Managing Director, Franchise Development
About The Position
The Managing Director, Franchise Development is responsible for growing the Franchised ESA portfolio in unit count and revenues by signing new development and brand conversion agreements into the brand family. The role partners cross-functionally to serve and retain existing properties and franchisees. It requires strong management skills, a determined sense of urgency and hustle, and accountability for achieving departmental growth targets. The Managing Director leads regional developers, guides the department’s growth and client relationships, and balances expansion with brand quality, consistency, and required minimum standards. The role represents the brand family to current and prospective franchisees and in industry settings, and collaborates with internal departments to support onboarding, property openings, and transitions. It also leads annual budgeting, monthly forecasting, and CRM governance, while monitoring industry trends, regulations, and practices. This is a 100% remote position with U.S. travel required. The role requires 50–75% overnight and midweek travel and flexible hours, including early mornings, evenings, and occasional weekends, to accommodate travel, conferences, franchisee needs, and multiple time zones.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management, Business, or a related field.
- At least 15 years of progressive work-related experience, with demonstrated proficiency in franchise development.
- At least 12 years of experience managing teams and complex projects.
- Proven P&L experience and comprehensive understanding of development and brand finances.
- Computer proficiency, including Windows, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to balance workload and competing priorities.
- Ability to lead, supervise, and manage regional developers toward operational objectives while supporting company goals for credibility and minimum quality levels.
- Understanding of the technical and procedural requirements for successful new hotel construction and brand conversion processes.
- Conversational-level fluency in hotel industry revenue, operations, technology, and risk management/legal concepts, at minimum.
- Ability to persuade franchise hotel investors to embrace brand philosophies, standards, and programs.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills for varied audiences and experience levels.
- Extensive relationship-building skills with industry stakeholders and hotel franchising communities.
- Sense of urgency and commitment to continuous improvement.
- Ability to resolve constructive franchisee feedback or conflict in a solution-focused manner.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across peer departments.
- Inclusive approach and comfort working with an international client base and diverse cultural norms.
- Ability to lead change in alignment with strategies to improve performance.
- Solid project and budget management skills.
- Ability to maintain 50–75% overnight and midweek travel within the U.S.
- Ability to work flexible hours, including early mornings, evenings, and occasional weekends.
Nice To Haves
- Prior experience with CRM tools such as Salesforce, or ability to quickly learn and adapt to them.
- Existing relationships within the hotel ownership, franchise, and development community.
- Prior experience with extended-stay, select-service, or franchised lodging brands.
- Experience leading national or multi-regional franchise development teams.
- MBA or advanced business degree.
Responsibilities
- Lead and manage a team of regional developers through daily oversight, coaching, and accountability to grow the Franchised ESA portfolio through new development contracts and brand conversion agreements.
- Achieve annual growth targets while retaining existing franchisees and strong markets and expanding ESA brands to new clients and geographies.
- Balance franchise growth with brand quality, consistency, and required minimum standards.
- Foster a genuine-care customer service culture throughout the department, company, and industry, modeling desired behaviors.
- Learn and communicate brand messaging, differentiators, value propositions, and programs and services to current and prospective franchisees; ensure the team can do so consistently.
- Sell franchise licenses based on performance merit rather than incentives or gimmicks.
- Collaborate with Legal/Risk Management, Brand, Training, Franchise Services/Transitions Support, Real Estate, and other peers on onboarding, new property openings, and transitions.
- Represent the brand family with integrity, positivity, and clarity in industry publications, trade shows, and other external settings, verbally and in writing.
- Travel as needed to industry events, trade shows, conferences, and current or prospective franchisees to build relationships and secure business.
- Lead annual budget processes, monthly forecasts, and ongoing CRM use to govern client relationships.
- Stay informed about industry trends, regulations, and best practices to support continuous improvement and innovation.
- Perform other duties as needed or required.
Benefits
- Great working environment
- Employee Recognition Programs
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
- Employer Paid Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
- Employer Paid Long Term Disability
- Optional employee-paid voluntary benefits: Short-Term Disability, Buy-Up Long-Term Disability, Supplemental Life Insurance, and Dependent Life Insurance
- 401(k) Savings Plan
- Paid Time Off
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Employee Perks Program offering discounts to major companies
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
