Franchise Development Lead: New Center Openings

Skilz for Kids; Frisco (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Opportunity for advancement

Paid time off

Parental leave

Training & development

401(k)

Bonus based on performance

Competitive salary

Dental insurance

Employee discounts

Job summary

KidStrong is seeking a Development Specialist to support new center openings, manage development timelines, and coach franchisees. This role partners with Pre-Development, Construction, and HQ teams to accelerate opening success and maintain brand standards.

You will own project schedules, coordinate with contractors and vendors, and ensure accurate documentation and CRM data throughout the lifecycle.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of project management or coordination experience.
• Background in construction, franchise operations or real estate development, including the technical vocabulary, is preferred.
• Associate or Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Proven ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects at once in a fast-paced environment, with strong attention to detail.
• Working knowledge of project management methods, including critical path scheduling, milestone tracking and KPIs.
• Proficient in Google Workspace, Zoom, Teams and project management tools such as ClickUp, Asana or Smartsheet.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work professionally with internal teams and external partners.
• Self-starter with strong problem-solving skills and a customer service mindset

Responsibilities

• Support a portfolio of 15–20 centers, owning each center’s development timeline by tracking dates, key milestones, resources, and project information in project management software.
• Own each center’s scorecard: track status against goals and provide action-oriented, data-driven recommendations to achieve opening goals.
• Identify potential project slippage early and escalation project risks with mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate new project requests and maintain a comprehensive database of upcoming projects.
• Partner daily with franchisees, internal Pre-Development and Construction teams, and external partners to develop new KidStrong centers.
• Work across departments, including executive leadership, marketing, accounting, and training, to expedite the development process and drive franchisee success.
• Schedule and facilitate weekly recurring project calls with franchisees, general contractors, pre-development managers, and construction managers.
• Report operational updates, successes, and areas of improvement to HQ leadership.
• Set up, organize, and maintain accurate project files throughout the entire development lifecycle.
• Process key documentation and complete follow-ups (e.g., Landlord/Seller approvals, consultant proposals, franchisee approvals).
• Request, track, and distribute drawings, surveys, and geotechnical reports.
• Audit CRM client data entries to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Build strong working relationships with outside consultants, including architects, civil engineers, city government officials, expeditors, vendors, and general contractors.
• Coordinate vendor delivery schedules and maintain proactive communication with vendor partners to avoid delays.
• Participate in initial virtual kickoff meetings to guide franchisees through the pre-sale and operational setup processes.
• Coach ADs to stay on track and meet brand standards and requirements, escalating when needed.

Skills

Project coordination

Communications

Google Workspace

ClickUp

Asana

Smartsheet

Problem solving

Multitasking

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Education

Associate or Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Zoom

Teams

Job description

KidStrong is seeking a Development Specialist to support new center openings, manage development timelines, and coach franchisees. This role partners with Pre-Development, Construction, and HQ teams to accelerate opening success and maintain brand standards.

You will own project schedules, coordinate with contractors and vendors, and ensure accurate documentation and CRM data throughout the lifecycle.