Sr. Specialist, Business Development - Korea

The Business Development team is responsible for expanding Blue Bottle’s presence so that more guests can experience what we believe to be great taste, positioning Blue Bottle as a recognized leader in the specialty coffee industry. The team drives growth through new café openings. Our commitment and craftsmanship are valued just as deeply as the passion our roasters and baristas pour into every single cup of coffee. The Business Development Senior Specialist plays a key role in formulating and executing distinctive and effective strategies for the opening and development of new and existing cafés. This position is responsible for building strong negotiating positions and fostering positive, long-term relationships with landlords and developers to ensure the most favorable conditions for Blue Bottle. This position is based in Seoul, Korea, and reports to the Senior Manager of Store Development, Korea.  The Business Development team is responsible for expanding Blue Bottle’s presence so that more guests can experience what we believe to be great taste, positioning Blue Bottle as a recognized leader in the specialty coffee industry. The team drives growth through new café openings. Our commitment and craftsmanship are valued just as deeply as the passion our roasters and baristas pour into every single cup of coffee. The Business Development Senior Specialist plays a key role in formulating and executing distinctive and effective strategies for the opening and development of new and existing cafés. This position is responsible for building strong negotiating positions and fostering positive, long-term relationships with landlords and developers to ensure the most favorable conditions for Blue Bottle. This position is based in Seoul, Korea, and reports to the Senior Manager of Store Development, Korea. 

You will:

• Lead the site selection and expansion of directly-operated stores in Korea, with a strategic focus on securing spaces within established local commercial properties (including shopping malls, high-street shops, and landmark commercial complexes).

• Manage relationships with major Korea commercial developers and landlords to build long-term partnerships, ensuring annual store opening targets are met and new locations are launched on schedule.

• Conduct comprehensive market research across Korea, including foot traffic analysis, target customer profiling, and competitive landscape assessments.

• Develop financial projections using location models tailored to the local consumption patterns and commercial ecosystem; produce detailed feasibility reports to support decision-making.

• Lead negotiations with landlords and property managers of Korea commercial real estate regarding lease terms, fit-out contributions, and contractual obligations.

• Coordinate cross-functional with Engineering, Legal, and Finance departments to ensure smooth pre-opening preparations, ensuring compliance with local leasing practices and regulations.

• Monitor post-opening store performance to evaluate site selection accuracy; stay updated on Korea real estate market trends and policy changes to refine expansion strategies.

• Establish and maintain a robust database of potential sites in Korea to improve the success rate of future expansions.

You are:

• Data‑driven and skilled in financial and operational analysis

• Strategic thinking and market analysis which can independently carry out market research and competitive analysis for selecting potential store locations .

• A clear and concise communicator, able to influence internal and external stakeholders;real estate owners, and lawyers. Can involve multiple stakeholders, including within the company, to promote projects.

• Proactive, with a strong sense of ownership and a continuous‑learning mindset

• Comfortable with ambiguity and capable of making sound decisions under pressure

• Highly organized and detail-oriented; someone who “sweats the small stuff,” but also sees the big picture and can easily assess the state of progress for projects and how best to accelerate

• Exhilarated by a high-paced, fast-changing, and sometimes unpredictable work environment

• Willing and able to travel in short term

You have

•  Bachelor’s degree or above; majors in Real Estate, Business Administration, or related fields are preferred.

• 5+ years of experience in site selection and expansion within the chain retail or F&B industry; prior hands-on experience in the Korea property market is highly advantageous.

• Strong familiarity with the Korea commercial real estate landscape, with existing networks and resources within established local property groups being a significant plus.

• Proven track record of negotiating complex leases with local developers and landlords; capable of independently leading the entire negotiation and closing process.

• Solid understanding of Korea commercial leasing laws and transaction norms; excellent cross-functional coordination skills, resilience, and the ability to thrive under pressure.

• Fluent Korean(Native) is essential for business negotiations; strong command of spoken and written English is required to handle legal contracts and cross-border communications.