Restaurant M&A and Franchise Transactions Manager

The Restaurant Portfolio Manager is responsible for managing complex, high-impact restaurant portfolio initiatives across multiple brands, including acquisitions and dispositions of corporately owned restaurants and franchisee-to-franchisee transfers. This role partners closely with Finance, Legal, Real Estate, Operations, HR, Accounting, and Franchisees to evaluate and approve franchise transfers and execute transactions efficiently from initial analysis through post-close cleanup. The Portfolio Manager plays a critical role in advancing enterprise portfolio strategy by providing strong financial analysis, operational insight, process discipline, and proactive problem-solving across a high-volume, fast-paced transaction environment.

• Portfolio Acquisitions & Dispositions (50%)

  Support end-to-end execution of restaurant transactions, including financial analysis, business case development, leadership recommendations, LOI execution, diligence coordination, closing, and post-closing cleanup. Utilize and maintain financial models to evaluate transaction economics and support strategic decision-making. Coordinate cross-functional deal teams, driving accountability, timelines, and deliverables. Draft, review, and manage transaction-related schedules, exhibits, due diligence materials, lease and rent analyses, and vendor/contract evaluations.
  
  Develop and standardize tools, templates, and workflows to improve efficiency and consistency.

• Franchise Transfers (40%)

  Independently manage franchise transfers across brands, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely completion. Review and evaluate transfer components, including P&Ls, funding sources, debt structures, ratios, and approval requirements. Serve as a trusted resource for franchisees by explaining financial templates, transfer requirements, and approval processes. Lead continuous improvement efforts for transfer templates, checklists, and systems.

• Other (10%)

  Provide analytical support for ad hoc business development situations within our Brands.

The above percentages are estimates subject to change dramatically from month to month as events arise and priorities shift.

• Minimum:
  Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field
• Preferred: MBA or Master’s Degree in Finance

• Minimum 3+ years of experience in corporate finance, investment banking, transaction advisory, corporate M&A.

• Strong technical, analytical, and problem-solving skills with an emphasis on financial returns
• Sound knowledge of financial principles
• Excellent communication skills and ability to navigate through a Transaction Process involving Franchisees, Financing Institutions. Attorneys, Investment Bankers/Business Brokers, and Landlords
• Ability to manage a process involving cross functional teams in the execution of M&A Financial Transactions
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power Point and experience working with various Financial Systems and Valuation Models.
• Working knowledge Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook
• Preferred:
  Negotiating Experience

Inspire is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,400 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC restaurants across 55 global markets. We’re made up of some of the world’s most iconic restaurant brands, but we’re much more than just a restaurant company. We’re a team of hundreds of thousands who individually and collectively are changing the way people eat, drink, and gather around the table.

We know that food is much more than a staple—it’s an experience. At Inspire, that’s our purpose: to ignite and nourish flavorful…