Savory is seeking an experienced and execution-oriented Vice President of Development to lead all aspects of restaurant development across our growing portfolio. This executive will play a critical role in driving the firm’s expansion efforts—overseeing site selection (in partnership with our VP of Real Estate), design, construction, and opening of new restaurant locations. The ideal candidate is a restaurant development veteran with strong project management skills, deep construction and design knowledge, and a track record of delivering successful, scalable restaurant builds on time and within budget.
Key Responsibilities:
- Strategic Planning & Expansion
- Lead the development strategy for new restaurant locations across multiple brands.
- Identify high-potential markets and work with internal and external partners to build market entry plans.
- Align development goals with investment timelines and brand strategies.
- Site Selection & Real Estate
- Evaluate and participate in the approval process of new locations based on market analysis, operational feasibility, and financial performance projections.
- Design & Construction Management
- Manage the full lifecycle of restaurant buildouts—from concept design through construction to opening.
- Oversee architects, contractors, engineers, and consultants to ensure consistent brand execution.
- Standardize development processes and create scalable building prototypes where applicable.
- Project & Budget Oversight
- Lead development projects with tight control over timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
- Monitor and report on key project metrics to stakeholders and investment partners.
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner with operations, finance, marketing, investment and culinary teams to ensure readiness and alignment for each restaurant launch.
- Build and manage a high-performing development team as the company scales.
Qualifications:
- 10+ years of experience in restaurant development, with a proven track record of building and opening multiple successful restaurant units (fast casual, casual dining, and/or upscale concepts).
- Strong experience managing third-party vendors and internal teams for design, construction, and project management.
- Deep understanding of restaurant architecture, kitchen layouts, building systems, and permitting processes.
- Ability to lead multiple concurrent development projects across geographies.
- Financial acumen to manage multi-million-dollar development budgets.
- Highly organized, results-driven, and capable of thriving in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
- Bachelor's degree in construction management, real estate development, architecture, or related field preferred.
Savory Restaurant Fund Company Culture Highlights:
- Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Company Outlook 2023
- Winner of Comparably's Award for Best CEOs for Women 2023
- Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Places to Work in Salt Lake City 2022
- Winner of Comparably's Award for Best Career Growth 2022
- Savory Restaurant Fund is ranked in the top 5% of companies for Overall Culture on Comparably.
- Savory Restaurant Fund is ranked in the top 5% of companies for Manager Score on Comparably.