Estates Surveyor

Job Introduction

Estates Surveyor 

Hotel Chocolat | Property Development & Facilities | Permanent 

At Hotel Chocolat, our mission is to make people and nature happy through chocolate. We’re looking for an Estates Surveyor to join our Property Development & Facilities team and help shape the future of our premium retail estate. 

Reporting to our Head of Property & Facilities, you’ll play a key role in maximising the value and performance of our multi-site store portfolio. From negotiating leases and managing landlord relationships to reducing occupancy costs, you’ll help protect our existing stores, deliver commercial savings and support our future growth. 

What you’ll be doing 

• Estate Management: Support the effective management and performance of our retail property portfolio, ensuring key lease dates and deadlines are met.
• Lease Negotiations: Manage lease renewals, break options and exit strategies, working with external agents and legal advisors.
• Cost Optimisation: Identify opportunities to reduce occupancy costs by challenging service charges, insurance costs and business rates.
• Strategic Planning: Provide property data and local market insights to support our five-year property and capital investment strategy.
• Collaboration: Partner with Retail Operations, Supply Chain, Brand, Finance and Facilities to minimise disruption and keep our stores safe, compliant and operational.
• Relationship Management: Build strong relationships with landlords, developers, contractors and external property advisors.
• Performance & Reporting: Monitor operating expenditure budgets, maintain accurate property records and deliver measurable savings across the estate.

Experience Required

• 0–2 years’ experience managing or supporting a multi-site commercial or retail property portfolio, ideally within premium retail.
• A degree level qualification, preferably in Real Estate, Property Management or a related commercial discipline.
• An understanding of UK landlord and tenant law and commercial lease structures.
• Strong communication, organisation and relationship building skills.
• A proactive, commercially minded approach, with a keen eye for detail and opportunities to improve performance.

Why join Hotel Chocolat? 

This is an exciting opportunity to develop your property career with a distinctive premium retailer. You’ll gain hands on experience across a diverse retail estate, work alongside experienced property professionals and make a tangible contribution to our commercial performance and future growth. 

If you’re passionate about property, enjoy finding commercial solutions and want to make a real difference, we would love to hear from you! 

Additional Information 

We’ve embraced hybrid working at Hotel Chocolat, giving you the flexibility to balance office and remote working. You’ll spend 1–2 days per week on site, with the flexibility to work wherever you like on the remaining days. Our support office, Mint House, is in Royston, Hertfordshire. 

Alongside a competitive salary and a range of great company benefits, you’ll enjoy some fantastic Hotel Chocolat perks, including 50% off all our products and 70% off stays for you and your guest at our Rabot Estate hideaway on the beautiful island of Saint Lucia. 

Who are we? 

We’re one of the UK’s favourite premium chocolate brands, with a range of products spanning luxury gifts, alcohol and our pioneering drinking chocolate system, the Velvetiser™. 

A cacao pod takes years to grow – it can’t be rushed if it’s going to be just right for our products. The same can be said for Hotel Chocolat, which originally started as a mint production company before we realised it was luxury chocolate that we were really passionate about.  

Now, we’re market leaders in the industry. What began as an online-only business grew to over 140 stores across the UK, and we’re still growing… Today, we’re multi-category, multi-channel, and multi-territory, and our customers, colleagues, cacao farmers and suppliers all benefit from the success we make together. 

To learn more about us and read about our People Pledge – our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion – click here: hotelchocolat.com/uk/engaged-ethics/our-people.html