National Franchise Development Manager-Remote

About the role

El Pollo Loco’s Restaurant Support Center is a flamin’ good place to grow your career. We combine an innovative, winning, and welcoming workplace with a strong office culture recognized as a Great Place to Work®. Collaboration is at the heart of our core values—Simple. Together. Relentless. Ownership. Nimble—so we’re in the office three days per week to fuel teamwork and idea-sharing.

What’s in it for you

• Career growth opportunities
• Competitive pay and bonus potential
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance plus HSA Savings Account
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with company match and immediate vesting
• Paid Vacation, Sick Pay, and 12 Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free El Pollo Loco food and restaurant discounts
• PerkSpot discounts program

Position purpose

The Franchise Development Manager owns lead targeting strategy, candidate cultivation, and pipeline movement alongside the VP of Franchise Growth. This role exercises independent judgment across lead qualification, compliance risk evaluation, agreement structuring, and marketing strategy, materially affecting outcomes for candidates and the business.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Evaluate inbound franchise leads against qualification criteria and decide which prospects merit advancement or decline without pre-approval.
• Assess candidate readiness at each stage and determine pace, sequencing, and next steps, adjusting timelines based on candidate-specific risk factors.
• Own lead targeting strategy and nurturing email campaigns, including audience segmentation, content creation, and message positioning; analyze results and adjust strategy accordingly.
• Manage non-traditional format email campaigns end-to-end, tailoring messaging and targeting for distinct candidate profiles.
• Monitor and track RFP dates and requirements across target markets, prioritizing pursuits with go/no-go recommendations.
• Ensure required candidate documentation (NDAs, FDD receipts, applications, etc.) is obtained and verified per compliance requirements; identify material gaps or inconsistencies to pause or escalate progression.
• Evaluate candidate performance during Discovery Day and recommend suitability for a development agreement, a recommendation that materially affects the final decision.
• Review and help structure terms of the franchise development agreement for approved candidates, flagging elevated-risk terms before finalization.
• Conduct the final compliance review before a deal is finalized, identifying issues that could jeopardize the agreement and confirming required steps.
• Partner with marketing, operations, legal, real estate, and design & construction to resolve conflicts or gaps that affect candidate progression.
• Represent the brand at trade shows and conferences, evaluating lead quality and prioritizing follow-up.
• Maintain discretion and independent judgment in handling sensitive candidate financial and business information, including determining what to escalate.
• Maintain the franchise development CRM with current candidate status and documentation, using CRM data and campaign reporting to inform targeting and process recommendations.

Career path / promotion track

This role is designed to build toward broader franchise growth leadership responsibility. As the incumbent demonstrates sound independent judgment in qualifying candidates, marketing and outreach strategy, compliance risk evaluation, and reliable execution across the development process, they will be positioned for advancement.

Qualifications

• BA/BS required; Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) a plus.
• Minimum of 2–4 years of franchise sales, development, or coordination experience, preferably in multi-state food and/or retail operations.
• CA driver’s license required.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Sound independent judgment and ability to make fact-based decisions, especially in qualifying inbound candidates and evaluating compliance risk.
• Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail with a compliance-minded approach to documentation.
• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external partners and build rapport with prospective franchisees.
• Ability to prioritize and plan work under frequent and tight deadlines.
• Ability to read, write, and interpret reports, documents, and correspondence.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, CRM/database applications, email marketing platforms, and internet research tools.
• Experience developing and executing email marketing or nurture campaigns, including content creation, segmentation, and performance analysis.
• Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams.
• Discretion and integrity in handling confidential candidate and business information.
• Willingness and ability to work weekends and extended schedules as needed.
• Ability to travel locally within Southern California and to out-of-state restaurant locations by car or airplane as needed.