Franchise Development Director

Location: Fully remote or optional access to our Allen, TX corporate office | Occasional travel required
Job Type: Full time
Compensation: Competitive base salary depending on experience and scope, with $150,000 to $250,000+ total compensation potential based on performance

About Special Strong

Special Strong is an adaptive fitness franchise serving children, adults, and veterans with disabilities.

We have 35 operating franchises, 48 sold franchises, and 90 total territories across approximately 20 states. We are adding 3 to 6 new franchises per month and scaling toward 100 operating franchises in 2027.

We are looking for a proven Director of Franchise Development who can drive production, strengthen the development process, and help build the systems and team required for continued growth.

This leader will play an important role in helping Special Strong scale toward a potential strategic partnership in 2027 or 2028 by building a disciplined, predictable, and less founder-dependent franchise development function.

The final scope of responsibility will depend on experience, track record, and leadership capability.

The Role

You will lead qualified franchise candidates from initial conversations through signed agreements and funding while improving conversion, pipeline discipline, and the overall franchise development process.

For the right candidate, this role may also include broader responsibility for strategy, team leadership, forecasting, and overall franchise development performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead franchise candidates from qualification through funding

• Conduct discovery calls, presentations, webinars, and validation conversations

• Build strong relationships with candidates and their advisors

• Own pipeline management, forecasting, CRM discipline, and next steps

• Improve conversion throughout the franchise development process

• Partner with marketing to improve lead quality and candidate acquisition

• Strengthen franchise development systems, processes, and reporting

• Build a more predictable and scalable franchise development function

• Coordinate a strong handoff into onboarding

• Help recruit, train, and develop franchise development talent as the team grows

Qualifications

• Proven success in franchise development, business development, or consultative sales

• Proven experience personally producing franchise sales

• Experience leading or developing a franchise development team strongly preferred

• Strong closing, communication, and relationship-building skills

• Strong sales judgment and ability to guide complex business decisions

• Experience with CRM systems, forecasting, and performance metrics

• High ownership and consistent follow-through

• Willingness to travel as needed

Experience in fitness, healthcare, education, or service-based franchising is a plus.

Compensation

Compensation will be structured based on experience, track record, production expectations, and final scope of responsibility.

• Competitive base salary

• Performance-based franchise commissions

• Additional territory commissions

• Annual performance incentive opportunity

• $150,000 to $250,000+ total compensation potential for high performance

Why Special Strong

Our culture is rooted in Christian faith and guided by our STRONG core values: Stewardship, Transparency, Relationship-Focused, Ownership, Non-Judgment, and Generosity.

This is an opportunity to join a growing national franchise system, directly influence its next stage of growth, and help build the franchise development function required for the future.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Special Strong is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.