Job Details

Job Title: Franchise Onboarding Specialist

Position Summary

The Franchise Onboarding & Opening Specialist is responsible for managing franchisees through the full onboarding and pre-opening lifecycle, from the moment a franchise agreement is signed through the day the showroom opens its doors to customers.
This role serves as the primary point of contact for new franchise owners during the launch phase and ensures timely, compliant, and successful openings. The specialist will coordinate business setup, construction and build-out milestones, vendor onboarding, licensing and insurance requirements, and internal cross-functional communication. This role requires strong project management skills, franchise knowledge, and experience with brick-and-mortar openings.

Key Responsibilities
Franchisee Onboarding & Project Management

• Serve as the primary onboarding lead for new franchisees from signing through opening
• Develop and manage detailed onboarding timelines, milestones, and checklists
• Proactively track progress, identify risks, and keep franchisees accountable to deadlines
• Maintain consistent, professional communication with franchisees throughout the onboarding process

• Guide franchisees through required business setup steps, including:
  • Insurance procurement and compliance
  • Entity formation and documentation coordination
  • Required licenses and permits
  • Utility setup and operational readiness
• Ensure franchisees meet all brand standards and franchise system requirements prior to opening

• Oversee the pre-opening build-out process in partnership with franchisees, landlords, and vendors
• Track construction timelines, inspections, and key approvals
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure showroom design, layout, and brand standards are executed correctly
• Identify and escalate delays or issues that may impact opening timelines

• Support franchisees in onboarding approved vendors and service partners
• Coordinate with preferred vendors related to cabinetry, fixtures, technology, signage, and other critical components
• Act as a liaison between franchisees and vendors when clarification or issue resolution is needed

• Collaborate closely with internal teams including Operations, Marketing, Training, Real Estate, legal, and Leadership
• Ensure franchisees are successfully handed off to ongoing operations and support teams post-opening
• Maintain accurate onboarding documentation, notes, and status updates in internal systems

• Track onboarding metrics such as time-to-open, common bottlenecks, and franchisee feedback
• Identify opportunities to improve onboarding processes, tools, and documentation
• Contribute to the evolution of onboarding SOPs and best practices as the franchise system scales

• 3-5+ years of experience in franchising, operations, onboarding, or project management
• Prior experience supporting franchisees or multi-unit operators
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple openings simultaneously
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and follow-through skills
• Ability to work cross-functionally and manage multiple stakeholders

• Experience in brick-and-mortar franchising
• Prior involvement in build-outs, construction coordination, or retail/service business openings
• Experience working with franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) and franchise compliance
• Background in home services, retail, design, or showroom-based concepts
• Familiarity with franchise management or project management software

• Highly detail-oriented and deadline-driven
• Confident communicator who can guide, coach, and hold franchisees accountable
• Problem-solver who remains calm and solutions-focused under pressure
• Ability to balance structure with flexibility in a fast-growing organization
• Strong sense of ownership and pride in helping franchisees launch successfully