Director of Franchise Development

A&W Restaurants Inc•Lexington, KY

37d

About The Position

A&W Restaurants, Inc. is looking to add a Director of Franchise Development to the team! The Director of Franchise Development reports to the VP of Development and Design. The position is responsible for developing a candidate pipeline to facilitate new store sales. Additionally, this position is also responsible for developing a candidate pipeline to facilitate the resell process between existing franchisees and new candidates. The Director of Franchise Sales will follow up on incoming inquiries and utilize other tools to identify, qualify, and educate franchise prospects, while also monitoring new franchisees through the new owner process.

Requirements

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
Have 5 to 7 years of experience in franchise sales with a proven track record of achieving growth.
Experience with CRM systems (e.g. Franconnect, Hubspot)
Proven track record of successful sales, exceeding quotas, working independently, and as a team.
Strong presentation and public speaking skills.
Excellent time management and organizational skills
Exceptional work ethic, integrity, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to negotiate and build relationships at all levels.
Excellent time management, prioritization, and organizational skills; attentive to detail and deadlines.
Commitment to consistent follow-up and follow-through.
Expertise in lead generation principles and strategies.
Strategic thinker with strong sales leadership and closing experience.
Ability to manage multiple requests and meet deadlines with a sense of urgency.
Self-motivated and proactive problem-solver with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
Expertise in the principles and strategies for lead generation.
Ability to represent A&W professionally at all times, acting as a Brand Ambassador during meetings, events, and trade shows.
Knowledge of legal practices and compliance requirements related to franchising.
Knowledge of franchise financial analysis and new construction site selection processes.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in business, hospitality, or a related field.
5+ years of experience in franchise sales and/or development with mature brands in the restaurant industry.
Knowledge of franchise development processes, legal considerations, and franchisee qualification standards
Experience in the Quick Service Restaurant industry.
Knowledge of franchise finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles.

Responsibilities

Maintain, follow up, and lead candidates through the due diligence and discovery process.
Identify and recruit qualified franchisees that meet the company’s financial, operational, and cultural standards.
Manage the sales pipeline, including qualification, discovery process, validation support, and Franchise Agreement execution.
Plan, coordinate, and host monthly Discovery Day events in Lexington, KY, ensuring an engaging experience and a conversion rate of at least 70% from candidates to signed agreements.
Assist in gathering all necessary documents for the legal department's Franchise Agreement preparation.
Represent the brand at conferences and franchise industry events, where applicable.
Build relationships with internal stakeholders and existing franchisees.
Collaborate with the Operations team for smooth onboarding and handoff of new franchisees.
Consistently stay in contact with existing franchisees in his/her territory.
Update and maintain reports for VP of Development & Design, including bi-weekly sales summary activity and monthly sales forecast.
Develop and execute franchise sales strategies and campaigns in collaboration with the Development team, leveraging digital media, trade shows, networking, and relationship marketing.
Ensure all communication materials are up-to-date, timely, and relevant; archive materials as needed.
Consistently and accurately record all sales activity into the current FranConnect platform.
Maintain thorough knowledge of all competitive Franchise Disclosure Documents.