Vice President - Lease Advisory; Remote

Company Overview

SURMOUNT is a premier full-service commercial real estate platform specializing in net-lease brokerage, sale-leaseback advisory, capital markets, development, and principal investing. Our Advisory Division provides sophisticated lease optimization and portfolio strategy solutions for multi-unit operators, franchisees, corporate occupiers, and institutional landlords, bridging the gap between tenants and landlords—providing customized negotiations, restructuring services, and portfolio-wide strategies based on each client’s specific objectives.

The Vice President – Lease Advisory is responsible for originating, managing, negotiating, and executing complex lease advisory assignments, including restructurings, terminations, buybacks, buy & recast strategies, occupancy-cost optimization, and landlord-side modifications and extensions.

This role combines strategic consulting, financial and operational analysis, and hands‑on negotiation. You will work closely with multi‑unit operators, franchisees, franchisors, private equity sponsors, and landlords to assess real estate portfolios, unlock value, and implement strategies.

Candidates with leasing, tenant rep, landlord rep, investment sales, sale‑leaseback, or operator‑side real estate experience will excel in this position.

• Review leased and owned real estate portfolios to identify opportunities to reduce occupancy costs, strengthen leasehold control, or reposition challenged assets.
• Structure complex leasehold deals including rent restructures, buybacks, sale‑leasebacks, terminations, and capital contribution packages.
• Lead negotiations directly with landlords, tenants, brokers, and operators from LOI through full execution.
• Analyze client geographics, store‑level performance, cash flow trends, lease standards, and industry benchmarks to build actionable strategies.
• Reduce base rent, adjust escalation structures, modify percentage rent/fair market rent mechanisms, and secure abatements, TI allowances, or capital contributions.
• Negotiate favorable exit terms or identify replacement tenants to assume obligations.
• Advise on buying back leased properties and executing tenant‑favorable sale‑leasebacks to unlock capital for expansion while gaining long‑term site control.
• Support operators navigating restructuring, bankruptcy, or turnaround processes by aligning real‑estate decisions with financial recovery strategies.
• Negotiate renewals to maximize renewal probability, term commitment, and asset‑level stability.
• Enhance asset value ahead of sale by adjusting term, guarantees, rent structures, or non‑economic lease attributes.
• Arrange mutually acceptable early terminations to reposition assets for higher and better uses.
• Identify new tenants for new development and dark‑site redevelopment opportunities leveraging SURMOUNT’s extensive tenant network and leasing brokerage relationships.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for major operators, franchisees, and investor clients.
• Originate new engagements through relationships with operators, franchise systems, private equity sponsors, brokers, and internal SURMOUNT divisions.

• At least 10 years of commercial real estate experience, with a strong foundation in leasing, tenant rep, landlord rep, lease restructuring, or portfolio strategy.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating commercial leases and leading restructuring or termination processes.
• Strong financial modeling, underwriting, and analytical capabilities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, entrepreneurial environment with high transaction velocity.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and comfort with large datasets.
• Background in investment sales, sale‑leaseback advisory, or net‑lease brokerage a plus.
• Experience working for an operator’s real‑estate department, multi‑unit franchisee, or sponsor‑backed portfolio company a plus.