Retail Operations Manager – Urban Real Estate (Regional)
Advert Close date: 25th February 2026
Retail Operations Manager – Urban Real Estate (Regional) role at The Crown Estate
Purpose of Role
As Retail Operations Manager – Urban Real Estate (Regional), you’ll play a central role in shaping brilliant places and delivering exceptional experiences across our regional portfolio. You’ll be the operational heartbeat of our Managing Agent partnership - driving high quality service, championing safety and sustainability, and helping bring The Crown Estate’s purpose and values to life every day.
Context of Opportunity / Main Accountabilities
Deliver Brilliant Operations
Lead asset level operational plans across safety, customer experience, sustainability, FM and security—making sure everything aligns with our strategic priorities.
Ensure our Managing Agent teams and supply chain deliver outstanding service, value and care through strong contract and relationship management.
Drive forward cross portfolio projects and initiatives that raise standards, unlock value and strengthen performance.
Raise the Bar on Excellence & Resilience
Champion our Safety First culture—promoting care, compliance and continuous improvement.
Own operational risk registers, resolve issues with curiosity and rigour, and embed learnings into ongoing improvement.
Work closely with colleagues in Capital Projects, Sustainability, Engineering and beyond to share insight, drive efficiencies and create seamless experiences.
Support delivery of added value services including EV charging and commercial activations, and oversee all environmental, health and safety performance.
Shape a Positive, Inclusive Culture
Build an environment where everyone feels valued, supported and empowered to bring their best.
Encourage collaboration across teams and partners, fostering creativity, inclusivity and accountability.
Role model behaviours that lift morale and strengthen performance across our value chain.
Most Important Skills Based Requirements:
Significant operational or facilities management experience (around 7+ years), ideally across multisite or retail environments.
Strong safety management expertise and a commitment to high standards of compliance.
Confident stakeholder manager able to translate strategic aims into operational delivery.
Commercially aware with experience managing budgets, identifying efficiencies and creating added value.
Strong technical understanding of mechanical and electrical systems and planned/reactive maintenance.
Passion for operational excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.
Skilled communicator and influencer who builds trust and brings teams together.
Positive, solutions focused mindset with a proactive approach.
Able to lead with empathy and compassion, supporting a culture where everyone feels included and supported.
Our Offering / benefits:
As well as a competitive salary, pension and performance related bonus offering, we have a wealth of benefits available ranging from flexible working; market leading family policies and shopping discounts in the West End, to private healthcare; life and critical illness cover and 28 days holiday with the option to buy more. We value work life balance and your wellbeing highly, enabling you to be your best self to work.
Disability Disclaimer:
We are a proud disability confident employer and operate the offer of interview scheme Disability Confident employer scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
We are happy to offer alternative application methods or formats and can be flexible on our process to enable you to have the best opportunity.
If you have any questions about our recruitment process or would like to talk about adjustments, please contact us on careers@thecrownestate.co.uk
- Department
- Urban
- Locations
- The Crown Estate, 1 St James Market
The Crown Estate, 1 St James Market
Our Perks & Benefits
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28 days paid holiday
We value that you get more time with your family and friends. Therefore, we offer everybody 28 days paid holiday, 2 volunteering days and the option to purchase further holiday.
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Flexible working
We value work-life balance highly, therefore we have flexible & hybrid working policies.
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Market leading family friendly policies
We want the support we offer to be inclusive of everyone, reflective of the wide range of situations people face in life.
Workplace, Culture & Diversity
It’s our ambition to be an inclusive organisation that reflects our society, one where all feel welcome, able to be themselves and belong.
A workplace where you’re empowered to be yourself, diverse thinking is encouraged, and a place where you can realise your potential.
About The Crown Estate
The Crown Estate is a unique business with a distinct heritage and a portfolio unlike any other.
It includes some of central London’s best places to work, shop and spend time, retail and leisure destinations across the country, and a substantial rural portfolio. As manager of the seabed and half the foreshore around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we play a role in the UK’s world-leading offshore wind sector as well as marine aggregates, cables and pipelines. We are also responsible for the Windsor Estate, including the world-renowned Windsor Great Park.
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