Vice President of Real Estate - Double Seven Development

NOTE: This position will be on-site at our headquarters in Franklin, TN. 

Who we are:
Fourteen Foods is the largest Dairy Queen franchisee in the world, with nearly 250 restaurants in 13 states, and we’re growing! We are faith-based with a Mission of “Shepherding world-class restaurants that celebrate our commitment to faith, people and community.” Our Support Center headquarters is in Franklin, Tennessee, where we work together on-site. We also have offices in Louisville, KY., and Bloomington, MN. Please visit www.fourteenfoods.net to learn more about us. 

What you’ll do: The Vice President of Real Estate will work in close partnership with the CEO, CFO, our in-house legal team, and others in the company, and will lead the real estate team. Fostering relationships with existing franchisees is paramount. The VP, Real Estate will have bottom-line profit and loss responsibility for acquisitions, project conceptualization, planning, permitting, market and financial analysis, financing, and retail leasing. They will interface with design and construction and successfully develop or redevelop QSR real estate.   

How you’ll do it:

• Participate in the identification, feasibility analysis and negotiation of existing franchisees and real estate acquisitions.
• Acquire and develop QSR sites and non-QSR sites for investment and operational purposes.
• Collaborate with internal clients and external advisors as opportunities arise, presenting formal conclusions on strategic fit, valuation, deal structure and related items as appropriate.  
• Source and analyze the feasibility of potential development sites and evaluate associated development schemes.
• Development planning for successful development of Quick Service Restaurant projects, which would include extensive financial investment analysis, pro-forma modeling of acquisitions and new developments, opportunistic investment strategies and potential public participation.
• Source acquisition opportunities, conceptual planning.
• Direct activities with attorneys, architects, engineers, and other consultants to plan projects related to public entitlement, site permits, acquisition due diligence, and closing activities. 
• Work with local citizen groups, governmental bodies, and other interested parties to obtain necessary project permits and entitlements. 
• Monitor and assure timely completion of the investment and development within the established budget, schedule, and required investment returns.
• Develop and exhibit executive courage and an ability to effectively facilitate robust, fact-based, productive dialogue at the senior levels.
• Initiate, plan and manage the marketing and leasing plan for development/investment opportunities, including all aspects of marketing materials and promotion, broker relations and supervision of listing agents (as applicable) to broadly expose property, anticipate competition, and secure lease prospects. 
• Pursuing prospective tenants for leasing of available retail space and other non-hospitality project components and negotiate letters of intent and lease agreements directly with tenants to ensure the achievement of stated development and investment goals. 
• Understand and negotiate all aspects of lease agreements to determine the impact of each lease on the value of each development/investment. 
• Provide leadership, mentoring, professional guidance, direction and supervision to other internal team members, including Development Project Managers and Investment Analysts. 
• Consult with and assist Asset and Operations Managers in identifying operational and management issues, opportunities and benefits relating to development design and construction and transfer of property to portfolio status or sale at completion. Such consultation will include materials and equipment selection, which will be used in developing projected stabilized operating budgets. 
• Work with Development team to transition project acquisition and entitlement to project programming, design and delivery phase
• Continue to grow and develop relationships within the Dairy Queen corporate team while communicating and monitoring additional growth in existing and future markets

Required experience and what you need to be great at:

• Minimum of 15 years of hands-on real estate experience preferably within the Quick Service Restaurant industry. This should include a series of accomplishments that indicates increased responsibility and demonstrated performance in a broad array of development experience including public finance and incentives, permitting, design, construction, finance, and leasing. 
• An undergraduate degree in engineering, construction, real estate, architecture, business, finance and/or economics. MBA or MS in Real Estate or Finance a plus. 
• Must possess strong financial analyses skills, including detailed discounted cash flow analysis utilizing Argus, Excel or similar programs, and demonstrated ability to analyze and implement complex financial models and structures and evaluation of corresponding risks. 
• Highly effective communication, presentation and listening abilities are essential for navigating company investment/development opportunities through the multitude of public and private steps for successful completion of economic goals and objectives. 
• Must have robust interpersonal skills, social intelligence and political acumen. 
• Ability to set personal and project priorities and be highly organized in day-to-day and longer-term planning and execution, and track and maintain complex schedules effectively.
• Leadership and the ability to mentor and extract the highest potential from supporting personnel and outside vendors and consultants. Must aspire to be a “Level 5 Leader” and lead by example.
• Sophisticated research skills required to collect and analyze market information, aggressively compete against industry participants for increased market share, establish facts and interpret an extensive array of information in order to draw conclusions, prepare and defend recommendations and make the critical investment decisions with corresponding authority and minimal oversight. 
• Must possess good instincts and strong situational awareness. 
• Demonstrated ability to source, negotiate and execute retail leases.
• Demonstrated ability to procure entitlements and building permits. 
• Demonstrated ability to source, negotiate and close the acquisition of raw land and existing buildings.