Director of Real Estate

Job Summary

The Director of Real Estate is responsible for growing the Chicken Salad Chick (CSC) brand through new restaurant development resulting in the highest quality and profitable locations. Create, manage and execute the strategic development of trade areas/markets to maximize new restaurant potential. Manage the development process from the initial phases of broker and site selection through to a successful grand opening. Brand units are both corporate and franchise owned, and this position supports successful expansion and aggressive growth of both segments.

Essential Responsibilities

• The creation and execution of market development plans to facilitate the brand’s growth objectives.
• Provide full support to franchise owners, including interpretation of market analytics, broker selection, site selection, deal analysis, preparation and submittal of sites to the CSC real estate committee, and lease negotiations (to an advisory extent only).
• Corporate store development responsibilities are similar to those of franchise growth, adding collaboration with CSC legal support to negotiate and finalize leases and contracts, along with supporting the CSC design and construction team to facilitate openings on time and on budget.
• Evaluate viability of potential sites for new CSC openings, to include on-site visits, summarization of strengths and weaknesses including analysis of demographic data, traffic patterns and ingress/egress, signage, co-tenancy and zoning regulations.
• Will assist in maintaining the existing corporate location portfolio with its corresponding rent and NNN payments, renewals, relocations, and ongoing documentation.
• Work closely with the franchise sales team to confirm viability of new markets to sell, and onboard newly signed franchise groups to position them for success.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to maintain excellent professional relationships with brokers, legal counsel, landlords and developers, plus collaborate with internal franchise sales, construction, operations, marketing and training teams to deliver the planned number of quality deals and store openings.
• Possess the overall ability to distinguish a great site from an average one, utilizing both in-market visits and analytics/modeling tools.
• To successfully negotiate terms of Letter of Intents, leases, and build-to suit arrangements to protect the best interests of the CSC brand.
• Possess and cultivate a strong broker and developer network, and regularly attend industry related conferences and deal-making sessions.
• Fostering and maintaining productive relationships with franchise owners is critical.
• Excellent oral and written skills, to include formal presentation experience to approval committees.
• Ability to work independently, or manage others, as circumstances dictate.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Power Point and Excel.
• Available to travel at an appropriate level to successfully execute development plans with franchise owners or for corporate markets.

Education and Experience

• 7 years experience in site selection and retail real estate leasing.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, real estate or related field preferred.
• Restaurant development experience, along with collaborating with franchise owners, is a plus.

Physical Demands

• Exert up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including papers, boxes and/or computer equipment.

About Chicken Salad Chick

• Chicken Salad Chick is the nation’s only fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept. Spreading Joy, Enriching Lives, and Serving Others is our purpose.
• Our brand provides the highest quality ingredients and offers our guests a happy and welcoming feel and decor, specializing in a wide variety of fresh, house-made chicken salads, soups, sandwiches and desserts.
• As of YE 2025, will have 325 restaurants open across 22 states.
• Growing rapidly in metropolitan, mid-size and rural markets.