Specialist, Franchise Licensing & Compliance

Under the supervision of a Lead Manager, manage all administrative tasks related to the lifecycle of franchise license agreements within an assigned territory. Responsibilities include reviewing and processing applications, preparing and executing agreements, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, maintaining accurate records, serving as the primary contact for franchise applicants and existing franchisees, coordinating with internal teams throughout the process, issuing and executing license agreements and related legal documents, issuing compliance documents, tracking franchise data, maintaining and updating company’s global database (GOLS), representing the company in licensing matters such as negotiating comfort letters, collecting contract data, and managing fees. Your day to day Act as liaison with the Development team to issue new development, conversion, change of ownership, and relicensing license agreements to applicants. Conduct all aspects of the franchise license workflow, including collecting license agreements and franchise application fees. Receive and review all documents relating to entities with equity interest in the license; verify licensing data (dates, signatures, forms) and send documents for internal approvals (Credit, Risk Management, Development, Openings, AD&C/PIP, Franchise Approval Committee, Legal). Follow up to ensure completeness and accuracy. Enter and maintain franchise license data in GOLS (company database), updating status changes and retention records throughout the license term. Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies; collaborate with Legal to meet local, state, and federal requirements. Conduct background checks and due diligence on potential franchisees. Review franchise entity documents to determine binding authority for licensing agreements; work with Development to resolve incomplete data or authority issues. Draft and execute addenda, extensions, and special agreements (e.g., Comfort Letters, Master Technology Agreements, Key Money Documents, deceased letters) and collect related fees. Serve as primary contact for franchisees regarding license execution, revisions, and compliance questions; foster positive relationships with franchisees and external stakeholders. Monitor deadlines and issue notifications for defaults, extensions, terminations, and non-renewals; update database with accurate dates and compliance status. Gather data from external sources (e.g., Secretary of State registration) and review organizational documents for equity ownership. Support hotels through the opening process, ensuring compliance prior to opening; prepare Openings Advisory Memo and open hotels in GOLS. Collect fees and submit Property Improvement Requests for renewals or hotel sales. Provide applications and Franchise Disclosure Documents for renewals or ownership changes. Process accurate Principal Correspondent records and update as needed. Under General Supervision of Lead Manager Review organizational and legal documents to execute license agreements or addenda and evaluate equity ownership. Decide if equity changes constitute a change of ownership under the current license agreement. Make decisions on resolutions for hotels in default, track compliance, and issue notifications. Interpret legally binding terms and conditions of license agreements to mitigate risk. Perform all duties related to franchise licensing and compliance administration, including issuing official documents and assisting with procedure development. What We Need From You Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Legal Studies or a related field of work, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience. 1 to 2 years work-related experience in franchise licensing, compliance, banking administration, contract administration, or similar, with demonstrated technical proficiency related to the position. Demonstrated knowledge of PC-based software programs. Demonstrated effective oral and written communication skills for conveying information to internal and external customers or providing information via written reports or correspondence. Demonstrated strong writing and reading comprehension skills for drafting, compiling, or interpreting legally binding license agreements and financial letters. Demonstrated understanding of contractual agreements and ability to administer ongoing contracts or similar detail-oriented projects. Demonstrated attention to detail, time management skills, and organization. Demonstrated ability to interpret state regulations for contract compliance and to read and interpret supporting documents. Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team. Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks and prioritize workload in a fast-paced environment. High level of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality. Location Atlanta, GA; our hybrid work structure expects three (3) days a week in office, with flexibility as business needs evolve. The hourly range for this role is $29.58 to $34.00. We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401K, room discounts, recharge days, volunteering days, and wellbeing support. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other category protected by applicable laws. We promote a culture of trust, support, and acceptance. Important information The salary range listed is the lowest to highest pay scale we, in good faith, believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. The range may be modified in the future. An employee’s pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors, including education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs. No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until it is earned, vested, and determinable. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact our accessibility team. IHG does not accept applications, inquiries, or unsolicited CVs/resumes from staffing or recruiting agencies. Please review our agency policy. If you are a resident of or applying to a job opening in the State of Washington, please review applicable benefits. #J-18808-Ljbffr IHG Hotels & Resorts