Chief Executive Officer - Franchise

Job Description

We are looking for a CEO who understands how to scale a distributed consumer services business while maintaining strong unit-level economics, customer experience, employee engagement, and operating discipline.

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This person will have full responsibility for the business and work closely with the private equity sponsor and Board of Directors to execute the investment thesis and build long-term enterprise value.

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The CEO will have full P&L responsibility for the organization and lead all aspects of operations, growth, people, finance, development, and strategy.

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The mandate is not simply to operate the existing business. The CEO will be expected to build the leadership team, systems, processes, and infrastructure necessary to support a significantly larger organization.

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Key responsibilities will include:

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• Own the overall strategy, P&L, operating performance, and growth of the company.
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• Partner with the Board and private equity sponsor to develop and execute the value creation plan.
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• Lead a multi-brand, multi-state portfolio of childcare and pet care locations.
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• Drive revenue growth, unit-level EBITDA, margins, customer retention, and overall profitability.
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• Build a scalable operating model that creates consistency and accountability across locations and markets.
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• Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing executive leadership team.
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• Develop strong regional and field leadership capable of supporting continued unit growth.
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• Establish clear KPIs, operating rhythms, dashboards, and accountability throughout the organization.
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• Lead organic growth through new unit development and improved performance of the existing portfolio.
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• Evaluate and execute acquisition opportunities where appropriate, including integration of acquired businesses.
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• Partner with Finance to improve forecasting, budgeting, cash flow management, capital allocation, and financial reporting.
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• Oversee real estate, development, construction, and new location openings.
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• Build a strong people strategy focused on recruiting, retention, leadership development, and succession planning in businesses with large frontline workforces.
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• Maintain strong relationships with franchisor partners and ensure the organization is positioned as a high-performing franchisee within each system.
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• Ensure compliance with applicable licensing, safety, employment, and operating requirements across the portfolio.
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• Create a culture that balances performance and accountability with the customer and employee experience.
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• Identify underperforming locations quickly and develop actionable plans to improve their performance.
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• Prepare the organization for future strategic opportunities, including additional acquisitions, recapitalization, or an eventual exit.
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What We're Looking For

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The ideal candidate has previously served as a CEO, President, COO, Division President, or senior operating executive within a scaled multi-unit consumer services organization.

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Direct childcare or pet care experience is valuable, but it is not a requirement. We are equally interested in executives from businesses such as fitness, wellness, healthcare services, home services, restaurants, education, automotive services, beauty, or other location-based consumer businesses with recurring customers and large hourly workforces.

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Candidates should have:

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• Significant leadership experience within a multi-unit, multi-state organization.
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• Full P&L ownership and responsibility for a substantial operating business.
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• Demonstrated experience scaling an organization through significant growth.
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• Experience managing through regional or field-based leadership structures.
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• Strong understanding of unit-level economics and the operating levers that drive four-wall profitability.
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• Experience building leadership teams and organizational infrastructure ahead of growth.
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• A track record of improving underperforming locations and markets.
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• Experience opening new locations at scale.
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• Strong understanding of customer acquisition, retention, frequency, and lifetime value.
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• Experience managing businesses with significant frontline or hourly workforces.
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• Strong financial and analytical capabilities.
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• Experience working with franchise systems is highly preferred.
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• Experience working with private equity sponsors and Boards of Directors is highly preferred.
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• M&A and integration experience would be particularly valuable.
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• Experience operating businesses with licensing, regulatory, safety, or compliance requirements is beneficial.
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