Development Deal Manager

JOB SUMMARY:

The Development Deal Manager supports franchise growth by managing the negotiation, preparation, approval, and execution of franchise agreements and related legal documents. This individual-contributor role serves as a primary point of contact for assigned Franchise Development leaders, regions, and brands, coordinating with prospective franchisees and internal stakeholders to resolve deal issues and move agreements toward execution. The role conducts financial, market, and franchisee research, secures required approvals, and maintains accurate agreement and property information. The Development Deal Manager balances changing priorities and high-volume peak periods while producing accurate, timely, and legally compliant work. This role helps ensure new franchise agreements support corporate growth objectives, provide value to the company, and comply with internal policies and applicable laws.

Note: This role is a remote position and is not eligible for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Franchise Development Deal Management

• Negotiate franchise agreement terms with prospective franchisees in partnership with Development leaders and internal stakeholders, ensuring proposed terms are fully reviewed, appropriately approved, and aligned with company objectives.
• Manage assigned franchise deals from application through contract execution, proactively identifying potential obstacles and coordinating solutions that support timely completion.
• Obtain and document required internal approvals before agreements and related documents are issued or executed.
• Create financial performance reports for Development Regional Vice Presidents and other leaders for distribution to prospective franchisees, following applicable requirements governing supplemental earnings claims.
• Conduct geospatial market analysis using ChoiceMap to support administration of the company’s Impact Policy for new franchise applications.
• Research applicants’ existing business portfolios and operating histories, evaluate proposed areas of protection, and prepare committee materials and business cases for deal sponsorship.
• Partner with Development Regional Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Senior Vice Presidents, as well as Retention, Credit, Owner Portfolio Strategy Operations, Fair Franchising, Franchise Services, Openings, Billing, and Legal Compliance, to resolve issues affecting franchise agreement negotiations.
• Maintain accurate franchise agreement, franchisee, and property information in company systems and provide timely, accurate reporting to business partners.
• Coordinate across the organization to overcome obstacles, meet contractual and regulatory deadlines, improve processes, and support the timely execution of development contracts.
• Provide Development leaders with regular updates regarding team activity, assigned pipeline status, deal risks, and forecasts.
• Identify and recommend improvements to agreement-development and execution processes.
• Ensure prospective franchisees satisfy applicable Impact Policy requirements, franchising laws, approval requirements, and Sarbanes-Oxley controls.

Drafting, Revising, and Executing Franchise Agreements

• Prepare franchise agreements, promissory notes, guarantees, addenda, affidavits, and other documents required to complete franchise transactions.
• Draft proposed legal language addressing unique transaction requests and submit the language for attorney review and approval.
• Facilitate discussions among Development leaders, attorneys, prospective franchisees, and other stakeholders to resolve contractual issues.
• Revise legal documents accurately and promptly based on approved deal terms and the outcome of stakeholder and attorney discussions.
• Issue franchise agreements and related documents to prospective franchisees through DocuSign.
• Maintain DocuSign templates and routing workflows to help ensure documents reach the appropriate signatories and are fully executed.
• Review operating agreements, bylaws, partnership agreements, deeds, purchase and sale agreements, leases, and other documents supplied by prospective franchisees to determine whether they adequately support execution of the franchise agreement.
• Escalate unusual, incomplete, or potentially noncompliant documents and transaction structures to the appropriate Legal or Compliance partner.
• Prioritize daily work based on Development guidance, transaction urgency, department deadlines, disclosure and waiting-period requirements, and applicable state and federal franchise requirements.
• Maintain complete and accurate agreement records and supporting documentation throughout the negotiation and execution process.

Franchise Management

• Support Legal with the annual update and issuance of Franchise Disclosure Documents.
• Issue updated Franchise Disclosure Documents to applicable pipeline contracts during the annual renewal process.
• Obtain and maintain signed receipt pages and other required documentation confirming that applicable disclosure requirements, waiting periods, and legal obligations have been satisfied.
• Support the Manager, Contract Administration, by preparing and issuing addenda and other documents that modify existing franchise agreement terms.
• Coordinate with internal partners to ensure amendments and other post-execution documents are accurately prepared, approved, distributed, and retained.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Employment Experience

• No prior experience in franchise development or franchise contract administration is required.
• Experience supporting contracts, legal documents, real estate transactions, business development, franchising, compliance, or another detail-oriented business function is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with limited oversight while managing multiple assignments, deadlines, and rapidly changing priorities.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders and communicating with business leaders, clients, owners, or external partners is preferred.
• Experience reviewing detailed business or legal documentation is preferred.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience with DocuSign and Salesforce is preferred.
• Ability to learn and effectively use contract-management, customer-relationship-management, reporting, mapping, and internal database tools.
• Ability to prepare accurate reports, maintain detailed electronic records, and work with financial, contractual, and property information.
• Ability to use geospatial or market-analysis tools is preferred.

Additional Skills and Competencies

• Strong judgment and decision-making skills, including the ability to recognize when an issue requires escalation or additional approval.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex requirements clearly and professionally.
• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills across business, legal, operational, and leadership groups.
• Effective problem-solving skills and the ability to identify practical, compliant solutions to deal obstacles.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands and meet firm deadlines.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to producing accurate, complete, and legally sound work.
• Ability to listen to and incorporate stakeholder perspectives while maintaining company requirements and business objectives.
• Ability to identify opportunities for improvement and contribute new ideas that increase efficiency or strengthen outcomes.
• Ability to contribute to an inclusive culture and work effectively with individuals from varied backgrounds and perspectives.
• Flexibility to work extended hours during month-end or other peak business periods when needed.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration, performance excellence, urgency, openness to new ideas, inclusion and diversity, integrity, customer focus, and respect.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, legal studies, finance, real estate, hospitality, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
• No specific professional certification or credential is required.
• Paralegal, contract-management, franchise, real estate, or related training is preferred but not required.

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $65,698 - $72,000.

Choice prioritizes our associate wellbeing by offering a comprehensive benefits program that is both competitive and flexible to help you achieve your wellbeing goals - here are just a few:

• Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Leave and paid time-off for holidays, vacation, personal, family, volunteer, sick, jury duty, bereavement, military, and religious observance
• Financial benefits for retirement and health savings
• Employee recognition programs
• Discounts at Choice hotels worldwide
  

Choice prioritizes our associate wellbeing by offering a comprehensive benefits program that is both competitive and flexible to help you achieve your wellbeing goals - here are just a few:

• Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Leave and paid time-off for holidays, vacation, personal, family, volunteer, sick, jury duty, bereavement, military, and religious observance
• Financial benefits for retirement and health savings
• Employee recognition programs
• Discounts at Choice hotels worldwide

About Choice

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. With 7,500 hotels in 45+ countries and territories, we offer a range of high-quality lodging options in the upper upscale, upper midscale, midscale, extended stay, and economy segments. We’re the hotel company for those who choose to bet on themselves — the striver, the dreamer, the entrepreneur — because that’s who we are, too.

At Choice, we are united by the simple belief that tomorrow will be even better than today — for associates, our company, and our franchisees. At our worldwide corporate headquarters in North Bethesda, Maryland, at our technology center in Scottsdale, Arizona, and through our associates around the globe, every voice is heard and every idea is listened to, no matter what area of the company they come from. We are united in supporting the entrepreneurial dreams of our thousands of franchise owners, which propels us forward — giving our work at Choice a purpose larger than our business.

Our corporate office locations:

North Bethesda, MD — Located at Pike & Rose, our worldwide headquarters is less than 15 miles from Washington, D.C., one block away from the North Bethesda Metro station, with easy access to I-495, complimentary parking, electronic charging stations, restaurants and retail.

Scottsdale, AZ — Located at the northwest corner of Loop 101, the Scottsdale office is home to our technology, eCommerce and customer service organizations, with easy access to complimentary parking, electronic charging stations, restaurants and retail.

Minneapolis, MN — Select roles are based in our Minneapolis office on Highway 394, near the intersection with Highway 100, only five minutes from downtown.

Field/Remote — Select roles designated as field/remote will require associates to work from a home office, connecting virtually with Choice team members and leadership on Zoom, with possible required travel depending on the role.

Choice’s Cultural Values

Welcome and Respect Everyone | Be Bold | Be Quick | Listen | Be Curious | Show Integrity

Choice’s Leadership Principles

Act with Intention | Lead with Authenticity | Grow & Deliver