Head Leasing & Coverage

REQ ID: 148188 - Michelle Thabethe

Cluster: Group Finance - CRE LEASING AND COVERAGE

Location: Sandton

Closing date: 16 October 2026

To lead enterprise leasing strategy and transaction governance for the corporate real estate portfolio ensuring occupancy commitments are commercially sound timely and aligned to business and property strategy. The role integrates market intelligence negotiation lease risk and portfolio planning to optimise cost flexibility and long-term value. The role sets the functional direction governance framework performance standards and investment priorities integrates material risks and dependencies across the portfolio and provides senior decision support on matters with enterprise or portfolio-wide impact.

Leasing Strategy & Portfolio Direction

• Define the leasing strategy and governance framework for the corporate real estate portfolio in line with business footprint and financial priorities.
• Set principles for renewals relocations acquisitions exits and landlord engagement based on portfolio strategy and market evidence.
• Prioritise material leasing decisions according to business need cost flexibility risk and long-term portfolio value.
• Integrate leasing strategy with workplace facilities project finance and location-planning decisions.

Transaction Governance & Decision Quality

• Establish decision standards delegated authorities and review gates for material property transactions and lease commitments.
• Oversee complex negotiations and ensure options trade-offs and contractual implications are transparent to decision-makers.
• Ensure transaction recommendations are supported by robust commercial operational and legal analysis.
• Intervene on material disputes exceptions or transactions with elevated financial operational or reputational risk.

Lease Portfolio Performance

• Oversee lease expiries critical dates occupancy commitments and commercial obligations across the portfolio.
• Drive proactive renewal and exit planning to reduce avoidable cost holdover risk and lost negotiation leverage.
• Use portfolio and market data to identify consolidation renegotiation and flexibility opportunities.
• Ensure lease information is accurate enough to support budgeting facilities delivery and property decisions.

Market Commercial & Risk Insight

• Maintain current understanding of property-market conditions rental benchmarks and occupier trends relevant to the portfolio.
• Ensure commercial analysis reflects total occupancy cost incentives escalation flexibility and lifecycle implications.
• Identify material lease landlord concentration and location risks and
  ensure appropriate treatment.
• Strengthen use of analytics and scenario modelling while retaining
  accountable commercial judgement.

Leadership & Stakeholder Alignment

• Lead the leasing capability and clarify accountability across strategy
  specialist negotiation and lease administration activities.
• Build effective partnerships with Legal Finance Procurement Property
  Workplace Facilities and business stakeholders.
• Develop specialist capability in negotiation market analysis contract
  interpretation and portfolio decision support.
• Report material transaction pipeline portfolio exposure and decision
  requirements to senior governance forums.

• Professional Qualifications/Honours Degree

• Relevant Honours degree or equivalent NQF level 8 qualification in property real estate finance law business or a related field.

• Relevant Professional Body Estates Agents Board Registration preferred : South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) and South African Shopping Centre Association (SASCA)

• 10 - 12 years property management related experience and 5 years managing others.