Casual/Multi-site hospitality real estate site selection.
• Able to effectively manage people & cross-functional teams.
• Excellent written & verbal communication skills and influencing ability.
• Have the ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented and highly collaborative environment.
• Able to work independently with attention to detail, accuracy, documentation and follow through.
• Heavy travel within Europe required up to 30%.
• Preferred: Knowledge of a life cycle system like Tririga.
• Preferred: Bi-Lingual in French and English.
• Preferred: Candidate will have real estate experience in the European restaurant/multisite hospitality industry.

Who We Are

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Chipotle has restaurants in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants in North America and Europe. With employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices.