Associate Manager/Manager, Franchise Development

EWC Corporate LLC • Plano, TX

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Franchise Development reports to the Director, Franchise Development & Strategy and owns site development execution for assigned markets and franchisees while supporting corporate real estate initiatives and strategic growth activities. This role exercises independent judgment in site selection, development prioritization, lease evaluation, and franchisee guidance to drive timely, high-quality new center openings aligned with the company’s growth strategy. The Manager partners with Construction, Finance, Legal, Operations, Training, and other cross-functional teams to lead development from franchisee onboarding through lease execution and opening. The role also supports real estate activities for Corporate-owned centers, including site evaluation, lease negotiations, and portfolio optimization, as well as real estate due diligence and development-related activities associated with M&A and other strategic transactions.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in franchise development, with real estate development, site selection, or related experience.
• Prior experience within a franchisor organization.
• Experience supporting lease negotiations and evaluating LOIs, leases, and other real estate agreements.
• Familiarity with financial considerations, real estate economics, development timelines, and portfolio strategy.
• Experience with franchise systems (e.g., FranConnect) or similar CRM / project tools.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams)

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting M&A, acquisitions, or other strategic transactions preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead site evaluations using market, financial, and operational data to assess viability and brand alignment.
• Recommend sites for approval within parameters and lead assigned markets and franchisees through site selection, approval, and project execution.
• Manage the New Center Openings (NCO) pipeline, including project timelines, risks, and mitigation plans.
• Support real estate strategy for Corporate-owned centers, including site evaluation, lease negotiations, renewals, relocations, and portfolio optimization.
• Partner with Real Estate, Legal, Finance, and external brokers to evaluate lease terms, economics, risks, and strategic fit.
• Support real estate and development due diligence and post-transaction activities for M&A and other strategic transactions.
• Lead development coordination across Construction, Real Estate, Finance, Legal, Operations, and Training.
• Own development reporting and communication in systems such as FranConnect, translating data into actionable insights.
• Support development territory creation and market optimization initiatives.
• Provide market and site validation input to internal and external partners.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to franchisees throughout the development lifecycle.
• Guide franchisees through site selection, approvals, expectations, and timelines while balancing brand and financial discipline.
• Build strong relationships with franchisees, brokers, and partners to support efficient execution.
• Partner with Business Development and Legal to align Franchise Agreements with development timelines.
• Review LOIs and leases to assess financial, operational, and risk implications.
• Provide development input into lease negotiations and real estate strategy as needed.
• Drive improvement of development processes, tools, reporting, and standards.
• Identify inefficiencies and implement scalable solutions to support growth and portfolio management.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, HDHP with HSA, employer-paid Life Insurance, Disability, Mental Health & EAP benefits
• 401(k) with Safe-Harbor Matching and additional voluntary benefits, including pet, legal, identity theft, accident, hospital, and critical illness coverage
• 17 days of PTO (increases with tenure), 11 paid holidays, paid parental/adoption/foster leave, plus dedicated Wellness/Mental Health and Volunteer days
• Up to $500 annual professional development stipend
• Weekly office breakfast, Fun Committee, DE&I Council, employee discounts, and time off to vote

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed