Franchise Development Specialist - New Center Operations

KidStrong•Frisco, TX

About The Position

KidStrong is a child development training center for children from walking age through 11 years old, offering a science-based, parent-focused curriculum in brain, physical, and character development. The Franchise Development Specialist for New Center Operations supports the pre-sale and operational functions involved in opening new KidStrong centers. The role works in a fast-paced environment, helps create processes, and coaches in-center teams and Area Developers on launching and scaling effective centers. The specialist supports a portfolio of 15–20 centers and owns each center’s development timeline and scorecard, tracking milestones, resources, project status, and progress toward opening goals. The role coordinates daily with franchisees, internal teams, and external partners; facilitates recurring project calls; reports updates to HQ leadership; and maintains project files, documentation, and CRM data. It also supports vendor coordination and coaches Area Developers on timelines and brand standards. The position does not directly manage team members, though leadership, mentoring, communication, and interpersonal skills are important.

Requirements

At least 2 years of project management or coordination experience.
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, with strong attention to detail.
Working knowledge of project management methods, including critical path scheduling, milestone tracking, and KPIs.
Proficiency in Google Workspace, Zoom, Teams, and project management tools such as ClickUp, Asana, or Smartsheet.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work professionally with internal teams and external partners.
Self-starter with strong problem-solving skills and a customer service mindset.
Strong leadership, mentoring, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Nice To Haves

Background in construction, franchise operations, or real estate development, including familiarity with technical vocabulary.
Associate or Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Support a portfolio of 15–20 centers and own each center’s development timeline, tracking dates, milestones, resources, and project information in project management software.
Own each center’s scorecard, track progress against goals, and provide action-oriented, data-driven recommendations to achieve opening goals.
Identify potential project delays early and escalate risks with mitigation strategies.
Coordinate new project requests and maintain a comprehensive database of upcoming projects.
Partner daily with franchisees, internal Pre-Development and Construction teams, and external partners to develop new centers.
Coordinate across executive leadership, marketing, accounting, and training to expedite development and support franchisee success.
Schedule and facilitate weekly project calls with franchisees, general contractors, pre-development managers, and construction managers.
Report operational updates, successes, and improvement areas to HQ leadership.
Set up, organize, and maintain accurate project files throughout the development lifecycle.
Process key documentation and follow up on items such as landlord or seller approvals, consultant proposals, and franchisee approvals.
Request, track, and distribute drawings, surveys, and geotechnical reports.
Audit CRM client data entries for accuracy and compliance.
Build working relationships with architects, civil engineers, city government officials, expeditors, vendors, and general contractors.
Coordinate vendor delivery schedules and communicate proactively with vendor partners to avoid delays.
Participate in initial virtual kickoff meetings to guide franchisees through pre-sale and operational setup.
Coach Area Developers to meet timelines and brand standards, escalating issues when needed.