Director of Franchise Development

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and day-to-day leadership for the Franchise Department, with responsibility for franchise administration, agreement management, territory oversight, and ongoing compliance.
• Oversee the development, execution, and maintenance of franchise agreements.
• Partner with internal and external legal counsel to support regulatory compliance, trademark enforcement, intellectual property matters, and the annual Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) renewal process.
• Manage franchise compliance activities, including issuing notices, warnings, and corrective action communications related to billing, collections, and contractual obligations.
• Evaluate and vet prospective franchise candidates by assessing business acumen, financial capability, and alignment with Culligan’s brand, values, and long-term objectives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams to ensure franchise candidates and existing dealers meet brand, operational, and compliance requirements.
• Lead the franchise authorization process from initial inquiry through contract execution.
• Oversee and resolve territory overlap disputes and dealer ownership changes, including account swaps and franchise sales within the dealer network.
• Manage franchise compliance activities, including issuing notices, warnings, and corrective action communications related to billing, collections, and contractual obligations.
• Lead the franchise authorization process from initial inquiry through contract execution.
• Oversee and resolve territory overlap disputes and dealer ownership changes, including account swaps and franchise sales within the dealer network.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams to ensure franchise candidates and existing dealers meet brand, operational, and compliance requirements.
• Develop and sustain relationships with key franchise dealers to promote compliance, engagement, and long-term success.
• Provide direct leadership to the Franchise Administrator and collaborate closely with the Director of Franchise, Canada, to ensure alignment across regions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 10+ years of experience in franchise management or franchise systems, including franchise agreements, compliance, and dealer relationships.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience with a demonstrated ability to guide, develop, and support team members.
• Strong working knowledge of contracts, with the ability to review and evaluate legal and business terms.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, assess risk, and balance business objectives with compliance requirements.
• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills across departments and with external stakeholders.
• Able to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fast-paced, regulated environment.

Competencies

• Resourcefulness
• Customer Focus
• Team Player
• Passion
• Intregrity
• Strategic Skills
• Goal Setting
• Negotiation Skills
• Communication
• Target Salary Range: $135,000 - $160,000 per year plus bonus.

Benefits

• Full-time positions are eligible for competitive benefits, including paid time off, health, dental, vision, life, disability benefits and 401(k).