Senior Specialist - Construction & Real Estate

About the role

Talabat is looking for a Senior Specialist in Construction and Real Estate who will own end-to-end site management, from scouting and lease negotiation to acting as the main point of contact between Talabat and its landlords across all locations. The role works closely with internal stakeholders so that real estate solutions match operational needs and landlord relationships are proactively managed.

Key responsibilities

• Lead construction projects from design through delivery, interpreting architectural layouts, blueprints and engineering specifications to meet standards and timelines.
• Coordinate with consultants, contractors and suppliers, manage budgets and keep project schedules on track.
• Manage tenders for construction materials, equipment and services, and analyse market pricing for labour and materials.
• Negotiate contracts with vendors, contractors and suppliers, and lead commercial negotiations with landlords, property managers and brokers; draft, review and finalise Letters of Intent (LOIs).
• Work with legal counsel on lease agreements, with finance on business cases and budget approvals, and with procurement on vendor onboarding and fit-out materials.
• Research potential locations for new dark kitchens, negotiate leases and build a pipeline of prospective sites through direct outreach, brokers and real estate networks.

Required profile

• Background in construction management, civil engineering or facilities engineering, with proven ability to manage complex construction projects from planning to execution.
• At least 3 years of hands-on experience in cloud kitchen operations, F&B logistics or similar high-volume food service facilities, including operational excellence and vendor management.
• Experience managing tenders, analysing market pricing and negotiating competitive contracts.
• Ability to handle multiple construction projects, operational rollouts and budget oversight at once.
• Strong communication across operations, finance and construction teams; basic commercial real estate negotiation and site selection experience is a plus.

Required skills

• Expert reading of architectural blueprints, engineering drawings and construction specifications.
• Familiarity with construction management software and project tracking tools.
• Negotiation, tendering and cross-functional collaboration.