The General Manager of Development is a key member of the Mad Mex Leadership Team, contributing to the overall strategy of the business and leading the expansion goals of the organisation.

This is a hands-on role responsible for leading the Development Department, ensuring the development functions of leasing, design & construction, and franchising (including franchise sales) achieve strategic and expansion goals whilst working coherently with the wider organisation.

Key Responsibilities:

LEADERSHIP

• Lead the Development team to achieve expansion goals, with excellence, and whilst living the Mad Mex values
• Maintain and continue to build the Mad Mex culture and engagement of people through effective people leadership and management of teams
• Runs department WIPs, property & project meetings, leading and aligning all stakeholders to achieve the common goal
• Contribute as a member of the Leadership Team, sharing experience and partaking in decisions that are in the best interest of the business.
• Ensuring the Development team works cross-departmentally to ensure all departments are aware of and contributing to projects as applicable.
• Communicate to and involve all levels of the organisation as required
• Responsible for delivering board and management reporting related to expansion and business goals
• Provides coaching and development opportunities to the Development Team 

HEAD OF LEASING 

NEW & EXISTING 

• Leads the strategic process for the new Restaurant pipeline and presents to Leadership Team for collaboration and consensus.
• Leads the team to analyse data and create a national leasing strategy of potential, viable site locations.
• Lead the search for the best sites, ensuring all new site proposals meet financial, strategic, and expansion parameters before presenting them to Leadership Team
• Ensures the Lease Eagle platform is complete and up to date with all relevant leasing information
• Ensures there are systems in place to actively and proactively report to the business on the status of current and future leases
• Builds relationships with Landlords to be the “Restaurant of choice” for all A-grade locations.
• Ensures the completion, and availability of high-standard supporting “marketing” documentation for all proposals to Landlords.
• Leases are negotiated and renewed correctly with terms favouring Mad Mex. REPs are produced and presented to Leadership Team and CEO for sign off

FRANCHISING 

NEW FRANCHISEES & MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING 

• Lead the Franchise Sales Manager to build a pipeline of approved Franchise candidates
• Ensures the Franchise Sales Manager utilises and maintains the data in the ZOHO CRM recruitment platform
• Ensures the Lease Eagle platform is complete and up to date with all relevant Franchise documentation
• Ensures the Franchisee pipeline, aligns with the new lease pipeline, and every upcoming Restaurant has an approved Franchise candidate.
• There are clear processes in place ensuring franchise documents are adhered to with respect to leasing and all necessary timelines
• Ensures Franchise renewals are occurring and communicated to the Leadership team no later than 8 months before the end of the Franchise Agreement
• Franchising is operating with the strictest compliance
• Franchising is conducted in line with Australian Laws 

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION 

NEW BUILDS & REFURBISHMENTS 

• Lead the Design & Construction Project Manager
• Own projects lifecycle - from initial site inspections to final handover to operations, and completion of defects o Assess potential sites with Development Team
• Define project requirements, scope, and budget
• Translate project objectives into tasks
• Proactively maintain a current awareness of the project activities and status
• Identify and prioritize existing and potential issues and risks, and develop strategies and controls to mitigate them
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and within the scope and within budget
• Conduct inspections of potential sites
• Review leasing documents to prepare design brief and CAPEX documentation
• Works with Design & Construction Project Manager to direct the design process with external design firms and the CEO
• Provide Standard details and Standard briefing to all 3rd party designers
• Ensure Authorities’ approvals are obtained as required incl. council, food authority, etc
• Consider BCA / DDA issues and advise
• Confirm scope with Landlord and understand Contractor requirements
• Leads the Design & Construction Project Manager to coordinate tender, analyse submissions & make recommendations to Mad Mex
• Provide expert advice on construction methodologies, sequencing, building issues, and clash detection
• Ensures Design & Construction Project Manager manages timelines to deliver the project ahead of the design schedule
• Works with team to source materials & design finishing and organise procurement
• Oversee defects & rectification defects & organise additional items/changes to the design as required by Mad Mex
• Ensures Design & Construction Project Manager delivers an excellent new restaurant handover and opening schedule
• Oversee remodelling projects of existing locations
• Leads the team to manage/coordinate additional ad-hoc design projects 

Qualification & Experience:

• Strong leadership and organisational skills, especially the capacity to successfully manage several team members to deliver on competing priorities and deadlines
• 5+ years of Leasing Management experience
• 2 + years of Construction Project Management experience
• 2+ years of Design Coordination / Project Management experience
• Experience working in, or a good understanding of the franchising & QSR industry
• Strong communication & interpersonal skills, including the ability to confidently liaise with key stakeholders (both internally & externally)
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Strong knowledge of Project Management processes
• Proven ability to identify and mitigate risks
• High attention to detail, thoroughness, & follow-up skills
• Capacity to work independently with minimal direction and also collaboratively in a team environment.
• Some domestic travel involved
• On occasion, this role will require interstate and intrastate travel.