Development Director – Franchise Expansion

Responsibilities

• Lead franchise development and new market entry across Europe, while supporting growth across the Middle East and India.
• Identify, evaluate, and secure best-in-class franchise partners aligned with long-term brand and commercial objectives.
• Lead complex negotiations and development agreements from initial engagement through to execution.
• Build, manage, and leverage a strong international network of investors, franchise partners, and commercial stakeholders.
• Assess market opportunities, white space, and partner capability to drive scalable and sustainable growth.
• Work closely with internal teams across marketing, operations, supply chain, and QA to ensure successful market entry and franchise performance.
• Provide market intelligence, commercial analysis, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Act as a key representative of the business with external partners across multiple regions.

Requirements

• Proven experience in multi-unit expansion is non-negotiable.
• Strong franchise development experience within QSR is highly preferred.
• Candidates from multi-unit retail or commercial real estate development backgrounds will also be considered.
• Demonstrated success in international new market entry, particularly across Europe.
• Exposure to the Middle East and/or India markets is highly advantageous.
• Exceptional negotiation capability with the gravitas to operate confidently at senior stakeholder level.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen with the ability to assess deal viability and partner quality.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to operate effectively in a lean, fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to travel extensively across Europe, the Middle East, and India.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in franchise development within QSR.
• Background in multi-unit retail or commercial real estate development.
• Exposure to Middle East and/or India markets.

Benefits

• Senior leadership role with significant ownership and influence.
• Direct exposure to executive leadership and private equity stakeholders.
• Clear career progression into a future Chief Development Officer.
• Competitive salary package with performance-based bonus.
• Flexible location: Either Europe or Dubai.

About the Company

We are representing a global, private equity-backed quick service restaurant and franchise brand entering a significant international growth phase. The business operates in a lean, entrepreneurial environment with ambitious expansion plans across Europe, the Middle East, and India.