Chief Development Officer

Chief Development Officer

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the role of the Chief Development Officer (CDO) is responsible for Restaurant Development, including real estate, store design, construction and facilities maintenance to meet the company's growth goals on a global basis. This position serves as a key member of the company's senior leadership team. The CDO directs the design and construction of all restaurants and is responsible for creating new store design concepts to enhance and develop the Smashburger brand. This position also oversees the effectiveness of the company's restaurant site strategies and makes recommendations on modifying the strategy or creating new approaches, advising ownership and senior leaders on future site selection. The CDO leads a multi-tiered staff of executives, directors, managers, supervisors, professionals, and support staff covering diverse functions, setting the vision, strategy, and execution of all Development initiatives.

Purpose of the position 

• As Smashburger adapts to a changing marketplace, we are seeking a dynamic, inspiring, entrepreneurial leader to help us chart a path to what comes next.  Looking for someone who can predict the future based on franchise growth and new market entry.
• Smashburger is in expansion mode; this requires new strategies for how we think about business channels and how they contribute to the overall Jollibee Food Corporation’s (JFC) brands and business.
• JFC requires a continued evolution of our go-to-market strategy as we pursue our goal of becoming one of the top 5 global restaurant brands with Smashburger positioned to become the most admired burger brand.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for Restaurant Development (RD) for company & licensed restaurants, including real estate selection, restaurant architecture and design, facilities, and construction.
• Contributes strategically to the company's business success by meeting Smashburger’s restaurant design and real estate goals.
• Develops and nurtures relationships with Operations, and other Support Center departments and external relationships with the development community.
• Advises ownership and senior leaders on the next generation of restaurant design concepts.
• Develops the company's new store opening and remodeling plan based on construction schedules and arrangement of new leases.
• Leads a multi-tiered staff of directors, managers, supervisors, professionals, and support staff covering diverse functions, setting the vision, strategy, and execution of all Development initiatives for the company.
• Selects, hires, develops, and evaluates the Development team to achieve collaboration and a cohesive strategy.
• Ensures compliance throughout the company with brand guidelines for all concept restaurants and establishes the company's RD policies and procedures covering company-owned stores and licensees.
• Oversees the securing of new sites and delivering new store approval and opening plans to meet the company's growth plans through company and licensee stores.
• Collaborates on restaurant design innovation with Marketing, IS, Operations and other departments.
• Manages the Development budget in accordance with the company plan.
• Provides full support for opening company-owned and franchised stores in international markets and trains international franchise operations on restaurant development, site selection and store design.
• Stays abreast of retail/hospitality industry trends related to store design, real estate, construction and facilities management with a focus on fast casual dining.
• Communicates the effectiveness of the company's restaurant development and real estate strategies to senior leadership and makes recommendations on modifying the strategies or creating new approaches.
• Ensures the company's capability to keep pace with its growth and meet its business objectives by implementing best-in-class processes and systems
• This leader will lead strategic business development of future partnerships as well as existing licensee portfolio.
• Manage cross-functional support teams including operations, marketing, real estate, design, culinary development and supply chain.
• This role is responsible for leveraging information from a wide range of methods and channels to derive actionable data and analysis to inform strategy and decisions and to help grow and adapt the brand and the business internationally, including customer feedback survey data, guest relations, syndicated data, social, and primary research.
• This position provides guidance on addressing business issues and developing new solutions and services, with a significant focus on creating a stellar franchise customer experience.
• Framing the big strategic expansion questions on partnerships, working to develop and drive International growth initiatives.
• Vett, recruit, and develop licensee/franchise partnerships and relationships both global and domestic
• Identify and consult on International site selection and overall market analysis
• Act as a consultant to other C-level leadership and department heads in supporting overall Smashburger objectives.
• This leader may directly manage a cross-functional team of direct and indirect reports across the organization
• This role will drive strategic positioning and expansion internationally aligned with the Global plan.
• This role will be deeply connected to all the leaders on the Smashburger Leadership Team, leveraging data and insights to influence and shape franchisee, pricing, and channel strategies that help drive the future of Smashburger and JFC brands across the world.
• This role will explore new capabilities and business models that can be leveraged internationally.
• This role will work across all functions and collaborate globally across all levels of leadership.
• This individual will be a strategic partner in helping our brands leverage consumer insights and data-driven analysis to drive performance and brand preference.  Partner with brands and marketing leadership to better define consumer research needs/requirements, objectives and how research can/will influence on strategic plans
• Consult on brand positioning, innovation, and customer experience journey
• Consult on how to attract new customers and drive more frequency with existing customers
• Measure, track and report on expansion to new initiatives and products.
• Support 5-year strategic plan to drive topline growth

Key Capabilities Candidate:

• Demonstrated success building strategic global expansion, go-to-market entry strategy for large, multi-brand restaurant chain that delivers a world-class customer experience.
• They will be a bridge builder who understands how to bring diverse functional groups together and get them aligned on key initiatives. 
• Must have a deep understanding of political risk management and impeccable negotiation skills
• Brings robust quantitative and qualitative insights toolkit (brand, consumer, segmentation, competitive, customer experience/journey, social media marketing) for brand adaptation in international markets
• Ability to budget, financial planning, P&L analysis and accountability
• Strategic thinker, strong oral and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, and presentation skills
• Strong project management capabilities
• Ability to juggle multiple projects in parallel and work effectively in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and a diverse team
• Ability to be detail oriented while keeping a big-picture orientation
• Ability to work well across all levels of the organization and deal constructively with a range of perspectives.
• Experience: 10+ years of experience in restaurant, retail, or consumer packaged goods (CPG) environment
• Demonstrated track record to support brand expansion and transformation
• MBA (preferred), BA/BS degree; 7 years of progressive experience leading teams in a matrix environment and experience in strategy, and/or service strategy.
• Office conditions; travel over 50% including international locations for restaurant development and procurement (travel to stores with Operators. 20% and travel with construction, facilities, and real estate teams. over 30%)

• This position is based in Denver, CO and requires a hybrid schedule of working at a minimum 2-3 days in the Denver office and from home
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.