Real Estate Manager - Commercial

About us

Since 1942, SkyChefs has taken culinary excellence to new heights. As a trusted partner to the nation’s leading airlines and retailers, we proudly deliver millions of meals and exceptional service experiences every year across 43 sites throughout the United States. Built on a legacy of operational excellence, culinary expertise, and continuous innovation, we are committed to setting the industry standard in aviation culinary, airline services, last-mile logistics, and retail commerce. From the kitchen to the runway, our teams work together to deliver quality, reliability, and service at every altitude. Our people are the heart of everything we do. At SkyChefs, a career is more than a job – it’s an opportunity to grow, lead, and make an impact in a fast-paced, team-driven environment. Join America’s first, foremost, and finest and take your career to new heights.

Role Purpose Statement

The Manager, Corporate Real Estate is responsible for leading lease negotiations and managing real estate agreements across the SkyChefs U.S. footprint (approx 45). This role will focus on airport and industrial lease agreements, with particular emphasis on airport authority-governed facilities, capital expenditure solutions, tenant improvement allowances, landlord contributions, facility investment structures, renewal strategy, and long-term occupancy needs. This role reports to the Director of Real Estate and partners with Operations, Finance, Legal, Facilities, Procurement, and business leaders to protect operational continuity, improve lease economics, and support facility-related decisions across the network. 

Location: US Headquarters in Irving, TX 

Work Type:  In office Mon-Thu, Remote day: Friday

What you will do

Lease Negotiation and Real Estate Portfolio Management 

• Lead lease negotiations, renewals, amendments, extensions, and related agreements with airport authorities, landlords, industrial property owners, and business partners across the United States. 
• Manage key lease terms including rent, operating expenses, maintenance obligations, renewal options, termination rights, access rights, use restrictions, and facility obligations. 
• Maintain visibility to critical lease dates, notice periods, approval requirements, financial obligations, and renewal windows across the portfolio. 
• Develop and present lease summaries, recommendations, and approval materials for senior leadership. 

Airport Authority and Industrial Lease Expertise 

• Serve as the internal subject matter expert for airport and industrial lease structures, including facilities owned, governed, controlled, or approved by airport authorities. 
• Navigate airport authority approval processes, operating rules, security requirements, facility use restrictions, landlord consent requirements, and infrastructure obligations. 
• Partner with local Operations and corporate stakeholders to ensure lease terms support airport operating requirements, client commitments, food production needs, fleet access, and business continuity. 
• Identify commercial and operational risks within airport property leases and recommend practical mitigation strategies. 

Capital Expenditure and Tenant Allowance Solutions 

• Lead lease-related negotiations involving capital expenditures, tenant improvement allowances, landlord contributions, facility buildouts, infrastructure investments, and major facility upgrades. 
• Work with Finance, Operations, Facilities, and Legal to evaluate the economics of landlord-funded improvements, tenant-funded projects, amortized investments, and long-term occupancy commitments. 
• Support business cases for expansions, relocations, consolidations, new facilities, and major facility improvement projects. 
• Track lease obligations related to maintenance, capital repairs, facility improvements, utility infrastructure, and landlord/tenant responsibilities. 

Cross-Functional Real Estate Execution 

• Coordinate with Legal and external counsel on lease documentation, amendments, exhibits, insurance provisions, indemnities, assignment rights, and related contractual requirements. 
• Partner with Operations, Commercial, Procurement, Finance, and Facilities to align lease terms with customer requirements, operational throughput, regulatory obligations, and long-term network needs. 
• Support facility transitions, lease exits, landlord negotiations, and continuity plans for locations undergoing operational change. 
• Build strong relationships with airport authorities, property owners, landlords, and internal stakeholders to support the long-term corporate real estate strategy. 

 Additional Duties: 

• Develop and maintain real estate playbooks, lease trackers, approval workflows, and executive reporting tools. 
• Support annual planning, budgeting, and forecasting related to rent, lease commitments, tenant allowances, and facility-related investments. 
• Evaluate opportunities to reduce occupancy costs, improve landlord contributions, strengthen renewal optionality, and minimize operational disruption. 
• Act as a thought partner to senior leadership in shaping SkyChefs long-term corporate real estate and facilities footprint strategy. 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of airport facilities lease experience, airport real estate experience, industrial lease experience, corporate real estate experience, or a closely related field. 
• Direct experience with airport facility leases or leases involving properties owned, controlled, governed, or approved by an airport authority. 
• Proven experience negotiating airport or industrial lease agreements involving capital expenditures, tenant improvement allowances, landlord contributions, facility buildouts, or infrastructure investment. 
• Strong understanding of lease economics, operating expenses, maintenance obligations, renewal rights, use restrictions, access rights, and landlord/tenant responsibilities. 
• Demonstrated ability to work with airport authorities, public-sector property owners, landlords, legal counsel, finance teams, operations leaders, and external advisors. 
• Strong analytical, commercial, financial, project management, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills. 
• •Real Estate Salesman or Broker licensure; Real Property Administration (RPA) and/or Certified Property Manager (CPM) certifications helpful