Senior Manager, Franchise and License Development

Brand: Bagel Brands

Bagel Brands is the parent company for your favorite breakfast brands, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Bruegger's Bagels, Noah's NY Bagels, and Manhattan Bagel. We believe in the bagel and how it has the unique ability to bring people together. Our team has a standard set of values and behaviors that allow us to spread a little more joy and happiness in the world. They let us laugh, smile, and enjoy each other’s company a little more. These are the behaviors that guide how we work, how we treat each other, and how we treat our guests. We believe that there is no better way to make someone’s day than with a warm, fresh-baked bagel and a heart-felt good morning.

The Senior Manager, Franchise and License Development and Administration plays a critical role in supporting the growth and integrity of Bagel Brands’ franchise and license portfolio by managing the processes, documentation, compliance requirements, and partnerships that move franchise opportunities from prospect through approval, contracting, opening, renewal, and transfer.

Serving as a central point of coordination across Franchise and License Business Development, Operations, Legal, Accounting, franchise partners, candidates, and external vendors, this role owns the administration and tracking of the franchise development lifecycle while helping ensure commitments, agreements, timelines, and regulatory requirements are met. Through strong judgment, disciplined process management, and a commitment to continuous improvement, the Senior Manager creates a clear and professional experience for prospective and existing franchise partners while supporting responsible growth across the Bagel Brands portfolio.

In alignment with Bagel Brands’ Mission, Vision, and Values, this role Takes Ownership of complex processes and details, Supports Each Other through strong cross-functional partnership, and helps build franchise relationships that strengthen our brands and the guest experience.

• Department: Franchise & License
• Annual Base Salary Range: $125,000–$145,000 annually
• Annual Bonus Target: 15%
• LTIP: $20,000 annually

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

Franchise Development and Candidate Management

• Manage the franchise development lead database and support timely, professional responses to prospective franchise candidates.

• Manage disclosure and vetting processes for prospective franchise candidates, including review and analysis of financial information, background and credit reports, and business and operational experience.

• Build trusted relationships with prospective franchisees while ensuring candidates understand and progress through established development requirements.

• Collaborate with Franchise and License Business Development, Operations, and other stakeholders throughout the candidate evaluation and approval process.

• Maintain visibility to candidate and deal pipeline status, key milestones, outstanding requirements, and next steps.

Agreements, Documentation and Compliance

• Manage the collection, preparation, and presentation of legal documentation required to process development and franchise agreements for new and existing franchisees.

• Track completion and execution of required documentation and collection of associated fees.

• Compile and track development agreements, amendments, and related documentation.

• Monitor compliance with franchise development agreements, legal agreement provisions, development commitments, and other development initiatives, including incentive programs.

• Maintain accurate tracking of exclusive and non-exclusive development territories.

• Assist in tracking franchise non-compliance matters and coordinate with appropriate internal partners as needed.

• Partner cross-functionally with Legal, IT, Marketing, and other teams to support adherence to applicable franchise development policies and regulatory requirements, including FTC, PII, and ADA requirements.

Franchise Renewals and Transfers

• Manage the franchise renewal process, including tracking, reporting, notifications, disclosures, updated contact and entity information, and applicable renewal contingencies.

• Partner with Legal on the preparation, tracking, execution, and completion of renewal agreements and associated fees.

• Manage store transfers from initial qualification through closing, guiding franchisees and prospective buyers through established transfer requirements.

• Communicate applicable Right of First Refusal (ROFR) requirements to relevant parties and manage communication and tracking of the internal ROFR review process.

• Partner closely with Legal on preparation and execution of transfer documentation and collection of associated fees.

• Collaborate with the Franchise and License Development team to support franchisees in evaluating resale options and opportunities.

Vendor and External Partner Managemen t

• Manage franchise development vendor relationships, including lenders, due diligence and technology providers, franchise brokers, and external PR and marketing partners.

• Serve as a liaison between vendors and cross-functional internal teams to support effective partnership and execution.

• Collaborate with Legal to ensure vendor agreements are appropriately reviewed and aligned with company goals, policies, and procedures.

• Track vendor terms, contractual requirements, expiration dates, renewal dates, and other key milestones.

• Support evaluation of vendor effectiveness and identify opportunities to improve external partnerships, tools, and services.

Process Management and Continuous Improvemen t

• Partner with Franchise and License leadership to evaluate and continuously improve franchise development processes, tools, templates, reporting, and resources.

• Identify opportunities to simplify workflows, improve visibility, strengthen controls, and create a better experience for franchise candidates and existing franchise partners.

• Maintain accurate pipeline, agreement, renewal, transfer, territory, and other development records and reporting.

• Proactively identify process risks, outstanding requirements, or potential delays and work with appropriate stakeholders to resolve issues.

• Establish consistent follow-up and tracking practices that strengthen accountability across the franchise development lifecycle.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES (SENIOR MANAGER )

• Effective Communication : Communicates complex franchise development requirements, processes, and expectations clearly and professionally across franchise candidates, franchisees, senior leaders, Legal, Operations, and external partners. Builds alignment while navigating sensitive or complex discussions.

• Accountability and Ownership: Takes ownership of complex development processes, agreements, timelines, and commitments from initiation through completion. Anticipates risks, maintains strong controls, and ensures consistent follow-through across multiple stakeholders and priorities.

• Adaptability and Perseverance : Navigates changing deal circumstances, competing priorities, regulatory requirements, and stakeholder needs while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and momentum toward resolution.

• Empowerment : Uses expertise, strong partnerships, and clear guidance to help franchise candidates, franchisees, and internal partners successfully navigate development processes. Shares knowledge and strengthens processes that enable others to operate effectively.

• Curiosity: Proactively seeks opportunities to improve the franchise development experience, understand industry practices, strengthen processes, and identify solutions to complex development and administrative challenges.

• Self-Awareness: Demonstrates sound judgment, professionalism, discretion, and awareness of the impact of communication and decisions on franchise partners and internal stakeholders. Builds trust through consistency, integrity, and openness to feedback.

• Strategic Focus: Connects day-to-day franchise development activities, pipeline management, agreements, renewals, and transfers to broader growth priorities. Anticipates downstream implications and helps ensure processes and decisions support responsible, sustainable franchise and license growth.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and EXPERIENC E

Required

• Approximately 5–7 years of experience in franchise and license development, business development, real estate, deal administration, or a related field.

• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects, processes, or pipelines involving multiple stakeholders, milestones, and deadlines.

• Full-cycle deal management experience.

• Experience reviewing, managing, or coordinating contracts and other detailed legal or business documentation.

• Demonstrated ability to proofread and conduct detailed document reviews with a high degree of accuracy.

• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and commitment to follow-up and follow-through.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to manage multiple requests, competing priorities, and deadlines while maintaining accuracy.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and proactively solve problems.

• Strong relationship-building and customer service skills with the ability to work effectively with internal and external partners.

• High degree of integrity and ability to appropriately manage confidential and sensitive information.

• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.

• Experience with electronic document management and execution platforms, including DocuSign and Adobe Acrobat.

Preferred

• Experience within the franchising industry.

• Experience supporting franchise development agreements, renewals, transfers, disclosures, or related franchise lifecycle processes.

• Experience within a multi-unit restaurant, retail, hospitality, or consumer-facing franchise organization.

• Familiarity with franchise development regulatory and compliance requirements.

• Experience managing external vendors supporting franchise development or business development activities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This position primarily operates in a remote or office environment and requires the ability to sit, stand, and use a computer for extended periods of time. The role frequently involves virtual meetings, document review, written communication, and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. Periodic travel may be required based on business needs. These requirements may be met with or without reasonable accommodation.

The duties of this position may change from time to time. The Company reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the Company or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive.

Bagel Brands is committed to providing equal employment opportunity, and fair treatment in employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender/gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or ancestry, physical or mental disability, military status, or any other basis in protected by applicable federal, state, and local law. Bagel Brands makes employment decisions based solely on qualifications for the position.

**Ranges reflect what employer reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for such position.

Address: | Remote , Denver, Colorado 00000 |

The physical demands for this position are sits, stands, bends, lifts, and moves intermittently during working hours. These physical requirements may be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodations.

The duties of this position may change from time to time. Bagel Brands reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the company or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive.

Bagel Brands is committed to providing equal employment opportunity, and fair treatment in employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender/gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, military status or any other basis in protected by applicable federal, state and local law. Bagel Brands makes employment decisions based solely on qualifications for the position.