Restaurant Development Specialist

Socket.dev; Louisville (KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Retirement Plan

Vacation & Holidays

Free Lunch on Wednesday

Job summary

Socket.dev seeks a Restaurant Development Specialist to drive new restaurant builds and remodels, coordinating with Franchisees, General Contractors, Architects, Brands, and Suppliers. The role focuses on delivering projects on time and within budget while optimizing costs and processes.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree and 2–5 years supporting field projects or related roles, with strong organizational skills and proficiency in ERP systems like Netsuite, and tools such as

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• 2–5 years of experience in supporting field projects, material supply, or 3 years’ experience in order fulfillment, sales support, customer service, warehouse, or supplier management.
• Preferred experience in restaurant or retail operations.
• Strong organizational and time management skills to oversee multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.
• Preferred experience with restaurant equipment and supporting construction/development projects.
• Problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities to proactively identify and resolve issues that may arise during project execution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with ERP systems (Netsuite), PowerBI, SharePoint, and Knowledge Management Systems is also beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Project Management: oversee new builds and remodels, manage plans, provide quotes, schedule orders, and track progress.
• Brand Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement: capture development plans, forecast timelines, drive process improvements, and ensure on-time delivery.
• Issue Resolution: identify and resolve issues with Franchisees, Contractors, Brands, and Suppliers.
• Data & Performance Analytics: maintain project data, use reporting tools, and build proficiency in ERP, PowerBI, SharePoint.
• Additional Responsibilities: ongoing development and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Project management

Communication

Problem solving

Time management

Organizational skills

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Netsuite ERP

PowerBI

SharePoint

Knowledge Management Systems

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Overview of the Position

A Restaurant Development Specialist is a vital member of the Development and Equipment Solutions (DES) Team. This role is pivotal in driving the success of new restaurant builds and remodel projects to support the RSCS DES Annual Operating Plan (AOP). The responsibilities encompass applicable support of YUM! Brands Concepts (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Habit Burger & Grill) and additional members (currently A&W), a network of over 18,000 restaurants and 1,000 franchisees. The Development Specialist will collaborate with Franchisees, General Contractors, Architects, Brands, and Suppliers to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards. Expertise will be instrumental in fostering strong relationships, optimizing project cost, processes, and delivering exceptional results that align with our commitment to excellence.

Hybrid Schedule: 3 days in the office, 2 days remote

Excellent Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, Vacation, Holidays, Free Lunch on Wednesday, and Much More.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Management — o Foster strong relationships with Franchisees and Brands by overseeing new builds and remodel projects. o Ensure the accuracy and integrity of plans and designs. o Perform take-offs from plans and designs. o Provide accurate and timely quotes, including supplier cost comparisons, to minimize store package costs and total cost of ownership. o Obtain necessary quote approvals. o Manage customer build schedules, placing orders to align with supplier lead times and project timelines. o Collaborate with the S&OP team to provide order status and customer shipping information.
• Brand Partnership, Internal Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: o Work with Franchisees and Brands to capture development plans and timelines for forecasting purposes. o Partner with the extended team to identify and implement process improvements. o Utilize all available resources to ensure on-time project delivery. o Serve as a trusted advisor to Franchisee and Brand partners. o Provide exceptional member support and expert product knowledge.
• Issue Resolution — o Proactively identify and resolve issues in collaboration with Franchisees, General Contractors, Brands, Architects, Suppliers, and Freight Carriers. o Identify significant business risks and escalate to appropriate leadership.
• Data & Performance Analytics: o Maintain project management data for proper tracking and oversight. o Use reporting tools to ensure timely delivery. o Build and maintain proficiency in ERP, PowerBI, SharePoint, and Knowledge Management Systems.
• Additional Responsibilities o Pursue ongoing personal and professional development. o Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Recommended Education, Experience, and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Minimum of 2 to 5 years of experience in supporting field projects, material supply, or 3 years’ experience in order fulfillment, sales support, customer service, warehouse, or supplier management.
• Preferred experience in restaurant or retail operations.
• Strong organizational and time management skills to oversee multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.
• Preferred experience with restaurant equipment and supporting construction/development projects.
• Problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities to proactively identify and resolve issues that may arise during project execution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook). Familiarity with ERP systems (Netsuite), PowerBI, SharePoint, and Knowledge Management Systems is also beneficial.