Head of Airport Property And Concessions

JD Sports PLC is seeking a commercially astute, retail-savvy Head of Airport Concessions to lead and expand our growing airport retail presence across the UK and international markets. This role will own the strategy, performance, and execution of JD’s concessions in airport environments—delivering exceptional commercial results, operational excellence, and a brand experience that matches the energy and ambition of JD.

You will lead a cross-functional team in securing prime airport locations, optimising store performance, and ensuring that every JD airport concession reflects our brand ethos as undisputed king of trainers and a global leader in sports fashion. Relentless in our pursuit of retail excellence, customer connection, and market leadership, as part of our leadership team, you’ll play a pivotal role in bringing JD to travellers around the world.

What you’ll be responsible for:

• Commercial Strategy & Development
  • Define and execute JD’s strategic plan for global airport concession portfolio, aligned with JD Group retail and international expansion plans.
  • Identify new geographic markets and expansion opportunities globally.
  • Lead commercial negotiations to secure prime new store space within high-traffic terminals.
  • Build compelling business cases for investment in new concession locations.
  • Deploy and adapt strategy effectively across a varied concession estate, ensuring consistency in brand experience, operational standards, and financial performance.
  • Responsible for setting budgets, sales targets, and managing the profit and loss statements.
• Operational & Retail Excellence
  • Ensure all airport concessions deliver best-in-class store performance, visual standards, and customer experience.
  • Lead retail operations across sites, working closely with the area management and store teams.
  • Monitor daily sales, conversion, and KPIs, driving performance improvements through data-driven insights.
  • Meet regularly with landlord and airport stakeholders, to review trading, drive performance and strengthen partnerships, aligning shared commercial targets, particularly revenue and occupancy expectations.
• Lease & Stakeholder Management
  • Lead end-to-end leasing processes with airport authorities, landlords, and JV partners.
  • Manage lease renewals, re-fits, and re-negotiations, ensuring financial and operational sustainability.
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with airport partners, ensuring JD is a preferred and trusted tenant.
  • Maintain internal JD Group relationships with senior leaders and internal departments including Buying, Merchandising, Retail, Property, Marketing and Legal.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for airport and commercial teams, representing JD Sports in all matters related to airport concessions and retail operations.
  • Interpret, negotiate, and manage concession agreements and lease terms, ensuring compliance and commercial advantage across the estate.
  • Maintain a cohesive and strategically aligned airport retail portfolio by leveraging strong negotiation skills to meet both JD Sports’ objectives and those of airport landlords.
  • Lead all lease negotiations for new and existing airport store locations, balancing commercial goals with long-term relationship development.
• Expansion & Execution
  • Manage new concession openings from deal to launch—including design, fit-out, staffing, and operational readiness.
  • Work cross-functionally with property, legal, merchandising, logistics, and marketing teams to ensure seamless openings and relaunches.
  • Build and sustain trusted relationships with landlords and external property teams, recognising these connections as critical to commercial success in the airport retail sector.
  • Lead special retail formats tailored to airport requirements (e.g., smaller footprints, capsule ranges, quick-sell items).
  • Possess and continuously develop a robust knowledge of airport infrastructure, trading patterns, and passenger flow dynamics to inform decision-making.

What we are looking for:

• Extensive retail, leasing, or commercial property management experience, ideally with airport or travel retail experience.
• Proven success in managing retail P&Ls, securing prime retail space, and scaling branded experiences.
• Experience negotiating with landlords, developers, or airport authorities.
• Proven knowledge of estate management and retail property portfolio expansion.
• Experience of working towards retail concession KPI’s.
• Customer-centric, brand-aware, and well-informed on global youth culture and sports fashion trends.
• Solution-oriented, adaptable to complex challenges, and composed under pressure.
• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills.
• Exceptional understanding of high-performance retail operations in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, teams, and geographies.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, including C-suite and external partners.
• A relevant degree in Business, Estate Management, Retail Management, or related field is preferred.