BD Manager (Retail Leasing & Partnership)

Location: Sydney, Australia

HC: 1

Language: Business English fluent

Preferred background: Candidates with store expansion / retail leasing experience at leading Australian in-centre retail brands are highly valued, e.g. Mecca, Cotton On, JD, with established local shopping centre networks.

Role Overview

Based in Sydney, this role serves as the Head of Australian Shopping Center Channel BD for the brand. The primary focus is expanding the store network and cultivating channel relationships across Westfield and core shopping centers in Sydney. Leveraging an established network in retail precincts, the BD Manager will engage with shopping center leasing teams to secure premium retail spaces and negotiate favorable commercial lease terms.

Additionally, the role involves identifying opportunities for cross-brand collaborations within the centers, executing joint campaigns, membership integrations, and resource exchanges. Operating within HQ’s strategy and KPI framework, the successful candidate will drive localized commercial negotiations, track business opportunities, and provide market intelligence to ensure the successful delivery of the brand's store expansion objectives in Australia.

Key Responsibilities

- Channel Expansion & Relationship Management for Westfield & Core Sydney Shopping Centers (Core):Based in Sydney, maintain strong relationships with leasing teams at Westfield and core shopping centers across NSW. Continuously monitor vacant space releases, mall renovations, and new store schedules. Independently conduct site inspections, foot traffic analysis, and precinct evaluations. Lead commercial lease negotiations to secure favorable terms, including rent, rent-free periods, fit-out contributions, atrium activations, and in-mall advertising rights. Manage the end-to-end process from EOI (Expression of Interest)



and LOI (Letter of Intent) to lease execution and site handover. Regularly update HQ on Australian shopping center leasing policies and industry trends.
- Cross-Brand Partnerships: Collaborate with premium retail brands within the same shopping centers to build long-term, stable commercial relationships. Identify opportunities for joint campaigns, membership integration,resource exchanges, and in-mall co-promotions. Independently draft partnership proposals and drive project execution to enhance the brand's presence and impact within the mall.
- Opportunity Pipeline Management, Dual-Reporting & KPI Alignment: Maintain the site opportunity pipeline according to HQ standards, ensuring tiered follow-ups and proactive risk warnings. Generate regular weekly/monthly reports covering the opportunity list, negotiation progress, site financial projections, and local market intelligence. Administratively attached to the local subsidiary and collaborating daily with the local team,while KPIs, strategies, and approval benchmarks are centrally managed by HQ. Promptly communicate local market opportunities and constraints to HQ.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration & Implementation Support: Work closely with legal, finance, operations, and design teams to complete lease reviews and store setup preparations. Provide data on Sydney retail precinct rents and competitive landscapes to support HQ's site investment decisions.
- Local Resource Pool & Market Intelligence:



Continuously track the planning and expansion rhythms of core commercial precincts and shopping centers in Sydney and NSW. Build and maintain a robust resource pool of mall leasing contacts and brand partners.

Qualifications

- Manager-level role; proven experience in Retail Leasing, Shopping Center BD, or Store Expansion for retail brands in Australia. Experience with top-tier retail brands in Australian shopping centers (e.g., Mecca, Cotton On, JD Sports) is highly preferred. Must bring an established network of commercial precincts, leasing contacts, and brand circles.
- Based in Sydney; fluent in Business English, capable of independently conducting negotiations, leading meetings,and drafting EOIs and business emails. Mandarin proficiency is a strong plus.
- Deep understanding of the Australian retail real estate operating model. Experience in channel building,commission negotiation, and lead management. Must possess direct sourcing/prospecting capabilities.
- Excellent commercial negotiation and relationship management skills. Ability to independently evaluate site ROI and familiarity with the logic of Australian shopping center lease clauses.
- Adaptable to a dual-reporting matrix: daily collaboration with the local subsidiary, while KPIs and strategic standards are managed by HQ. Accustomed to standardized pipeline management and proactive progress reporting.
- Individual contributor roles require robust self-motivation. Able to independently complete the closed-loop process of lead generation, negotiation, follow-up, and post-project review.
- Familiar with local commercial precincts in Sydney with a strong localized execution mindset. Able to navigate negotiations flexibly within HQ's framework while accurately communicating local market constraints.

📌 BD Manager - Australia (Sydney)
🏢 MINISO Global
📍 Sydney