Head - Business Development - Retail

HONEYCOMB RETAIL (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

Head - Business Development - Pan India

Reporting to: Director / CEO / VP Operations

KRA:

- National Expansion Strategy - Annual New Outlet Targets & Territory Roadmap

- Franchise Development - Pipeline, Due Diligence & Agreement Closure

- Site Portfolio Management - Location Identification, Evaluation & Acquisition Pan India

- BD Team Leadership - Managing BDMs, Senior Executives & Field Teams

- Franchisee Relationship Management - Onboarding, Performance & Retention

- Market Intelligence & White Space Mapping

- Cross-Functional Coordination - Projects, Operations, Legal, Finance & Marketing

- BD Budget & P&L Ownership

- Board-Level Reporting & Expansion Performance Reviews

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

- Proven ability to build and execute Pan India expansion strategies for QSR, retail, or F&B franchise brands

- Deep understanding of franchise development - franchisee profiling, due diligence, financial modelling, and agreement structuring

- Strong expertise in site identification and commercial real estate negotiation - high street, mall, food court, and standalone formats

- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performance BD teams across multiple territories

- Sound commercial acumen - site viability assessment, overhead analysis, ROI modelling, and investment projections

- Strong network in commercial real estate, mall development, and franchise investor communities

- Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management - dealing with landlords, developers, legal teams, and senior franchise partners

- Strategic thinker with ability to identify white space opportunities and translate them into actionable expansion plans

- Proficiency in MIS reporting, pipeline dashboards, and CRM tools

- Strong cross-functional leadership - ability to align Projects, Operations, Legal, and Finance for end-to-end store launch delivery

- Willingness to travel extensively across Pan India

Qualifications & Exposure:

- Graduate in any discipline; MBA (Marketing / Strategy / Business Development) strongly preferred

- 10 - 15 years of progressive experience in business development, franchise expansion, or commercial real estate

- Minimum 3 - 5 years in a leadership or team management role within a BD function

- Prior experience driving Pan India or multi-region franchise expansion for a QSR, retail, or F&B brand is strongly preferred

- Track record of opening 20+ outlets per year in a prior role is an advantage

- Exposure to franchise agreement structuring, commercial negotiation, and legal documentation is essential

Duties & Responsibilities:

National Expansion Strategy & Planning:

- Define and own the annual and 3-year Pan India expansion roadmap - new outlet targets, city prioritisation, formats, and investment requirements

- Conduct national white space analysis to identify untapped territories, growth corridors, and priority markets

- Develop territory-wise expansion plans with quarterly and annual milestones for each region

- Align expansion strategy with business objectives, brand positioning, and Operations team capacity

- Build and maintain a national site pipeline tracker covering active leads, sites under evaluation, LOIs issued, and agreements signed

- Present expansion strategy, pipeline status, and performance updates to Director/CEO and Board regularly

Franchise Development & Pipeline Management:

- Build and manage a robust Pan India franchise lead pipeline - covering Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities

- Develop and implement franchisee prospecting strategy through referrals, exhibitions, digital campaigns, investor events, and field outreach

- Conduct thorough due diligence on prospective franchise partners - financial capability, location, operational readiness, and brand fit

- Lead franchise presentations and ROI discussions with prospective partners - pitching investment model, brand value, and support ecosystem

- Negotiate and finalise franchise agreements in coordination with the legal team - ensuring terms are commercially sound and brand-protective

- Track lead-to-closure conversion metrics and continuously optimise the franchise sales funnel

- Manage relationships with franchise brokers, investor communities, and channel partners for ongoing lead generation

Site Identification & Property Acquisition:

- Oversee and drive national site identification - high street, malls, food courts, mixed-use developments, and standalone properties

- Personally lead negotiations for strategic or high-value site acquisitions and set commercial benchmarks for the team

- Ensure rigorous site evaluation framework - footfall assessment, catchment analysis, competition mapping, and viability modelling

- Review and approve site evaluation reports from BDMs before escalating to leadership

- Negotiate commercial terms - rent, CAM, fit-out contributions, and lease tenure - with landlords, mall developers, and real estate partners

- Coordinate with the legal team on LOI, MOU, and lease agreement documentation for all new locations

- Maintain national property pipeline with stage-wise status from prospecting to agreement execution

BD Team Leadership & Development:

- Build, lead, and develop a Pan India BD team comprising BDMs, Senior Executives, and Field Executives across regions

- Set individual and team targets - new leads, site visits, franchisee meetings, LOIs, and closures - and drive accountability

- Conduct weekly pipeline reviews, monthly performance assessments, and quarterly business reviews

- Coach and mentor team members on site evaluation, negotiation, franchisee prospecting, and deal closure

- Identify training needs and build team capability through structured programs and on-the-job mentoring

Franchisee Relationship Management & Retention:

- Build and maintain strong long-term relationships with existing franchise partners across all regions

- Monitor franchisee performance at a portfolio level and coordinate with Operations to drive improvement

- Identify and pursue multi-outlet expansion opportunities with high-performing existing franchisees

- Address franchisee escalations and commercial disputes at a senior level with speed and professionalism

- Conduct periodic franchisee satisfaction reviews and use feedback to refine the franchise model and support systems

Cross-Functional Coordination:

- Work closely with the Projects team to ensure new sites move from agreement signing to store opening within defined timelines

- Coordinate with Operations on outlet readiness, training deployment, and launch readiness assessment

- Partner with the Legal team on all franchise and property documentation - ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely execution

- Liaise with Finance on investment approvals, site capex budgets, and franchisee financial modelling

- Work with Marketing on franchise lead generation campaigns, brand visibility in new markets, and new store launch support

Market Intelligence & Competitive Strategy:

- Stay current on QSR industry trends, competitor expansion activity, real estate market dynamics, and consumer behaviour shifts

- Conduct regular competitor analysis - new store openings, formats, locations, franchise models, and commercial terms

- Identify emerging growth markets and untapped geographies and present recommendations to leadership before competitors do

- Track industry benchmarks for franchise fee structures, territory rights, royalty models, and commercial lease terms

- Use data and market insights to refine the expansion playbook and improve the quality of site selection decisions

BD Budget, P&L & Reporting:

- Own and manage the annual BD department budget - team costs, travel, events, lead generation, and due diligence expenses

- Track and report BD P&L performance - cost per new outlet, cost per lead generated, and overall expansion ROI

- Prepare and present weekly, monthly, and quarterly BD performance dashboards to Director/CEO

- Ensure BD MIS is accurate, current, and actionable - covering pipeline, conversions, site approvals, and new openings

- Develop business plans and financial models for new territory entry, city-wise expansion proposals, and strategic franchise initiatives

- Prepare detailed quarterly and annual BD reviews for Board-level presentations covering expansion achievements and forward roadmap

About Polar Bear:

Polar Bear - The Ice Cream Sundae Zone is a popular Indian ice-cream brand that started in 2008 in Bangalore and has grown into a large chain of sundaes and ice-cream parlours across many cities in India. They are known for their wide variety of 100% dairy and vegetarian ice creams, sundaes, shakes, cakes, and fun dessert treats, served in vibrant and welcoming outlets that delight customers of all ages.

A beloved ice cream sundae brand from India serving a wide range of creamy, 100% dairy vegetarian desserts across multiple cities since 2008

Website:

https://polarbear.co.in/