Lease Manager

Job Description: Lease Manager

H&M Group is a global company of strong fashion brands and ventures. Our goal is to prove that there is no compromise between exceptional design, affordable prices, and sustainable solutions. At H&M, we want to liberate fashion for the many, and our customers are at the heart of every decision we make.

We are made up of thousands of passionate and talented colleagues united by our shared culture and values. Together, we want to use our power, our scale, and our knowledge to push the fashion industry towards a more inclusive and sustainable future.

About the Role

As a Lease Manager, your main focus will be to manage the store portfolio in your market by securing the best locations and deals, optimizing performance, and ensuring long‑term sustainable growth for all brands. You lead the full leasing lifecycle—from market analysis and deal negotiation to due diligence, business case preparation, and cross‑functional execution—to secure profitable, competitive, and future‑fit stores.

This hybrid role reports into our Expansion Manager and is based out of one of our Sales Region Offices in Houston, TX.

A Day in the Life

Working at H&M means no two days are ever the same, but a typical day will include the following responsibilities:

• Enable growth by developing and maintaining an up-to-date roadmap for each brand.
• Gain a deep understanding of local customer behavior and the local competition.
• Create and follow up on the pipeline, ensuring continuous work on multiple alternatives.
• Optimize selling, location, and profitability of each deal.
• Set ambitious targets for each deal, based on its location strength, and negotiate the best terms professionally and in line with H&M's Code of Ethics.
• Analyze relevant data (e.g., market rent, traffic, cannibalization) to ensure business cases are fact-based.
• Coordinate collaboratively with other functions before finalizing negotiations.
• Complete due diligence reports on landlords to vet business partners.
• Recommend full business cases, considering market strategy, location requirements, commercial idea, space configuration, economic and legal terms, and risk assessment.
• Present negotiated business cases professionally and convincingly for approval.
• Work closely with C&F (Construction & Facilities) and Legal teams to facilitate deals through the legal and construction process.
• Ensure the store portfolio is commercially competitive and enhances customer experience.
• Actively seek ways to improve the portfolio, considering long-term impact and aligning with global leasing and legal guidelines.
• Negotiate lease actions for existing stores based on thorough performance and condition analysis (e.g., breaks, terminations, extensions, rent reductions, capital contributions).
• Stay updated on landlords' financial/strategic performance and asset changes, maintaining professional business relations.
• Collaborate with the Expansion Manager to set and implement market strategies.
• Lead store projects until signing, ensuring input from project teams and securing service scope delivery.
• Work closely with Legal, Facilities, and Operational teams to ensure compliance with contractual rights and obligations.

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Real Estate, Business, Economics, or a related field.
• Strong leasing and negotiation skills with a solid understanding of legal frameworks.
• Strategic and analytical mindset with the ability to balance long-term vision and short-term actions.
• Strong planning, organization, and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple projects.
• Calm and solutions-oriented approach in complex situations and under pressure.
• Strong financial understanding and business acumen.
• Results-driven with strong communication and influencing abilities.
• Proficient in MS Office and Power BI.
• Advanced English level, both written and spoken.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in leasing, controlling, or real estate, preferably within the retail industry.
• Communicative and socially confident, combining analytical thinking with a conscientious and results-driven approach.
• Resilient, decisive, and action-oriented while fostering collaboration and maintaining professionalism.

Why You’ll Love Working at H&M

• Values-Driven Culture: Be part of a company guided by 7 unique values.
• Inclusivity: We value diverse backgrounds and encourage you to be yourself at work.
• Global Opportunities: Access a large global talent community for career growth.
• Wellbeing Support: Comprehensive benefits including health insurance, wellness programs, company match 401k, paid leave, and a community day.
• Employee Discount: Express your style with discounts at H&M, & Other Stories, and COS.
• Networking: Find community and networking opportunities through Colleague Resource Groups (CRGs).

Compensation

• Salary: $152,499
• Job Status: Salary, Exempt

Note: Compensation is an estimate and may vary based on candidate qualifications. This range may be modified in the future.