Director, Founder’s Office (Real Estate & Expansion)
Nine Elms, London – Full-time
As Director, Founder’s Office (Real Estate & Expansion), you will work directly with the Founder and Senior Leadership Team to shape and execute one of the company’s most critical growth priorities: expanding our physical operating footprint. This is a high-impact strategic role at the centre of a fast-scaling business, combining real estate execution, strategic planning, cross-functional leadership, and founder-level exposure.
You will lead the end-to-end expansion agenda across warehouse, logistics, and retail infrastructure—identifying new opportunities, negotiating strategic transactions, and ensuring the company’s network scales ahead of demand. Acting as an extension of the Founder’s Office, you will drive some of the company’s most commercially important decisions and operate across strategy, execution, and stakeholder management.
About Zapp:
Zapp is London’s leading premium convenience retail platform. Founded in 2020, our vision is to disrupt the multi-trillion dollar convenience retail market, currently dominated by major players, by developing best-in-class customer-centric technology and fulfilment solutions. Zapp partners with some of the world’s leading brands to deliver an exclusive range of hand-picked products 24/7, delivered in minutes.
Key Responsibilities:
- Founder’s Office Strategic Execution: Partner directly with the Founder to define and execute the company’s real estate and expansion roadmap. Translate business priorities into actionable market-entry and site growth plans.
- Real Estate Growth Strategy: Own the strategy and execution for new warehouse, logistics, and operational site acquisitions across priority markets. Build scalable frameworks for expansion decisions, site prioritisation, and rollout sequencing.
- Deal Leadership & Negotiation: Lead negotiations with landlords, developers, agents, and counterparties to secure commercially attractive lease terms, renewals, and strategic property transactions.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Coordinate closely with Operations, Finance, Legal, Planning, and Commercial teams to ensure expansion plans align with operational readiness, financial returns, and regulatory requirements.
- Founder & Executive Decision Support: Prepare investment cases, board materials, market analyses, and recommendations for the Founder and Senior Leadership Team. Provide clear, data-driven insights to support high-stakes decisions.
- Portfolio Oversight & Optimisation: Manage the existing leasehold portfolio including renewals, break clauses, dilapidations, lease events, and ongoing cost/value optimisation opportunities.
- Special Projects: Take ownership of high-priority strategic initiatives beyond core real estate—acting as a flexible operator within the Founder’s Office on mission-critical business topics.
Requirements:
- 6+ years of experience in strategy consulting, investment banking, private equity, real estate advisory, or high-growth startup leadership roles
- Strong transaction experience across commercial real estate, expansion, M&A, or strategic partnerships
- Exceptional commercial judgment with the ability to structure and negotiate complex deals
- Highly analytical with strong financial modelling and business case skills
- Proven ability to work directly with senior executives and influence cross-functional stakeholders
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity with a founder mentality and ownership mindset
- Strong communication skills with executive presence and attention to detailMotivated by high-growth environments where pace, autonomy, and impact matter
Benefits:
- Competitive salary & equity package.
- Enjoy 25 days of holiday per year (plus all bank holidays).
- Private Health Insurance.
- Extended sick pay and maternity/paternity leave pay.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Flexible/hybrid working arrangement
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