Company Background

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is an iconic brand, steeped in history. It is a 78-year-old company in a start-up growth phase with great upside opportunity. Named as one of the 10 fastest growing restaurant brands in 2021, according to the NRN Top 500, this is an exciting time to join Handel’s. Since 2020, Handel’s has more than doubled its footprint to 130 stores, with plans to open up to 30 new stores in 2024. Along with this tremendous growth comes the need to continue building the operational capabilities and talent necessary to achieve Handel’s short and long-term goals.

The Opportunity

The Construction Manager is a strategic and tactical leader that coordinates and oversees the design and construction process for Handel’s new stores and retrofits. They are responsible for full cycle management of construction projects, including the selection and management of reliable and innovative architects, the oversight of general contractors, through to the successful completion of the project. The role requires strong project management skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with travel in field during each build out. The Construction Manager is responsible for ensuring that all construction projects adhere to Handel’s brand guidelines. This position interacts with executive leadership, cross functional teams, Franchise Owners and vendors to ensure optimal working relationships, service, and results. 

Here’s the Scoop:

• Interacts daily with Franchise Owners to collaborate and manage project deliverables. Provide daily support and assistance to identify obstacles and solutions.
• Supports the franchise development pipeline by managing all new store construction and existing store reinvestment and retrofit projects, budgets, and delivery timelines
• Responsible for managing a construction dashboard for team visibility on progress, and ensuring complete and timely construction files are maintained for all projects
• Develops and facilitates the end-to-end design and construction process, including the selection and management of local architects, engineers, and the general contractor bid process to provide input during review and negotiation
• Ensures quality and adherence to design specifications, building codes, and blueprints for new franchise stores or remodeling construction projects
• Authorizes changes to schedule or materials, and works proactively with Franchise Owners to prevent potential problems and assist with mitigation of any issues impacting safety, schedule, cost, or compliance to Handel’s brand guidelines
• Manage prototype updates as needed
• Protects the brand, ensures quality construction, and generates efficiency and cost savings
• Collect pre-qualification documents for architects and general contractors
• Works directly with Franchise Owners to expedite the design, permitting, and construction process for each location
• Travels in the field (up to 4-5 days per month) to visit franchise locations in various stages of lease negotiation, design, permitting, and construction.
• Perform site audits to review layout plans, inspect the work of contractors, resolve issues, and ensure all materials and plans are consistent with Handel’s brand specifications and construction remains on schedule to meet opening timelines
• Coordinates with Real Estate, Design, Equipment & Signage, Operations, and IT/POS corporate staff, and manages related vendors to ensure a smooth process for each Franchise Owner from lease negotiation through opening day
• Ensures construction projects are completed and closed out, through final costing, punch-lists, documentation, certificates of occupancy and insurance
• Identify opportunities and recommendations for continuous improvement throughout construction projects
• Partner with architects to develop design solutions to space planning and construction challenges

Qualifications

• At least 3-5 years of franchise, restaurant industry, and/or multi-unit construction management experience
• Demonstrated success managing multiple construction projects simultaneously with a high-growth brand (project buildouts, contractors, budgets, delivery timelines)
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

What You Will Bring:

• Strong familiarity with standard construction bidding and budgeting practices
• Effective leader with a proven and creative ability to meet objectives
• Focused on supporting Franchise Owners with an internal customer service mindset
• Strong business acumen and collaborative interpersonal skills
• Strong project management skills with a high attention to detail
• Self-motivated, organized, and solution-oriented, with a high level of urgency and demand for excellence
• Flexible and able to prioritize and manage change while meeting objectives and deadlines
• Comfortable working in a hands-on, lean, entrepreneurial environment with the ability to pivot quickly
• Ability to develop new systems and processes, and make existing processes better, to effectively scale operations to meet growth objectives
• Effectively builds professional internal and external relationships at all levels of the organization
• Ability to maintain confidential and proprietary information
• Outstanding verbal and written communication
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Disciplined time management and follow-up skills

Location

The Construction Manager can be based in Atlanta, Georgia, or based remotely with close proximity to a major airport. Travel expectations are 4-5 days a month.

Reporting Relationship

The Construction Manager will interact directly with senior leadership and will report directly to Handel’s VP of Store Development and Product Innovation.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary commensurate with candidate experience and demonstrated skills

Bonus Opportunity

Generous medical, dental and vision benefit plans

Employee life insurance plan 

Competitive paid time off (PTO) paid holidays

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream provides equal opportunity without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, or disability. EOE/AA.