Franchise Business Consultant - Ontario GTA East (Contract)

Pet Valu Canada Inc. (Company); Markham; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Health benefits

Employee stock plan

Learning and development support

Job summary

Pet Valu is seeking a Franchise Business Consultant for Ontario GTA East. Reporting to the Regional Director, Franchise Store Operations, you’ll oversee district operations, drive system-wide sales growth and support franchisees to meet financial and operational goals.

You will partner with cross-functional teams to implement best practices, monitor store performance, and ensure brand standards while traveling for in-store visits as required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 to 3 years’ retail chain experience at a District or multi-store management level in a large retail chain; ideally gained in a progressive franchise-based operations role.
• College level graduates with focus in Business/Retail/Marketing are preferred.
• Demonstrate strong retail visual merchandising skills.

Responsibilities

• Driving system wide and wholesale sales.
• Achieving targets set by the company.
• Communicating to franchisees; product knowledge, showing metrics/benefits of a product/initiative; new product launches, pre-books, store cost deals, seasonal initiatives, and utilizing tools provided by the company for consistent delivery of messaging/standards.
• Retail Operations Excellence: Training, Monitoring & Enforcement of brand/operational standards outlined in the Franchise Agreement and Operations Manual.
• Corporate Office Liaison: Act as principal contact point between franchisees and head office departments.

Skills

Retail sales

Franchise operations

Communication

Project management

Education

College degree in Business/Retail/Marketing

Job description

Location: Markham, Ontario

Job Description:

Position: Franchise Business Consultant – Ontario GTA East

Type: Full-Time | Contract

Reports to: Regional Director, Franchise Store Operations

About Us

Pet Valu is Canada’s leading pet specialty retailer, dedicated to strengthening the bond between dedicated pet lovers and their pets. With 50 years of animal care expertise, we operate over 800 stores across Canada under several banners, including Pet Valu, Bosley’s, Total Pet, Paulmac's Pet, Tisol & Chico. Guided by our mission to deliver products, care, expertise, and memorable moments, Pet Valu is a place where people build meaningful careers while making a positive impact on pets and communities.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Regional Director, the Franchise Business Consultant (“FBC”) is responsible for all operational activities and sales results in the district. Key areas of focus will be successful district system wide sales growth while meeting financial and operational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Driving system wide and wholesale sales.
• Achieving targets set by the company.
• Communicating to franchisees; product knowledge, showing metrics/benefits of a product/initiative; new product launches, pre-books, store cost deals, seasonal initiatives, utilizing tools provided by the company for consistent delivery of messaging/standards, optimizing opportunities to increase sales Best Practices Consultant. Through the review of store practices, sales and trends (merchandising, staffing, training, promotion of new products, etc.), FBC will recommend customized “best practice” solutions to franchisees with the goal of improving sales/profitability for the store and operational excellence.
• Retail Operations Excellence. Training, Monitoring & Enforcement of brand/operational standards outlined in the Franchise Agreement and Operations Manual. Documenting and escalating appropriately if SOP’s and policies not followed. Ensures that new franchisees are properly oriented & trained; ensures all applicable company policies and operating procedures are followed.
• Corporate Office Liaison. Acts as principal contact point between franchisees and head office departments to communicate or solicit information, collect data, resolve issues, etc.

Education & Experience

College level graduate (preferably from a Business, Retail or Marketing program) and/or extensive retail experience Minimum of 2 to 3 years’ retail chain experience at a District or multi-store management level in a large retail chain; ideally gained in a progressive franchise-based operations role. Demonstrate strong retail visual merchandising skills.

Job Specifications

Best Practices Consulting Works with franchisees to develop and implement individual business -operational strategies and tactics aligned with company brand standards. Analyses reports gather insights and inform recommendations. Critical thinking to assess current state and offer tailored recommendations. Promote new marketing initiatives, tying it back to Franchisee’s business goals. Consult on merchandising store to support new product launches and/or to adhere to company brand standards (e.g. store resets, ongoing suggestions to support sales) Identifies and documents “best practices” for general distribution and communication within their district; this contributes to the knowledge sharing process (run by the RDs). Transfers “best practices” from one franchisee to another within their region (staffing, training, event planning, wholesale sales- right product in the right place – product recommendations – ability to adjust/flex recommendations based on the store and context Expectation of being in stores to actively coach franchisees 3.5-4 days per week. Regular cadence of in-person store visits (minimum every 6 weeks) & monthly (email/phone) follow-up on wholesale visits. Corporate Liaison Acts as an escalation contact between the franchisee and various Head Office departments to communicate changes, resolve difficulties, gather information and advocate on behalf of franchisees (e.g. with common issues occurring across franchisees) Monitors local competition and reports to their Regional Director on relevant market activity, i.e., vacancies in center, construction, anchor tenant changes, mall renovations and new home development. Coordinate key store activity tasks in collaboration with cross-functional partners (e.g. real estate, corporate Regional Director/District Manager, store-set-up, Human Resources) – follow up on any deficiencies. Retail Operations Excellence Works confidently with and trains all aspects of the Point of Sale and Web Ordering + Merchandising. Works with new and existing franchisees to ensure all franchisees and their staff are adequately trained in procedures and product knowledge, including following up with franchisees to ensure all mandatory learning has been completed. Thoroughly follows the FBC Monthly Visit checklist to ensure all items are completed per cadence; Through a combination of formal Store Audits and informal audits of pricing/marketing (quarterly), etc.; Submits appropriate documentation of non-compliance issues with Franchise Agreement to Regional Director Conducts quarterly Safe and Ready or Brand Standards Audits Complete all mandatory learning assignments. Communication Prepare and distribute information to the franchisees as required, including store-specific reporting. Review Pet Connect regularly for updates and/or action items. Works on special projects as required.

Additional Skills

• Able to work independently, organize their work.
• Able to multi-task and move from day to day-operational activities to planning level activities as required.
• Able to prioritize day-to-day activities (per business priorities)
• Able to negotiate and influence others through effective communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Able to adjust messaging to the audience.
• Able to manage conflict.
• Sales focused (+ sales specific skills)
• Results driven; willingness to strive for improvements.
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Strong customer service skills and a sense of urgency
• Organized with excellent follow up to quickly close off issues.

Technical Proficiency

Must hold a current driver’s license and be able to drive. Overnight trips may be required. Must be able to work occasional evenings/weekends/holidays when required.

Compensation

The targeted salary range for this position is $70,000 - $80,000 annually. The final offer will be based on factors such as market location, relevant skills, experience and internal equity.

Ready to join the team?

We’re looking for passionate people who bring strong skills and live our core values of safety, compassion, expertise, and efficiency every day. If you’re energized by doing meaningful work, taking pride in what you deliver, and making a real impact for pets, people, and communities, you’ll feel right at home here. Join us and build a career where purpose, care, and excellence come together - because love lives here.

Why work for us?

At Pet Valu, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We’re passionate about creating an environment where you feel supported, included, and empowered to grow - both personally and professionally. Some of the perks of working with us include:

• Hybrid, Flexible Work Options
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits
• Employee Share Purchase Plan with company matching
• Learning and Development support tailored to you
• An inclusive, collaborative culture where your voice matters
• Fun company events that keep us connected
• Preferred rates for car rentals, hotels, phone plans and gym discounts
• Generous employee discounts on our products

Pet Valu is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusion and accessibility. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). At Pet Valu, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our hiring practices. This posting is for an existing vacancy. Pet Valu may use AI enabled technology to assist in the recruitment process for positions. The use of AI helps us ensure we are providing an equitable and streamlined recruitment experience for all applicants. While AI tools support our recruitment process, all decisions throughout the process are made exclusively by Pet Valu’s hiring team. At no stage does AI determine recruitment outcomes We believe in investing in the development of our people and have an industry-leading promotion rate. Our mission is to offer the highest quality products at a great value to improve the quality of life for all pets and pet owners.