Franchise Support Specialist

About Hana Group
Hana Group is a global leader in ready-to-eat Pan-Asian cuisine, bringing fresh, chef-crafted sushi and Asian-inspired dishes to customers through our in-store kiosks and food service operations. With a presence in major grocery retailers across the U.S., we’re committed to delivering high-quality food that’s convenient, delicious, and prepared with care. Our culinary teams operate with a passion for food and a dedication to service that drives every customer interaction.

Our Culture
At Hana Group, we believe our people are the heart of our success. We’re proud to foster a diverse and inclusive work environment where team members feel empowered, supported, and inspired to grow. Whether you're rolling sushi, managing a kiosk, or supporting operations behind the scenes, your work makes a real impact on the customer experience and the company’s success. We invest in our employees through hands-on training, leadership development, and clear pathways for career advancement.

Why Join Us
Joining Hana Group means being part of a fast-paced, entrepreneurial company that’s transforming the way people eat. We operate with a focus on food safety, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction, while never losing sight of the people who make it all happen. If you're passionate about food, thrive in dynamic environments, and want to be part of a company that’s growing across the U.S., Hana Group could be the perfect fit for you.

We are seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Franchise Development Support Specialist to join a high-growth team to support the Hana Group franchise development and compliance teams. This role is instrumental in growing our franchisee base and supporting Hana Group expansion through the recruitment and operations transition process and compliance administration. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment and brings strong organizational, communication and problem-solving skills to support a growing franchise network.

Key Competencies

• Demonstrating in-depth understanding of franchise development processes and compliance requirements
• Managing complex franchise documentation and effectively prioritizing across multiple development projects
• Providing dedicated support to franchise candidates and internal development teams Ensuring excellence in data integrity, analysis, and reporting
• Facilitating clear, cross-functional communication between development, compliance, and operations teams
• Overseeing process management and documentation specific to franchise agreements, renewals, and transfers
• Utilizing franchise management technology to drive development and compliance efficiency
• Maintaining meticulous attention to detail in franchise contracts, disclosures, and compliance records

Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage incoming leads, ensure accurate entry into database, and assign leads to development team. Perform regular audits of leads to ensure accurate and complete information by team.
• Ensure franchise candidates are properly disclosed and within the scope of franchise regulations and that disclosure is properly documented. Participate and aid in the facilitation of the FDD annual renewal process with the Director of Franchise Development.
• Maintain primary responsibility for the franchise database. Ensure data is entered correctly and completely by yourself and team members; validate accuracy and consistency in collaboration with the Director of Franchise Development and other teams. Identify opportunities for automation of tasks to streamline team performance. Set up new users and manage users; work with the third-party vendor to update or add functionality as business needs grow.
• Prepare franchise agreements for signature and facilitate their return prior to training attendance.
• Follow process to ensure documentation related to brand or company-to-franchise conversion process is completed. Engage the development team to identify a potential franchisee.
• Receives franchisee requests for transfer and facilitates franchisee through documentation process. Engages franchise development team to assist in finding potential transferee.
• Responsible for tracking pending franchisee renewals and receiving franchisee intent to renew documents and follows process to send out renewal documents.
• Receives communication from the franchise operations support team regarding defaults and terminations and provide notice to the franchisees. They will engage the franchise development team when there is a need to recruit a replacement franchisee.
• Help operations and development identify trends in compliance issues and development gaps and engage the team to seek solutions when internal processes or policies are identified as influencing these trends.
• Assist with training franchisees on the use of franchise database as it pertains to accessing information and reporting issues.
• Coordinate updates and ensure accuracy of franchise opportunity marketing materials across various channels

This job posting describes the general duties and responsibilities for the position. Other duties may be assigned as needed

Technical Skills & Experience

• 3-5 years of experience in franchise operations, retail, compliance/legal, or administrative support (sushi or food industry is a plus).
• Contracts background a strong plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Strong data entry, tracking and reporting abilities

Soft Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail and follow-through
• High level of discretion with sensitive information
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Team player with collaborative spirit
• High level of integrity and professionalism, with a commitment to ethical standards.
• Technology savvy – Able to learn new technology quickly and identify ways to utilize the technology to fit the business needs. Able to assist with questions on the use of technology.
• Proactive problem-solver ready to provide ideas

Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Hospitality, Pre-Law/Political Science, or related field preferred.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

• We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Rx coverage
• Short Term Disability and Life insurance
• Paid company holidays plus paid time off (PTO)
• Comprehensive training opportunities and tuition reimbursement
• Career growth through internal promotions

Hana Group, North America is an equal opportunity employer.

$75,000 - $85,000 USD Annually