Franchise Onboarding Specialist

Homefront Brands•Huntersville, NC

10d

About The Position

The Franchise Onboarding & Opening Specialist is responsible for managing franchisees through the full onboarding and pre-opening lifecycle, from the moment a franchise agreement is signed through the day the showroom opens its doors to customers. This role serves as the primary point of contact for new franchise owners during the launch phase and ensures timely, compliant, and successful openings. The specialist will coordinate business setup, construction and build-out milestones, vendor onboarding, licensing and insurance requirements, and internal cross-functional communication. This role requires strong project management skills, franchise knowledge, and experience with brick-and-mortar openings.

Requirements

3–5+ years of experience in franchising, operations, onboarding, or project management
Prior experience supporting franchisees or multi-unit operators
Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple openings simultaneously
Exceptional organizational, communication, and follow-through skills
Ability to work cross-functionally and manage multiple stakeholders
Highly detail-oriented and deadline-driven
Confident communicator who can guide, coach, and hold franchisees accountable
Problem-solver who remains calm and solutions-focused under pressure
Ability to balance structure with flexibility in a fast-growing organization
Strong sense of ownership and pride in helping franchisees launch successfully

Nice To Haves

Experience in brick-and-mortar franchising
Prior involvement in build-outs, construction coordination, or retail/service business openings
Experience working with franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) and franchise compliance
Background in home services, retail, design, or showroom-based concepts
Familiarity with franchise management or project management software

Responsibilities

Franchisee Onboarding & Project Management Serve as the primary onboarding lead for new franchisees from signing through opening
Develop and manage detailed onboarding timelines, milestones, and checklists
Proactively track progress, identify risks, and keep franchisees accountable to deadlines
Maintain consistent, professional communication with franchisees throughout the onboarding process
Business Setup & Compliance Guide franchisees through required business setup steps, including:
Insurance procurement and compliance
Entity formation and documentation coordination
Required licenses and permits
Utility setup and operational readiness
Ensure franchisees meet all brand standards and franchise system requirements prior to opening
Build-Out, Construction & Site Coordination Oversee the pre-opening build-out process in partnership with franchisees, landlords, and vendors
Track construction timelines, inspections, and key approvals
Coordinate with internal teams to ensure showroom design, layout, and brand standards are executed correctly
Identify and escalate delays or issues that may impact opening timelines
Vendor & Partner Management Support franchisees in onboarding approved vendors and service partners
Coordinate with preferred vendors related to cabinetry, fixtures, technology, signage, and other critical components
Act as a liaison between franchisees and vendors when clarification or issue resolution is needed
Cross-Functional Collaboration Collaborate closely with internal teams including Operations, Marketing, Training, Real Estate, legal, and Leadership
Ensure franchisees are successfully handed off to ongoing operations and support teams post-opening
Maintain accurate onboarding documentation, notes, and status updates in internal systems
Reporting & Continuous Improvement Track onboarding metrics such as time-to-open, common bottlenecks, and franchisee feedback
Identify opportunities to improve onboarding processes, tools, and documentation
Contribute to the evolution of onboarding SOPs and best practices as the franchise system scales