Franchise Development Manager

Job Description

Location: Central territory includes midwestern states and South Texas. Must currently reside in the territory or be willing to relocate. You will work remotely from home.

The position is responsible for process ownership and execution of KFC’s Franchise & Business Development strategies for the Central territory.

Job Responsibilities

• Act as a single point of contact for franchise development related activity in territory. Build relationships with franchises to influence development commitment against market plans. Support ongoing development results aligned with those plans.
• Manage and support all phases of franchise development process. This includes market planning, site selection & approval, real estate contracts, permitting, construction, and turnover/grand opening on projects from inception.
• Attain planned franchise development action approvals and timely new store openings for territory. Complete accurate forecasting and risk assessment.
• Utilize project management processes to develop and maintain a pipeline of projects, track progress against milestones, and effectively communicate progress reporting and results.
• Ensure all KFC Development activity in territory covered is compliant and consistent with all related processes and policies, including KFC Development Approval Committee requirements.
• Execute against KFC US market plan and asset strategy planning processes. Develop tactics that enable and accelerate the US Growth & Development Strategy. Perform benchmarking and competitive analysis within priority DMAs for territory covered.
• Support KFC asset reviews for brand compliance and enrollment in remodel pipeline and Exhibit A process as needed for renewals, franchise to franchise transfers, etc. in territory covered.
• Support targeted Franchise Recruiting efforts to fill brand strategic needs by identifying candidates. Support assessment and qualification process for new franchisees entering the KFC system through new unit development or acquisition for territory covered. Support franchise on-boarding and follow up support processes as needed.
• Support Closure Mitigation efforts through negotiation and asset replacement initiatives in maintaining brand sustainability.
• Support KFC Development Team as needed in planning, business review, and ad hoc projects.
• Moderate to heavy (30-50%) travel depending on pipeline priorities. 

• Education/Certifications – BA/BS in real estate, finance, business or related field required. Masters in Real Estate or MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 4-5 years of market planning, real estate, development related experience with demonstrated organizational impact and increasing responsibility in related areas. Experience in franchise, multi-unit restaurant/retail industry preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency in broad development technical areas. This includes site selection, trade area analysis, real estate contract negotiating, construction management, facilities management, and architecture.
• Sound internal motivation, intellectual curiosity, logical thinking, and a desire to have a large commercial impact on the organization. Being a Customer Maniac is a must.
• Advanced influencing, negotiation and sales skills.
• Demonstrated track record of excellent Project Management skills. Past success driving results via creative thinking and problem solving.
• Clear and effective communication across all media (face to face, by phone, in writing) with people at various levels, whether internal or external to the organization, including Franchisees. Ability to partner well with cross functional departments.
• Ability to efficiently manage workload with shifting priorities. Can work autonomously in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment while generating actionable recommendations.
• Strong system/technical skills, including proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite with strong/advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills. Knowledge of Power BI, SmartSheet, Microstrategy, GIS analytics, and real estate related tools is a plus.