VP of Real Estate and Development

Listed wages are based on company-wide ranges. Actual earnings will vary based on factors such as: restaurant brand, experience, education, geography, applicable minimum wage, unit volume(s), hours worked & potential overtime pay.

Job Title: Vice President of Real Estate & Development

Location: Southern California

Reports To: CFO

The Role:
The Vice President of Real Estate and Development will be critical in driving growth and optimizing a large portfolio of commercial real estate for one of the ten largest franchise restaurant operators in the country. The position will report to the CFO and the ideal candidate can roll up their sleeves and operate in a fast-paced growth company.  This role oversees restaurant remodels & new-store development, adjacent commercial real estate investments, lease portfolio management, and entitlement activities. The ideal candidate is a strong leader with a successful track record of managing relationships with brokers, landlords, city planners, and internal resources.

Who you are:

• Ability to thrive in a complex, fast-paced growth environment.
• Strong desire to minimize risk, strategize, create, and execute growth plans.
• Adept at organizing/creating process improvements.
• Proven people manager who can lead, drive, and motivate direct reports and indirect resources.
• Strong sense of teamwork with the ability to foster relationships and gain agreement with timelines from both internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to adapt according to the market and the continuing innovation at WKS.
• Passion for organization and an aptitude for prioritizing multiple projects.
• Strong collaborative partner to the business and Executive Team.
• Track record of successful negotiations and decision-making in commercial real estate.

What You’ll Do:

• Pro-actively manage a lease portfolio of ~375 franchise restaurants including renewal negotiations, relocation projects, and closures.
• Manage, find and acquire additional restaurant development opportunities, including adjacent commercial real estate properties.
• Lead the investment and portfolio management committee for the Company to make asset optimization decisions.
• Oversee the entitlement and planning process for the company’s new store and remodeling projects.
• Drive priorities under the Key Initiatives that impact the enterprise across the real estate organization.
• Lead team and participate in negotiations of real estate transactions that impact the business meaningfully.
• Collaborate with functional areas throughout the company, including but not limited to HR, Finance, Legal, and Operations.
• Liaise with the Company’s legal resources regarding lease negotiations and lease revisions; oversee and provide insight into the negotiations and document lease extensions and other lease amendments.
• Maintain accountability and performance of team results through frequent reporting of KPIs and metrics.??
• Proactively communicate timing and all related details and turnover status to the construction team.  

 The Qualifications:

• Minimum 10 years of executive leadership experience in commercial real estate.
• Strong track record of business partnering with C-suite/senior-level executives.
• Strong leadership skills and proven ability to build high-performance teams that can operate in a high-growth environment.
• Strong relationships with national landlords, brokers, and other related entities.
• A successful track record in strategic execution of commercial real estate projects such as lease negotiations, acquisition transactions, and commercial development projects.
• Bachelor’s degree with advanced degree preferred.??
• Proven analytical and deal-negotiating skills.??
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills and proven experience in cultivating collaborative working relationships with teams across an organization
• Entrepreneurial spirit.