Store Development Manager

Bagel Brands•Minneapolis, MN

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Caribou Coffee, the Store Development Manager is accountable for the full development lifecycle of new Caribou Coffee locations, from market strategy and site identification through store opening. This role leads site selection, deal negotiation, entitlements, design coordination, construction oversight, and operational handoff, ensuring stores open on time, on budget, and aligned with brand standards. Focused on Core Growth Markets, the manager develops multi-year market strategies, identifies high-potential trade areas, and drives accelerated expansion in competitive, high-priority regions. This includes conducting advanced market analysis, monitoring demographic and competitive trends, and maintaining strong relationships with brokers, developers, and municipal partners to secure high-quality sites. The role negotiates purchase and lease agreements, partners closely with operations, design, construction, finance, and legal, and maintains accurate development forecasts while proactively identifying and mitigating risks related to entitlements, construction, or market conditions. Frequent regional travel is required to assess trade areas, engage stakeholders, and ensure project momentum.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Finance, Business, Urban Planning, Geography, or related field.
5+ years in commercial real estate or multi‑unit retail/QSR development.
Experience sourcing, evaluating, negotiating, and executing sites through LOI, entitlement, design, construction, and opening.
Experience with QSR and/or drive‑thru real estate.
Strong market analysis, GIS/mapping, and financial modeling skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and work cross‑functionally.
Familiarity with zoning, permitting, and entitlements.

Nice To Haves

7+ years in high‑growth or competitive retail/QSR development.
Experience creating multi‑year market plans and performance forecasts.
Established network with brokers, developers, and municipalities.
Advanced proficiency in location analytics and real estate financial modeling.

Responsibilities

Own the development pipeline for assigned markets, using robust trade area analysis, broker insights, and competitive intelligence to identify high-potential sites and guide long term market strategy.
Align market penetration plans and development pacing with senior leadership and Regional Directors of Store Operations, supported by data-driven growth models and multi-year forecasts.
Manage the existing real estate portfolio, including lease renewals, reinvestment planning, and negotiations informed by performance trends, market shifts, and financial impact.
Evaluate new markets and submarkets through demographic studies, mobility patterns, psychographics, competitor activity, and retail development trends to determine viability.
Lead site search, evaluation, and selection for new and repositioned Caribou locations, applying analytical scoring, predictive modeling, and in-market validation.
Carry approved sites from LOI through entitlement, construction, and opening.
Develop clear real estate materials—market maps, demographic summaries, performance data, and broker assessments—to support internal decision-making and project approval.
Support financial analysis by supplying accurate market inputs into store performance models and pro formas.
Maintain and improve market analytics platforms, ensuring accurate data for forecasting, white space identification, and portfolio modeling.
Conduct ongoing market and demographic research to refine strategies, validate assumptions, and predict store performance.
Negotiate LOIs and construction work letters in partnership with Legal, Design, Construction, Brokers, and Developers, informed by market norms and competitive rent benchmarks.
Manage end-to-end development schedules, identifying risks tied to entitlements, permitting timelines, partner readiness, or regional regulatory trends and escalating as needed.
Coordinate development timelines with brokers, developers, general contractors, and internal construction and design teams, ensuring clear communication of market assumptions and requirements.
Drive process and systems improvements to enhance data accuracy, reporting efficiency, and development workflow effectiveness.
Lead cross-functional teams through all development milestones—legal, entitlement, signage, and project scheduling—ensuring timely execution supported by market insights.
Strengthen cross-functional relationships across Operations, Finance, Legal, Design, and Construction to ensure alignment on priorities, risks, and market-specific strategies.