Director of Real Estate Development

About Tierra Encantada Tierra Encantada is the fastest-growing Spanish immersion early education® company in the U.S., providing high-quality care and education to children ages 6 weeks to 6 years. Our model blends language immersion, strong operational standards, and a focus on whole-child development to deliver a differentiated experience for families and educators alike. Backed by a $30M investment from a premier minority investor, we are scaling nationally and on track to double in size every 18-24 months over the next five years. Our growth and performance have been recognized by the Financial Times (The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies), Inc. Magazine (10 Hottest Franchise Businesses in America), and Entrepreneur Magazine (Top 50 Franchise Companies Championing Diversity). We are building a company where operational excellence and accountability are non-negotiable. As we scale rapidly, ensuring consistent performance and strong leadership across centers is critical, making this role a key driver of our continued success. This is an opportunity for a leader who thrives on solving problems, driving measurable results, and building high-performing teams in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. At Tierra Encantada, our values fuel everything we do. We are passionate about nurturing children's growth and creating intentional learning environments that inspire curiosity and development. We celebrate the richness of diversity, embracing the unique perspectives it brings to our community. Guided by optimism, we are driven by a shared vision for a brighter future for every child, family, and team member we serve. Join us and be part of a mission-driven team that is committed to making a lasting impact-one child, one family, and one community at a time. Position Overview The Director of Real Estate Development will own the full front-end development process-from market strategy and site selection through lease execution, entitlements, permitting, and preconstruction coordination. This individual will serve as the primary real estate partner to franchisees and internal stakeholders, ensuring projects move efficiently from market approval to opening. This is a highly autonomous role ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment and can build structure, drive accountability, and make informed decisions with limited internal real estate infrastructure. Pay and Schedule This is a full time, exempt position with a typical schedule of Monday through Friday with 4 days per week on site at our corporate headquarters in Minneapolis,MN , and 1 day per week WFH. The base salary range for this position is $130,000 – $150,000 annually depends on qualifications, education, and experience. This position is also eligible for an annual performance bonus. Key Responsibilities Real Estate Strategy, Site Selection & Sourcing Own and drive the identification, sourcing, and evaluation of potential sites for corporate locations. Build and manage broker relationships and external real estate networks to generate high-quality site opportunities. Define and refine site selection criteria, trade areas, and market priorities aligned with company growth goals. Conduct site feasibility analysis, including demographics, competition, access, zoning, and overall viability. Present site recommendations and key risks to leadership and/or the Real Estate Committee. Support franchisees in site selection by advising on trade areas, location quality, project risk, and speed to opening. Lead the creation and development of territory maps. Deal Execution, LOIs & Lease Negotiation Lead negotiation of LOIs, leases, renewals, relocations, and other real estate agreements. Structure deals to balance speed, flexibility, risk, and financial performance. Negotiate key business terms including rent, abatements, TI allowances, contingencies, delivery conditions, and use protections. Serve as the primary internal reviewer of leases and real estate agreements, identifying risks and ensuring alignment with company standards. Manage and coordinate external legal counsel as needed. Advise franchisees on LOIs, lease terms, landlord negotiations, and risk considerations to improve deal quality and reduce avoidable delays. Escalate stalled negotiations quickly and drive issues to resolution. Partner with landlords throughout construction to negotiate necessary lease amendments, protect against rent commencing before the location is operational, and secure additional tenant improvement allowances when landlord-delivered conditions result in unanticipated build-out costs. Entitlements, Permitting & Preconstruction Own the development process from site control through permit release. Develop and execute entitlement and permitting strategies, including zoning analysis, variances, and municipal approvals. Coordinate architects, engineers, consultants, and other third-party partners during due diligence and preconstruction. Represent Tierra Encantada in meetings with municipalities, landlords, developers, consultants, and other external stakeholders as needed. Build and manage project schedules with clear milestones, owners, dependencies, and escalation paths. Proactively identify risks and remove roadblocks to accelerate timelines. Partner cross-functionally to ensure alignment on scope, budget, schedule, and open readiness. Support handoff into construction once permit release is achieved, while maintaining continuity on unresolved municipal or landlord obligations. Franchise Real Estate Support Serve as the primary real estate advisor to franchisees, guiding them through site selection, deal negotiation, zoning, and development processes. Coach franchisees to improve speed, decision-making, and overall deal quality. Balance brand standards, speed to opening, and franchisee economics in all real estate decisions. Improve visibility into franchise development status, risks, and next steps across the pipeline. Pipeline Management & Execution Own and manage the real estate development pipeline from site identification through permit release, with accurate, current status reporting for leadership. Build and maintain development trackers, dashboards, and reporting systems Establish a weekly execution cadence with clear milestones, owners, and accountability. Provide visibility into pipeline health, risks, timelines, and progress to leadership. Drive process improvements to reduce delays and improve development outcomes. Systems, Tools & Process Development Utilize and optimize tools such as Smartsheet, SiteZeus, FranConnect, or similar platforms to manage site selection and development tracking. Build scalable systems, templates, and SOPs to improve speed, consistency, and visibility across the development function. Position Requirements 7+ years of experience in multi-site commercial real estate and/or land development environments in early childcare, retail, QSR, or other related industries. Proven experience leading site selection, LOI and lease negotiation, due diligence, entitlements, and preconstruction processes. Strong understanding of commercial lease structures and ability to review, redline, and negotiate real estate agreements with a clear understanding of legal and business risk. Experience evaluating prospective real estate locations for zoning, land-use, permitting, and other entitlement requirements strongly preferred. Experience working with or managing external legal counsel on real estate transactions. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects across different markets and municipalities. Experience supporting franchisees or multi-unit operators strongly preferred. Strong financial and analytical skills, including evaluating deal economics and site feasibility. Experience using development tracking and site selection tools (e.g., SmartSheet, SiteZeus, FranConnect, or similar). Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to operate independently with a high level of ownership. Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across internal teams, franchisees, brokers, landlords, and municipalities. Hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves style with a focus on accountability, speed, and results. Ability to travel as needed (approximately 1–3 days per month or as required by projects). Preferred Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Business, Construction Management, Urban Planning, Architecture, or related field. Experience building or improving real estate development processes in a high-growth organization. Familiarity with childcare, education, retail, or franchise development environments. Benefits Medical insurance Dental insurance Vision insurance 12 paid holidays PTO accrual of 160 hours 401(k) with 3% employer match Discounted childcare and waitlist priority for enrollment Company paid professional development Corporate office amenities (gym, wellness/nursing room, onsite company cafe with coffee, espresso bar, beverages, and snacks available to employees at no cost, onsite free parking), casual work environment, and employee-focused events. Additional Information About the Position Tierra Encantada is an equal opportunity employer. Agency applications will not be considered.  No immigration sponsorship is available for this position.  E-Verify is used to verify employment eligibility.