Manager, Lease Compliance

About the Team

Our Real Estate team
takes on the task of finding and managing over 1,600 stores, DCs, and offices.

Their scope is pretty big, as we are a multi-national retailer with over 1,600 leased stores, offices, and distribution centers in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Hong Kong. The team also supports new store growth through market analysis and research with the industry’s best data resources and analytical tools. In addition to supporting the stores, we work directly with the Real Estate Legal, Facilities, New Store Construction, and Finance teams.

Collaborative Work Environment:At Pet Smart, teamwork and connection are core to how we thrive. This role is based at our Phoenix Home Office, with an expectation of working a minimum of four days in the office each week. In a standard work week, associates may work up to one remote “flex day” (with leader approval). Our hybrid approach is designed to foster strong collaboration while also supporting flexibility and individual success.

The Manager, Lease Compliance oversees lease compliance and administration activities across the company’s retail portfolio. This role ensures lease data and occupancy costs are accurate, contractual obligations are met, and key processes are executed consistently. The Manager partners with Legal, Accounting, Finance, Real Estate, and other teams to resolve complex lease matters, reduce financial risk, and improve processes.

• Prepare lease compliance reports, key metrics, and portfolio insights for management and business partners.
• Develop dashboards and reporting for KPIs such as rent-to-sales ratios, lease expirations, NNN charges, and occupancy costs.
• Analyze financial information, variances, and reconciliations to identify discrepancies and support monthly reporting and annual budgeting.
• Support scenario modeling and portfolio analysis for market planning and store performance evaluation.

• Ensure lease terms, critical dates, amendments, and financial obligations are accurately maintained in the lease management system.
• Interpret complex lease documents and provide guidance to internal partners.
• Resolve lease-related discrepancies and landlord disputes.
• Oversee tracking and execution of lease options, renewals, escalations, terminations, and other key obligations.
• Review landlord billings for rent, CAM, real estate taxes, insurance, and other occupancy costs.
• Review and process payment activity related to rent and occupancy expenses.

• Lead, coach, and develop Lease Compliance Specialists and Analysts.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support store openings, closures, relocations, and other business initiatives.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for lease systems, processes, and lease interpretation.
• Support monthly rent payments, accruals, reconciliations, budgeting, and ASC 842 requirements in partnership with Accounting and Finance.
• Maintain compliance with SOX controls, audit requirements, segregation of duties, and internal policies.
• Develop and improve standard operating procedures, controls, reporting, and workflows.
• Support process automation, system enhancements, and other cross-functional initiatives.

This position manages lease compliance and administration activities for the retail lease portfolio and applies independent judgment to complex lease matters. The role resolves issues with landlords and internal partners and escalates matters involving significant financial, legal, or policy risk as appropriate.

Supervises and develops Lease Compliance Specialists and Analysts, including workload prioritization,…