Director of Development
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Seeking a strategic and hands-on Director of Real Estate Development to lead new restaurant growth and remodels in partnership with the CEO. This role will manage the full lifecycle of development and construction, leading and managing both internal and external resources and processes. This includes supporting market planning, site selection, design, permitting/approvals, work letter review, and construction in all markets in which the company operates. The Director of Development will partner with Rackson’s executive leadership and franchisor partners, skillfully collaborating with a dynamic group of professionals to maximize Rackson’s return on real estate and construction investments by building successful, profitable projects on time and on budget. This person must be detail-oriented, organized, and capable of working in a fast-paced environment. They must be an excellent project manager. They must also possess strong communication and relationship-building abilities, along with the ability to work well cross-functionally and partner with other parts of the business on important tasks/projects.
What You’ll Do: The Director of Development is responsible for leading real estate and construction for legacy and growth business. They partner across the business to support the CEO’s goals and manage projects from inception through execution and delivery. Essential functions:
- Work closely with the CEO, CFO and Operations leadership on expansion plans, including market planning, site review, LOI and lease negotiations, CapEx budgeting and execution.
- Assure the timely and accurate abstraction of all leases and lease amendments.
- Critical date tracking, communication and ensuring achievement of all elements; including but not limited to:
- Remodel requirements, LL and Franchisor approval requirements, and deadlines.
- Serve as the point of contact for internal teams, including Company Leadership, Operations, Accounting, and Finance teams, and stakeholders ensuring alignment on development matters and timely communication of project status, progress and budget.
- Overall responsibility for construction / project management and construction administration activities from beginning to end, including all phases prior to, during and after construction. Responsibilities may include initial project planning, scope development, design document review, costing support, establishing/managing pre-construction processes, supervising construction execution by third-party contractors, and project closeout.
- Ensure the company meets or exceeds its franchisor obligations for remodels, number of units consistently, on-budget, and predictably.
- Ensure all projects receive all necessary approvals, permits, occupancy certificates and releases prior to, during and after the projects’ completion. These may include but are not limited to landlord design and sign approvals, city, county, and state sign and building permits, licensing authority permits, and general contractors and sub-contractors' documentation
- Leverage external third-party relationships with brokers, developers, legal counsel, general contractors, project managers, architects, kitchen equipment suppliers, etc.
- Ensure construction meets company, franchisor, and industry standards.
- Manage, coach, and develop the development team to foster their growth and elevate performance.
- Responsible for hiring, retaining, developing, and elevating performance of project manager and external construction/development resources to support the company’s growth strategy.
- Manage staff and outsourced resource workload to create balance and back-up coverage.
- Ensure company construction policy and procedure are followed and work with the executive and project teams to create an environment of continuous improvement.
- Develop, implement, and maintain scalable construction processes to support rapid expansion without compromising quality or efficiency.
- Stay abreast of construction trend, particularly in the retail/hospitality industry.
- Track the availability of labor and the cost of material and their impact on store construction.
- Implement new construction technology and best practice (from the retail/hospitality industry).
- Develop and implement general contractor (GC) strategic sourcing strategy (preferred GC strategy) that set up a foundation for success.
- Other duties as assigned.
What Will Make You Successful:
- Bachelor’s degree in real estate, construction management, business administration, or similar required.
- Project management certification, such as PMP, preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in restaurant real estate and development at a growing organization.
- Experience in the development and execution of restaurant/retail growth plans.
- Experience building and leading teams, both internally and with third-party partners (brokers, attorneys, architects, contractors, vendors, franchisors).
- Strong background and demonstrated success in LOI, lease negotiations, and lease renewals.
- Proficiency in real estate tools/software systems and project management tools/software systems
- Strong Microsoft suite mastery
- Understanding of restaurant construction requirements and how to move projects forward in partnership with state and local government in different jurisdictions (including NY, CT, NJ, MD, DE, PA, OH).
- Ability to work on-site in the markets where Rackson operates, including non-traditional hours on evenings and weekends as needed.
- Strong problem-solving skills, project management skills, partnering skills, communication skills, and attention to detail.
- Discretion to handle complex and sensitive matters appropriately and to work independently.
- Ability to quickly learn and adapt in a fast-moving environment.
- Physical Requirements: Ability to communicate via phone including hearing and talking. Ability to perform sedentary work such as computer-based work. Ability to utilize close visual acuity such as for creating and analyzing data/spreadsheets, word documents, and graphic designs. Ability to navigate from location to location and to work within a restaurant or on a construction job site, standing for up to six hours at a time.
What You Can Expect from Us:
- Competitive salary and bonus program
- Medical, dental, vision Insurance
- Paid time off
- Scholarship opportunities
- People-first culture
- Authentic, values-based leadership
About Rackson Restaurants:
Rackson Restaurants is recognized as one of the top QSR operators in the US with a strong growth strategy and a commitment to values-based leadership. Putting people first is at the core of our company culture. Come be a part of our all-star team!
