Director of Franchise Development

Ellie Mental Health - MN • Mendota Heights, MN

85d • $68,000 - $75,000

About The Position

Ellie Mental Health is seeking a Director of Franchise Development to help expand our nationwide by guiding potential franchisees through the discovery process; from first conversation to signed agreement. This new role is all about connection, communication, and trust. You’ll be the first voice many candidates hear from Ellie, setting the tone for their experience with our brand. Ellie Mental Health is a fast-growing national franchise dedicated to breaking barriers. Built on the principle of destigmatizing therapy, we partner with passionate entrepreneurs across the country to bring compassionate, high-quality services to their local communities. As the first franchise brand of its kind, we’re leading a movement to make mental health support more accessible.

Requirements

• A strong communicator who values relationships and builds genuine connections with others.
• Approaches conversations with authenticity and focused on building trust, understanding candidates’ goals, and helping them make informed decisions.
• Skilled at navigating sensitive or challenging discussions with empathy and confidence.
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Collaborative, results-driven, and genuinely passionate about Ellie’s mission and values.
• Bachelor’s degree or 3+ years of relevant franchise development experience.
• 5+ years of direct experience in franchise development or franchise brokerage required.
• Strong understanding of franchise sales, the FDD process, and compliance requirements.
• High-level CRM proficiency (HubSpot preferred) with meticulous pipeline management.
• CFE designation a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

• Drive franchise growth by leading candidates through every stage of the discovery journey, from first conversation to signed agreement.
• Deliver compelling presentations that clearly communicate Ellie’s model and guide candidates through the Mutual Evaluation Process (MEP).
• Champion the candidate experience by maintaining momentum, scheduling next steps, and ensuring consistent, proactive communication.
• Own your pipeline of 20–40 active candidates, managing each relationship with urgency, precision, and care.
• Build trusted partnerships with broker groups and respond quickly to territory inquiries and referrals.
• Maintain compliance excellence by ensuring all activities align with FTC and state franchise regulations.
• Oversee critical milestones including FDD distribution, documentation tracking, and franchise agreement execution.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure every new franchisee has a seamless, informed, and positive onboarding experience.
• Up to 25% travel to the corporate office in Mendota Heights, MN and occasionally to broker groups’ events to represent and promote the brand.

Benefits

• Generous 401(k) match up to 4%
• Medical Insurance with the option to select a $10 mental health office visit copay!
• Free virtual short-term counseling for the whole family!
• Free access to virtual urgent care for the whole family!
• Dental, Vision, Life & Disability
• Pet Insurance
• 15 days of Paid Time Off + 8 Holidays
• Amazing colleagues who are passionate about destigmatizing mental health.
• Collaborative and dynamic office environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees