Position: Real Estate Development Manager
Reports to: Vice President of Development
Department: Real Estate
Purpose: The Real Estate Development Manager is a key contributor to Excel Fitness’s growth strategy, supporting the Vice President of Development across all aspects of new club development and asset management while owning an independent deal pipeline. This position plays a critical role in sourcing, evaluating, and securing new Planet Fitness locations, with direct responsibility for driving deals from initial site identification through LOI negotiation and lease execution. The Real Estate Development Manager will work closely with brokers, landlords, legal counsel, and internal teams to ensure successful site delivery and the long-term performance of the portfolio.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Own and manage an independent pipeline of new site opportunities across assigned markets, driving deals from initial site identification through executed lease.
- Manage broker relationships across assigned regions to identify and evaluate new site opportunities.
- Lead the negotiation of Letters of Intent (LOIs) and lease agreements, representing Excel Fitness’s interests and partnering with legal counsel to finalize deal Develop and maintain strong relationships with landlords, developers, and real estate partners to ensure Excel Fitness remain tenant of choice.
- Create and maintain real estate committee presentation decks for new site approvals and leadership review.
- Liaise with the Planet Fitness Corporate Real Estate team to ensure compliance with franchisor requirements and reporting standards.
- Own all facility-related functions related to landlord obligations including work tickets, notices, and reporting.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for landlord communication, ensuring timely resolution of property and maintenance issues.
- Partner with the legal team to manage and track ongoing facility-related issues across portfolio.
- Maintain and oversee all real estate abstracts and portfolio data to ensure accuracy and completeness within the lease management system.
- Maintain accurate and timely reporting of the real estate pipeline for internal stakeholders across the enterprise.
- Partner with construction, design, and operations teams to ensure alignment on site delivery timelines and landlord deliverables.
- Provide analysis and reporting for leadership and FP&A as needed to support strategic growth decisions and annual budgetary forecasting.
- Lead market strategy discussions and drive multi-year development schedules in partnership with the Director of Real Estate.
- Manage all asset management responsibilities across the portfolio, including lease administration, landlord relations, renewal planning, and proactive identification of portfolio risks and opportunities.
- Lead disposition efforts for underperforming or closed locations, including assignment and sublease negotiations, to minimize financial exposure across the portfolio.
Qualifications:
- High School diploma or equivalent required. Preferred Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Finance, Business, or related field preferred.
- 5+ years of commercial real estate experience with a demonstrated track record of independently sourcing sites, negotiating LOIs, and executing leases for a national franchise, multi-unit retailer, or real estate developer.
- Experience working in a Real Estate Department, preferably within a multi-unit retail or QSR environment.
- Familiarity with franchise operations and franchisor compliance requirements is preferred.
- Strong market analysis and site selection skills with a solid understanding of real estate processes, contracts, and deal structures.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and lease management systems (Visual Lease experience preferred).
- Demonstrated project management ability with strong organizational and analytical skills.
- Self-starter with an ownership mentality, sense of urgency, and commitment to meeting goals.
- Excellent presentation and communication skills with the ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization.
- Skilled at developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with brokers, landlords, and internal cross-functional partners.
- Proven ability to problem-solve, manage competing priorities, and adapt in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
- Dedicated learner who demonstrates curiosity, initiative, and continuous improvement.
Supervisory Responsibility: This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
Work Environment: This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that a Team Player must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Regularly required to talk and hear.
- Frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
- Occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
- Must frequently lift and move up to 15 pounds and occasionally lift and move objects up to 50 pounds.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: This is a full-time, exempt position. Under the Regulations, Part 541, an exempt Team Player is one who is not entitled to the minimum wage or overtime pay protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Standard workdays and hours are Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. This position may work outside of normal business hours, including evenings and weekends.
Travel: 25% travel may be expected for this position.
EEO Statement: Excel Fitness is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to the policy of equal employment opportunity in recruitment, hiring, career advancement, and all other employment practices.
Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the Team Player for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
JOIN THE CLUB.
Enhancing people’s lives with an affordable, high-quality fitness experience requires a team of inspiring, motivated and fun-loving go-getters. As one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States, Planet Fitness is just getting warmed up. We’re continuously seeking top talent to join us in cultivating the Judgement Free Zone® and shaping the future of our brand. With more than 2,000 locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Mexico and Australia, there’s plenty of opportunity on our Planet and we are always looking for talented individuals to join our team!
Our member mission says it best: our product is a tool, a means to an end; not a brand name or a mold maker, but a tool that can be used by anyone. To use our product, members need to feel inspired and motivated. That’s where you come in. If you’re looking for a place where you can make a difference in a customer’s life, you’ve found it. Come to add your mojo to the Judgement Free Zone, but stay for the feeling that you’re making a difference on our Planet.
TO FIND YOUR PERFECT FIT, SEARCH FOR A CLUB OPPORTUNITY NEAR YOU.
