Chief Executive Officer - Restaurant Franchisor

Leap Brands•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

We are seeking a CEO to lead the next phase of growth for a restaurant franchise brand that is in need of a turnaround. This role owns enterprise strategy, franchise system health, unit economics, leadership team performance, and long-term value creation. You’ll be responsible for building a brand that franchisees can scale profitably, not just growing unit count for the sake of growth. This is a builder role. You’ll set the vision, build the operating system, and assemble a leadership team that can take the brand from regional to national relevance while protecting franchisee economics and brand integrity.

Requirements

Proven CEO, President, or senior executive (COO/Brand President) experience in franchising, restaurants, or multi-unit retail
Track record of scaling a franchise or multi-unit brand
Deep understanding of franchise economics, FDDs, and franchisee relations
Strong operator who respects the unit-level P&L
Experience building and leading executive teams
Comfortable partnering with Boards, private equity, or institutional ownership
Disciplined operator with strategic range
High integrity leader who balances growth with system health
Willingness to travel and be present in the field with franchisees

Nice To Haves

Experience leading a PE-backed or growth-stage franchisor
Multi-brand portfolio experience
Turnaround or plateau-breaking experience
New market expansion experience
Experience taking a regional brand national

Responsibilities

Set and execute the company’s long-term growth strategy (unit growth, market expansion, enterprise value creation)
Lead and build a high-performance executive team across Ops, Development, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, and Real Estate
Own franchisee success and unit-level economics as the foundation of sustainable growth
Drive disciplined franchise development and territory strategy
Ensure operational excellence and consistency across the system
Strengthen brand positioning and guest experience
Partner with the Board and ownership group on strategy, capital allocation, and performance
Build scalable systems, processes, and KPIs to support growth
Create a culture of accountability, performance, and franchisee partnership
Own financial performance, budgeting, forecasting, and profitability
Represent the brand with franchisees, investors, lenders, and strategic partners
Lead through change as the company professionalizes its structure and leadership bench