About Cult Fit:
Cult Fit is a leading health and fitness brand dedicated to making wellness accessible and enjoyable. With a network of innovative fitness centers, we collaborate with franchisees to deliver world-class experiences and expand our reach.
Role Overview:
As the Senior Launch Program Manager, you will lead and manage a team to drive Cult Fit’s franchise expansion and successful center launches across designated regions. You will oversee franchisee relationships, site selection, business case planning, and operational execution while ensuring alignment with Cult Fit’s strategic vision. This high-impact leadership role demands exceptional organizational, analytical, and people management skills to deliver successful outcomes.
Key Responsibilities:
Team Leadership & Management
- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team responsible for managing all aspects of franchise expansion and center launches.
- Provide clear direction, set priorities, and ensure accountability across the team to meet project and organizational goals.
- Foster a collaborative and performance-driven culture within the team, encouraging innovation and ownership.
Franchise & Partner Management
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with franchise partners, ensuring seamless collaboration throughout the launch process.
- Oversee the team’s support for franchisees in site and micro-market identification, aligning with Cult Fit’s strategic goals.
- Lead the development and approval of site-specific business cases, securing partner alignment on financial and operational plans.
Program & Project Oversight
- Own and oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of new center launches, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to quality standards.
- Guide the team to work closely with internal stakeholders (Real Estate, Operations, Marketing, HR, Finance, and Quality) to ensure launch readiness across all functions.
- Monitor project progress through detailed tracking and reporting, proactively addressing challenges to ensure smooth execution.
Strategic Site Selection & Real Estate Coordination
- Direct the team’s efforts in scouting and evaluating potential sites, adhering to Cult Fit’s site selection guidelines and market strategy.
- Conduct and oversee market analyses, including competition presence, residential density, and branded retail data, to build a robust point of view (POV) for site selection.
- Facilitate high-level negotiations with landlords in collaboration with franchisees and the Real Estate team to finalize lease agreements.
Process Optimization & Stakeholder Engagement
- Lead initiatives to enhance launch processes, reducing timelines, optimizing costs, and improving customer experience.
- Drive alignment across cross-functional teams to ensure operational readiness, including staffing, tech audits, presales strategies, and marketing initiatives.
- Leverage insights and data from past launches to refine strategies and create best practices for future projects.
Key Skills & Qualifications:
- Leadership Experience: Proven ability to lead and manage teams in high-pressure, dynamic environments.
- Strategic Thinking: Strong capability to align team efforts with organizational goals and drive impactful results.
- Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Real Estate, or a related field (MBA preferred).
- Professional Experience: 7+ years in program management, franchise expansion, or business development, with at least 3 years in a leadership role managing teams.
- Analytical Skills: Expertise in data-driven decision-making and process optimization.
- Communication & Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to engage and align internal teams, external partners, and franchisees.
- Problem-Solving: Strong ability to anticipate challenges, propose solutions, and resolve conflicts effectively.
- Travel Flexibility: Willingness to travel for site visits, partner meetings, and market research.
