Director of Real Estate

At 7 Brew, our mission is to cultivate kindness - one cup at a time. As we grow, the places we choose matter: they are where we create connections, serve communities, and build the next chapter of the brand. The Director of Real Estate leads real estate strategy and execution for assigned territory, driving 7 Brew’s franchise development pipeline from market planning and site selection through diligence, negotiation, and transaction close. This leader partners closely with franchisees and internal development teams to identify exceptional sites, make disciplined investment decisions, and deliver a dependable pipeline of future 7 Brew stands. This is a strategic, highly collaborative, relationship-driven leadership role for a commercial real estate professional who knows how to source opportunities, evaluate trade areas, negotiate complex transactions, and move multiple projects forward in a fast-paced growth environment. THE FLAVOR YOU ADD... Develop and execute territory-level real estate strategies that align with 7 Brew’s growth objectives, franchise development plans, and unit economics. Identify priority markets, trade areas, and development corridors using demographic, traffic, competitive, and consumer-behavior insights. Establish market plans, site pipelines, and performance targets; regularly communicate risks, opportunities, and recommendations to leadership. Evaluate portfolio performance and use learnings from existing stands to refine future site-selection criteria. Site Selection & Deal Sourcing Lead the identification, evaluation, and prioritization of lease, purchase, ground-lease, and redevelopment opportunities. Build a strong pipeline of on- and off-market opportunities through broker relationships, direct outreach, cold calling, landlords, developers, and local market contacts. Assess site characteristics including access, visibility, ingress/egress, traffic patterns, trade area, competition, utilities, zoning, and development feasibility. Apply 7 Brew’s site-selection standards and financial model to recommend sites that support sustainable sales, operational excellence, and long‑term brand growth. Franchisee Partnership & Advisory Serve as the senior real estate partner and trusted advisor to franchisees throughout the site-selection and transaction process. Guide franchisees through market strategy, site comparison, diligence findings, financial considerations, and go/no-go decisions. Set clear expectations, provide concise project updates, and remove obstacles so franchisees can make informed decisions and advance opportunities efficiently. Ensure real estate activity remains aligned with brand standards, development commitments, operational needs, and franchise system priorities. Lead negotiation of letters of intent, leases, ground leases, purchase and sale agreements, lease amendments, and related transaction documents on behalf of franchisees. Negotiate business terms including rent, tenant improvement allowances, free rent, exclusivity, use rights, signage, access, contingencies, renewal options, and landlord work. Direct site due diligence, coordinating legal, construction, operations, finance, and outside partners to assess environmental, title, utility, entitlement, permitting, and redevelopment risks. Evaluate renovation scope, project feasibility, site‑level investment requirements, and transaction economics; recommend solutions that protect return on investment and development timelines. Guide franchisees through zoning, entitlement, permitting, and rezoning activities as needed, escalating issues early and developing practical paths forward. Relationships, Leadership & Collaboration Build and sustain productive relationships with brokers, landlords, developers, property owners, municipal stakeholders, and other real estate partners. Partner with franchisor leadership and cross‑functional teams to align market development, construction readiness, operations, legal review, and opening timelines. Lead real estate pipeline reviews and provide clear reporting on active sites, transaction status, milestones, risks, and forecasted openings. Establish consistent tools, processes, and best practices that improve decision quality, accelerate execution, and create a strong franchisee experience. Represent 7 Brew with professionalism, authenticity, urgency, and a relationship‑first mindset in every interaction. Must‑Have Ingredients 8+ years of progressive commercial real estate experience in site selection, leasing, retail development, franchise development, or a comparable growth‑focused environment. Ideally looking for someone one the West Coast or Mountain West of the US. Demonstrated success sourcing, underwriting, negotiating, and closing commercial lease and/or purchase transactions. Strong command of retail trade‑area analysis, site feasibility, market research, and site‑level financial and unit‑economics evaluation. Experience navigating zoning, permitting, entitlements, redevelopment, and development due diligence. Proven ability to build trusted relationships with franchisees, brokers, landlords, developers, and internal business partners. Strong negotiation judgment, written and verbal communication, organization, and executive‑level presentation skills. Ability to independently manage a high‑volume pipeline and competing priorities across a multi‑market territory. Willingness and ability to travel up to 80% of the time. Why Join 7 Brew? At 7 Brew, people are the heart of what we do. Our growth is powered by people who care deeply about creating meaningful connections and bringing the 7 Brew experience to new communities. As Director of Real Estate, you will shape where 7 Brew grows next leading market strategy, enabling franchisee success, and helping bring kindness, joy, and connection to more people, one stand at a time. #J-18808-Ljbffr