Deputy Manager - Business Development (South)

Skechers India is seeking a dynamic and results-driven Deputy Manager – Business Development to support strategic retail expansion and optimize the existing store portfolio across South India.
The incumbent will be responsible for identifying and securing high-potential retail locations across premium malls and high streets, managing commercial negotiations, coordinating property acquisition and documentation, and driving store expansion initiatives.
The role requires strong market intelligence, commercial acumen, relationship management, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure sustainable business growth and profitability.

Designation: Deputy Manager

Department: Business Development
Designation: Deputy Manager – Business Development
Base Location: Bengaluru
Region to handle: South
Experience: 4–5 Years
Reporting To: AGM – Business Development
Role Type: Individual Contributor
Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field

Key Responsibilities

1. Retail Expansion & Property Acquisition

• Identify, evaluate, and secure strategic retail locations across premium malls, high streets, and high-footfall commercial destinations.
• Conduct market mapping, location scouting, competitor benchmarking, and feasibility assessments to identify potential expansion opportunities.
• Develop and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective retail properties aligned with the brand's expansion strategy.
• Evaluate locations based on footfall, catchment demographics, accessibility, brand positioning, commercial viability, and revenue potential.

2. Commercial Negotiations & Lease Management

• Negotiate competitive commercial terms with mall developers, landlords, and property consultants, including rentals, revenue-sharing arrangements, security deposits, and fit-out contributions.
• Coordinate the preparation and execution of Letters of Intent (LOIs), lease agreements, renewals, and other property-related documentation.
• Manage timely lease renewals to ensure business continuity and optimize occupancy costs.
• Partner with the Legal and Finance teams to ensure commercial agreements comply with internal policies and applicable requirements.

3. New Store Openings & Project Management

• Drive end-to-end coordination of new store opening (NSO) initiatives, from property identification and approval to documentation and handover.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders to ensure store launches are completed within agreed timelines.
• Monitor project milestones, identify potential bottlenecks, and proactively resolve issues impacting store openings.
• Maintain accurate trackers, dashboards, and periodic progress reports for management review.

4. Store Portfolio Optimization

• Evaluate the performance and commercial viability of existing retail locations.
• Identify opportunities for store relocation, reprofiling, consolidation, and expansion to improve business productivity.
• Coordinate lease restructuring and commercial renegotiations to optimize occupancy costs.
• Support portfolio decisions through analysis of store performance, sales trends, market dynamics, and return on investment.

5. Franchisee Development & Management

• Support the identification, evaluation, onboarding, and relationship management of franchise partners.
• Coordinate franchisee agreements, renewals, and commercial discussions with relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor key franchise business indicators, including profitability, ROI, same-store sales growth (SSSG), occupancy costs, and breakeven performance.
• Collaborate with Retail Operations to ensure franchise locations comply with brand standards, visual merchandising guidelines, and operational SOPs.

6. Stakeholder & Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with mall developers, property owners, real estate consultants, landlords, and franchise partners.
• Act as a key point of contact for property-related discussions, negotiations, and transaction coordination.
• Collaborate with Legal, Finance, Retail Operations, Projects, and Marketing teams to ensure seamless execution of business development initiatives.
• Provide regular updates to management on expansion opportunities, commercial negotiations, and project progress.

7. Market Intelligence & Business Analysis

• Track emerging retail markets, competitor expansion, rental trends, and evolving consumer preferences.
• Conduct financial and commercial feasibility assessments for proposed retail locations.
• Prepare business proposals, location presentations, comparative commercial analyses, and management reports.
• Recommend expansion and portfolio optimization strategies based on market insights and business performance.

 

Educational Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Real Estate, Management, or a related discipline. An MBA would be an added advantage.
• 4–5 years of relevant experience in business development, retail real estate, leasing, property acquisition, or retail expansion.
• Prior experience in footwear, fashion, apparel, lifestyle, or other organized retail sectors will be preferred.
• Proven exposure to mall leasing, high-street property acquisition, commercial negotiations, and lease documentation.
• Understanding of retail business economics, rental structures, occupancy costs, and location feasibility.

 

Key Skills & Competencies

• Commercial Acumen: Strong negotiation skills with an understanding of retail leasing structures and profitability.
• Market Intelligence: Ability to identify emerging retail opportunities and assess location potential.
• Relationship Management: Strong networking and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, and deliverables simultaneously.
• Analytical Thinking: Proficiency in commercial evaluation, financial analysis, and data-driven decision-making.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Technical Proficiency: Strong working knowledge of MS Excel, PowerPoint, and project tracking tools.
• Problem-Solving: Proactive approach to resolving commercial, operational, and execution-related challenges.
• Adaptability: Willingness to travel extensively across assigned markets as required.

 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Identification and conversion of viable retail expansion opportunities.
• Achievement of new store opening milestones within agreed timelines.
• Optimization of rental commercials and occupancy costs.
• Timely execution of lease agreements and renewals.
• Successful completion of store relocation and reprofiling initiatives.
• Quality and conversion of the property acquisition pipeline.
• Effective stakeholder coordination and compliance with documentation requirements.

 

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a commercially astute, self-driven business development professional with hands-on experience in retail real estate and expansion. The individual should possess strong negotiation abilities, an established network of developers and property consultants, and the capability to independently manage multiple property transactions.

A strategic mindset, attention to detail, and a results-oriented approach will be essential for driving Skechers India's retail expansion objectives.

 

Role Objective

To accelerate Skechers India's retail footprint expansion through strategic property acquisition, competitive commercial negotiations, effective stakeholder management, and optimization of the existing store portfolio, ensuring sustainable growth and long-term profitability.

About Skechers

Skechers, a global Fortune 500® company, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel, and accessories. Serving over 180 countries and territories, Skechers connects customers to products through department and specialty stores, e-commerce and digital stores, and through our more than 5,300 Skechers retail locations.