Manager - Business Development & Franchise Recruiting (LAC)

The Wendy's Company is a well-known restaurant brand that emphasizes a culture of openness and inclusiveness. They are seeking a Manager for Business Development & Franchise Recruiting to lead franchising efforts in the Latin America/Caribbean region, focusing on strategy, recruitment, and support for new franchisees.

Responsibilities:

• Drives alignment pertaining to market growth potential vs. required franchisee profile and capability to define new franchise recruiting needs and priorities
• Informs and helps drive the development of LAC Franchise Recruiting strategies, plans and associated business cases for priority growth markets
• Conducts competitive analysis to inform franchising landscape, competitor strategies and areas of opportunity for Wendy’s
• Assesses LAC franchise recruiting broker and consulting landscape and provides recommendations on proposed partners, programs, required budget and estimated ROI for target markets
• Works with cross-functional business partners to establish strategies and programs required to support new franchisee new unit growth, including but not limited to incentives and financing
• Defines marketing and communications efforts required to drive lead generation for new LAC franchisee opportunities
• Prepares presentations and materials required to drive decisions with Senior Leadership
• Partners with Development and Legal leaders to define and implement processes required to support new franchisee incentives and programs
• Drives Wendy’s new franchise recruiting efforts across LAC for both Traditional & Non-traditional opportunities
• Partners with key international leaders to develop and inform franchise recruiting strategies by market
• Manages all new franchise recruiting programs/processes and drives the recruitment, selection and placement of new LAC franchisees
• Helps to manage efforts of the Global Recruiting Coordinator/Specialist to ensure candidate progression through the pipeline
• Manages relationships with local 3rd party franchise recruiting agencies and partners to help drive new candidate lead generation
• Manages and evolves reporting and tracking for prospective franchise candidates
• Establishes and converts leads into new franchisees
• Partners with Wendy's Legal team and Franchise Development to grant franchise rights
• Must understand all aspects of the Wendy's franchise agreement and local franchise disclosure requirements and incorporate into the recruiting process and franchise negotiations
• Establishes on-boarding and training plans for all new franchisees in partnership with Operations and Training
• Maintains and develops LAC content for the Wendy’s franchise recruiting website, marketing materials, public relations efforts, and resources that heighten the awareness of the Wendy’s brand, franchising and new growth opportunities within specific LAC markets
• Manages new franchise candidate inquiries from website, internal, and external sources
• Partners with Communications, 3rd party creative firms and agencies to develop and evolve marketing and PR materials and communications strategy related to recruiting and new development
• Partners with Franchise and Development Legal partners to update and evolve important information provided in the FDD/CDD and/or shared from the FDD/CDD, earnings releases or other Company communications
• Manages 3rd party strategic relationships and partnerships associated with LAC franchise recruiting and development, such as IFA, BFA, franchising related media & publications agencies, Retailers, Fuel Partners, Lenders, Brokers and Developers
• Attends key industry conferences and networking events to establish relationships and leverage key resources across the financial, broker and development community that can help to identify new LAC franchise leads
• Partners with Franchise Development and Finance leaders to help educate franchise lending partners on company initiatives impacting the franchise community

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree with at least 10 years professional work experience preferably in a corporate environment with an emphasis in franchising, recruiting, new restaurant development and/or strategic development
• Track record of success driving franchise recruiting strategy with capability to demonstrate critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills; must be highly driven to achieve results
• Requires strong interpersonal skills, including written and verbal communication; Strong organizational skills with ability to multi-task and prioritize
• Detailed knowledge of franchising and new restaurant development related policies and procedures
• Knowledge of law (real estate, franchise, contract, business), real estate and financial management/accounting
• Strong financial acumen and experience with deal negotiations and franchising in Latin America/Caribbean markets is required
• Broader International exposure and experience ideal
• Experience with management and supervision of direct and indirect employees
• Highly proficient in Spanish as well as Portuguese (secondary)