Franchise Manager - Expansion

Role : Franchise Manager - Expansion

About the Role :

HomeTown is launching a Franchise Investor, Company Operated (FICO) store model as part of its national expansion. This role owns the channel end-to-end - from identifying and closing franchise investors to getting stores open and performing. A ground-floor build with direct CRO access.

What You'll Do :

Pipeline & Business Development :

- Source and qualify franchise investors - HNIs, family offices, regional businesspeople, mall owners.

- Leverage existing investor and retail networks to generate warm leads, particularly across East and South India.

- Represent HomeTown at industry forums and investor networks to drive inbound interest.

Location Diligence :

- Evaluate proposed locations on catchment, competition, footfall potential, and format fit.

- Build a location scoring framework with internal retail ops and category teams.

Investor Qualification & Negotiation :

- Assess investor financial capacity, intent, and background.

- Lead commercial negotiations - capex structure, revenue share, lock-in, exit clauses.

- Drive term sheets and franchise agreements to closure with legal and finance support.

Onboarding & Activation :

- Own partner onboarding from signed agreement to store launch.

- Coordinate across store design, procurement, HR, and ops for fit-out readiness.

Ongoing Partner Management :

- Primary relationship owner post-launch.

- Manage investor expectations on returns and store performance.

- Resolve friction between investor expectations and operational realities.

What We're Looking For :

- 6 - 10 years in franchise development, retail BD, or investor-facing sales.

- Strong existing market relationships in East and South India - non-negotiable.

- Proven track record of closing franchise or investor deals, not just building pipelines.

- Can read a location P&L and construct an investor return model.

- Prior experience in retail, F&B, or consumer brands with FICO/FOFO models preferred.

- Entrepreneurial, resilient, and discreet - long cycles, sensitive conversations.

What's on Offer :

- Ownership of a new channel being built from scratch.

- High visibility role with direct CRO reporting and leadership access.

Key Metrics :

- Qualified investor conversations

- Agreements signed

- Time to store launch

- FICO store EBITDA.