Franchise Development Manager

El Pollo Loco•Costa Mesa, CA

About The Position

The Franchise Development Manager owns lead targeting strategy, candidate cultivation, and pipeline movement alongside the VP of Franchise Growth, exercising independent judgment across the franchise development process. This role involves qualifying candidates, evaluating risk, managing marketing and outreach strategy, and advancing candidates through the path-to-ownership journey. The position requires independent judgment and discretion on matters of significance across lead qualification, candidate progression, compliance risk evaluation, agreement structuring, and marketing strategy. While the role follows a required development process with compliance-driven steps, the majority of the role's substantive work involves evaluating facts and circumstances that are not predetermined and reaching independent conclusions that materially affect outcomes for candidates and the business.

Requirements

BA/BS required
Minimum of 2–4 years of franchise sales, development, or coordination experience required, preferably in multi-state food and/or retail operations.
CA driver's license required.
Sound independent judgment and the ability to make fact-based decisions, particularly in qualifying inbound candidates and evaluating compliance risk.
Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail, with a compliance-minded approach to documentation.
Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external business partners and to build rapport with prospective franchisees.
Ability to prioritize and plan work assignments and to work under the pressure of frequent and tight deadlines.
Ability to read, write, and interpret reports, documents, and correspondence.
High proficiency with technology including Microsoft Office Suite, CRM/database applications, email marketing platforms, and internet research tools.
Experience developing and executing email marketing or nurture campaigns, including content creation, segmentation, and performance analysis.
Ability to work collaboratively across cross-functional teams.
Discretion and integrity in handling confidential candidate and business information.
Ability to work weekends and extended work schedules as needed.
Willing and able to travel locally within Southern California and to out-of-state restaurant locations, as needed, by car or airplane.

Nice To Haves

Certified Franchisee Executive (CFE) a plus.

Responsibilities

Evaluate inbound franchise leads against qualification criteria, exercising independent judgment on which prospects merit advancement and which should be declined.
Assess candidate readiness at each stage of the development process and determine the appropriate pace, sequencing, and next steps, adjusting standard timelines based on candidate-specific risk factors.
Own lead targeting strategy and lead nurturing email campaigns, including audience segmentation, content creation, and message positioning, analyzing campaign results and adjusting strategy accordingly.
Manage non-traditional format email campaigns end-to-end, tailoring messaging and targeting for this distinct candidate profile.
Monitor and track RFP dates and requirements across target markets, making go/no-go recommendations for pursuit.
Ensure required candidate documentation (NDAs, FDD receipts, applications, and related materials) is obtained and verified per compliance requirements.
Evaluate candidate performance during Discovery Day and make a recommendation on suitability for a development agreement.
Review and help structure terms of the franchise development agreement for approved candidates, flagging any terms that carry elevated risk.
Conduct the final compliance review before a deal is finalized, identifying issues that could jeopardize the agreement.
Partner with marketing, operations, legal, real estate, and design & construction to resolve conflicts or gaps between departments that affect candidate progression.
Represent the brand at trade shows and conferences, evaluating lead quality and prioritizing follow-up.
Maintain discretion and independent judgment in handling sensitive candidate financial and business information.
Maintain the franchise development CRM with current candidate status and documentation, and use CRM data and campaign reporting to inform targeting and process recommendations.