Director of Non-Traditional & Licensee Development

The Director of Non-Traditional, Express & Licensee Development is responsible for driving Franchise and Licensing growth within the overall Pizza Hut US business.  This individual is accountable to grow the non-traditional business in service of New Unit Growth in the US.  This will involve strong collaboration with senior leadership and major partners like Target, AAFES, and HMSHOST to implement strategic initiatives, ensuring they meet the unique needs of Express locations while maintaining brand consistency. 

This BOLD and COURAGEOUS leader plays a central role in all the strategic, financial, franchise recruitment, marketing, operational and license administration aspects of the business, serving as a critical liaison between Express partners and Pizza Hut and Yum! Leadership.  This big business leader is expected to bring forward some audacious growth plans and strategies.  

Key Responsibilities:

Franchise Development & Relationship Management

• Act as a single point of contact for franchise development-related activities in the assigned territory and assigned non-traditional channel.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with franchisees, licensees, and real estate partners to influence development and ensure commitments align with market plans.

End-to-End Franchise & License Development Process

• Oversee all phases of franchise & license development lifecycle, including market planning, site selection & approval, real estate contract negotiation, permitting, construction, and turnover/grand opening on projects from inception.
• Ensure timely approval and execution of development actions, maintaining accurate forecasting and risk assessments.
• Use project management processes to track progress against milestones and communicate updates effectively (i.e., current projects, forecasted pipeline, etc.).

Compliance & Development Approval

• Ensure all franchise and license development activities are compliant and consistent with all related processes and policies, including Pizza Hut US Development Approval Committee requirements.
• Support asset reviews and ensure brand compliance for remodels, renewals, and franchise-to-franchise transfers in the territory.

Market Strategy & Analysis

• Contribute to the execution of Pizza Hut US growth and development strategies by providing market insights, including benchmarking and competitive analysis for priority DMAs.
• Collaborate on the development of tactics to accelerate growth and align with the US market plan.

Franchise Recruitment, Onboarding

• Support franchise recruitment efforts to fill strategic brand needs, identifying high-potential candidates for new franchise development or acquisitions.
• Assist in the assessment and qualification of new franchisees, ensuring a seamless onboarding process.

Non-Traditional (Licensee) Development Strategy

• Seek to build a new pipeline of unique development opportunities.  These can include In-Organic Growth, Mergers and Acquisitions, and BOLD Non-Traditional opportunities
• Develop and execute strategies to identify high-potential markets and partners for non-traditional expansion. 
• Serve as a subject matter expert for the non-traditional channel, developing cross-functional solutions to unlock growth. 

Required Qualifications:

• You will be required to attend the Plano, TX office 3 days a week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, when not traveling.
• Travel: 40-50% Travel Required
• 10+ years of experience in development, strategy, finance, market planning, real estate or related experience with demonstrated organizational impact and increasing responsibility in related areas.
• Experience in multi-unit restaurant/retail industry, franchise or license (non-trad) required.
• Ability to structure and articulate complex ideas using data-driven approach
• Sound internal motivation, intellectual curiosity, and a desire to have a large impact.
• Advanced influencing, negotiation and sales skills.
• Clear and effective communication across all channels with people at various levels, whether internal or external to the organization, including Franchisees.
• Capable of efficiently managing workload with shifting priorities, working autonomously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, and generating actionable recommendations.
• Advanced skills in Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated proficiency in site selection, trade area analysis, real estate contract negotiating or construction management.
• Knowledge of Power BI, SmartSheet

Education/Certifications 

• BA/BS in business, engineering, real estate, finance or related field (Masters or MBA preferred).

Salary Range: $164,400 - $188,800 annually + bonus eligibility and stock-based compensation. This is the expected salary range for this position. Ultimately, in determining pay, we'll consider the successful candidate’s location, experience, and other job-related factors. 

Who We Are

Founded in 1958, Pizza Hut - a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. - now operates more than 18,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Pizza Hut is leading the way in providing customers with great experiences, innovating with technology and new products, as well as delivering exceptional service.

Our People & Culture

We're looking for people who LOVE pizza and thrive in a fun, past paced, and customer-centric environment. At our corporate campuses, Pizza Hut has created the perfect place for you to grow your career. Every day, you’ll work to support our franchisees and teams across the U.S., continuously challenging yourself to feed more possibilities. In return, we’ll provide professional development and career growth opportunities so that you can become your best and achieve your goals. And we’ll sweeten the deal by immersing you in our world-class recognition culture and providing a robust array of benefits, some highlights include:

• Hybrid work schedule and year-round half day Fridays 
• Onsite childcare through Bright Horizons 
• Onsite dining center
• Onsite gym with fitness classes and personal trainer sessions 
• 4 weeks of vacation per year plus holidays and time off for volunteering 
• Tuition reimbursement and education benefits 
• Generous parental leave for all new parents and adoption assistance program 
• 401(k) with a 6% matching contribution from Yum! 
• Comprehensive medical & dental including prescription drug benefits and 100% preventive care

Giving Back

As a global company, Pizza Hut aims to make the world better by acting responsibly with respect to food, planet and people. Whether it’s donating food through the Harvest Program or supporting literacy with the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program – the company, our franchisees and our team members are committed to improving the communities we serve.

Pizza Hut is an equal opportunity workplace and committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability and genetic information (including family medical history).