Retail Commercial & Leasing Manager

Role Overview

Auckland Airport is seeking a commercially astute retail expert to drive growth and development within one of New Zealand's most complex and prominent retail environments. This position blends retail strategy, business growth, category planning, and commercial leasing management, focusing on expanding Auckland Airport's terminal retail offerings and Mānawa Bay.

Key Responsibilities

• Discover and cultivate new retail and commercial expansion opportunities, actively driving them to fruition.
• Participate in major retail redevelopment projects across existing and new terminals and Mānawa Bay.
• Analyze retail categories, passenger needs, travel trends, and identify market gaps.
• Develop and oversee a pipeline of potential retailers, brands, and concepts.
• Influence tenancy mix, category strategies, and spatial layouts.
• Compile business cases, commercial justifications, and seek necessary approvals.
• Utilize sales data, customer insights, market trends, and financial analysis to underpin recommendations.
• Lead or assist in negotiations involving lease and license agreements.
• Collaborate with internal departments and external partners to implement strategic initiatives.
• Provide commercial and customer-focused perspectives on retail development projects.
• Establish and nurture trusted relationships with retailers, prospective collaborators, consultants, and stakeholders.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate embodies Auckland Airport's core values of being All In, possessing Know How, and a Let's Go attitude. You bring a commercial mindset, meticulous attention to detail, proactive problem-solving skills, and understand that successful retail portfolio growth encompasses more than just leasing space—it requires insightful opportunity identification, customer and category understanding, strategic proposition building, finding optimal partners, and structuring deals for sustained value creation.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Extensive experience in retail leasing or property management involving contract and license drafting and administration, particularly for high-value assets.
• Robust business acumen enhanced by financial literacy, critical thinking, and sound commercial judgment.
• Capability to evaluate retail categories, conceptual fit, and market potential.
• Exceptional attention to detail regarding legal clauses, licensing, leases, and performance metrics.
• Experience in preparing business cases, proposals, or commercial recommendations.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills with comfort managing detailed commercial agreements.
• Strong communication, stakeholder engagement, and influencing abilities.
• Good understanding of retail performance drivers, customer behavior, and market dynamics.
• Positive initiative, curiosity, and confidence in managing ambiguous situations.
• Discipline to progress opportunities through to their completion.
• Previous experience within airport, travel retail, shopping center, outlet center, or comparable complex retail environments is highly desirable.

About Auckland Airport

As New Zealand's principal gateway for millions of passengers and freight annually, Auckland Airport hosts a vibrant business and logistics precinct including commercial offices, transport hubs, hotels, and recreation areas. Currently engaged in the largest infrastructure development in its history—comprising over 400,000 sqm of new aeronautical construction with a new Domestic Jet Terminal—Auckland Airport is reshaping how travelers experience the country's critical transport corridor. Ongoing retail construction positions the airport to offer world-class travel and shopping experiences.

The Property and Commercial division plays a vital role in shaping the airport's retail, property, and commercial spaces to deliver outstanding experiences and strong business outcomes. The focus remains on cultivating a welcoming environment for all and setting high standards others aspire to reach.

Our Commitment

We take pride in our role in New Zealand and invite all backgrounds to join us in creating positive impact for customers, communities, and the environment while fostering prosperity across the nation. Our inclusive culture is anchored by shared values that unite and guide our actions.