Area Franchise Lead, Firehouse Subs, US Central

Job Summary

The Area Franchise Lead, US Central is responsible for driving operational performance, supporting franchise organizations, and ensuring adherence to brand standards within a designated market. This role requires a strong focus on operational metrics and serves as a critical resource for franchisee success.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Conduct holistic business reviews with franchisees, covering areas such as restaurant operations, profitability, sales, and brand standards.
• Provide guidance on long-term planning, operational efficiencies, and strategies to create a profitable business model.
• Support the onboarding of new franchisees, facilitating site visits, and ensuring operational readiness.
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for issues related to brand standards, including Zero Tolerance and Restaurant Evaluation Visits (REV).
• Collaborate with franchisees to develop corrective action plans when necessary, ensuring high-quality and consistent restaurant performance.
• Ensure franchisees comply with brand standards in food safety, cleanliness, repair, and maintenance.
• Lead targeted training and coaching sessions for franchise teams in collaboration with Operation Partners (OPs).
• Support the roll-out of system-wide initiatives, new product launches, and regional marketing strategies to ensure franchisees are equipped to succeed.
• Drive improvement in key metrics such as Speed of Service (SOS), Guest Satisfaction (OSAT), and other performance indicators.
• Utilize RBI’s Problem-Solving Methodology to identify and address operational issues, analyzing data to drive business improvement.
• Create and implement data-driven action plans in collaboration with franchise teams to achieve desired outcomes.
• Report and present operational insights to franchisees and stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment on business goals.

Skills And Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality, or a related field.
• 5-7+ years of experience in QSR, retail, food & beverage, or similar franchised industry, with multi-unit management experience preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and familiarity with data analysis tools.
• Strong understanding of business and financial metrics, with the ability to analyze and interpret data to support decision-making.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with franchisees, colleagues, and stakeholders.
• Skilled in root-cause problem-solving methodologies and able to implement solutions to drive operational improvement.
• Effective communicator, with excellent presentation and influencing skills.
• Willingness to travel within the assigned market to support franchise locations and field teams.