Franchise Development Specialist - New Center Operations

KidStrong•Frisco, TX

4d•$60,000 - $70,000

About The Position

The Development Specialist for KidStrong New Center Openings supports pre-sale and operational functions for new center launches. This highly organized and driven professional manages development timelines and center scorecards, creates and maintains processes, and coaches in-center teams and Area Developers on launching and scaling effective KidStrong centers. The role supports a portfolio of 15–20 centers and coordinates with franchisees, internal teams, and external partners throughout the development lifecycle. The position works daily across functions including Operations, Marketing, Pre-Development, Construction, and HQ, and collaborates with executive leadership, accounting, training, vendors, and consultants. It does not directly manage team members, but requires leadership, mentoring, communication, and interpersonal skills. KidStrong helps parents build stronger, smarter, more athletic children, serving children from walking age through 11 years old.

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 with 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.

Responsibilities

Manage development timelines for a portfolio of 15–20 centers, tracking dates, milestones, resources, and project information in project management software.
Own center scorecards by tracking progress against goals and providing data-driven recommendations to achieve opening goals.
Identify project slippage early and escalate risks with mitigation strategies.
Coordinate new project requests and maintain a comprehensive database of upcoming projects.
Partner 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 recurring 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 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 outside consultants, including architects, civil engineers, city government officials, expeditors, vendors, and general contractors.
Coordinate vendor delivery schedules and communicate proactively with vendor partners to prevent delays.
Participate in initial virtual kickoff meetings to guide franchisees through pre-sale and operational setup.
Coach Area Developers to meet timelines, brand standards, and requirements, escalating issues when needed.