Looking for an exciting opportunity to provide gooey grilled cheese and heart-warming soup to foodies and non-foodies everywhere…Our Mission is to “Make People Happy” It’s that simple. Each support crew position offers an individual the opportunity to make his or her contribution towards that mission. If you’re ready for a career built on making others happy, then THE MELT is the right place for you

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, THE MELT is simply "Grilled Cheese Happiness™." Currently operating 23 locations throughout California, this fast casual eatery combines chef-inspired, all-natural, wholesome food with innovative online ordering technology in an eco-friendly environment. 

The growth of THE MELT is fueled by a solid management team led by Flip Video founder Jonathan Kaplan and a top-tier board of directors including Ron Johnson, former head of retail operations at Apple; Mike Moritz, Bruce Dunlevie and Michael Marks, three prominent silicon valley venture capitalists; and Michael Mina, a James Beard award winning chef and restaurateur. Visit melt.com for more information. 

The Vice President of Real Estate and Development will provide strategic leadership and hands on direction for THE MELT’s real estate acquisition, store design, construction and facilities maintenance programs. This position will be responsible for developing the market prioritization and site selection process; for coordinating the efforts of real estate brokers, developers and landlords; managing the attorney’s and lease negotiations as well as ongoing lease administration; leading the store design team in creating highly efficient/aesthetically appealing store plans; and directing construction project manager(s) to quickly and efficiently open store locations.

Responsibilities:

Real Estate:

• In collaboration with the CEO and cross functional business partners, establish and implements market development plans and strategies considering the existing degree of market penetration, analysis of specific trade areas, and availability of quality locations that meet site selection criteria.
• Establish and communicate site selection criteria to the CREB (commercial real estate brokers) network, developer’s and landlord’s

• Oversee the real estate team, acquire and review demographics, psychographics, and related information needed to make an informed analysis of, and recommendations for acquiring, obtaining, or disposal of leased properties.
• Analyze and evaluate data on a wide variety of real estate matters, including title/use information, architectural documentation and property surveys.
• Approval point of all purchase contracts and leases to include: approval of appropriate lease structures, business terms, rents and leadership team approval conditions to assure compliance with legal and company standards relative to lease documentation, use requirements and rent controls.
• Liaise with Company’s legal resources regarding lease negotiations and lease revisions; oversee and provide insight into the negotiations and document lease extensions and other lease amendments (kick out’s, performance clause rent reductions, etc.).

Design, Construction and Facilities:

• Lead and direct the Design, Construction and Maintenance teams to ensure all projects and maintenance are delivered in timely and cost effective manner. 
• Work with Design and Operations on ensuring space optimization for each location footprint
• Based upon pipeline of new store openings, establish relationships with key fabricators and manufacturers of FFE for pre-opening order protocol to ensure on time delivery or cost effective build to’s of FFE.
• Prepare and maintain budgets, forecasts and report financial performance relating to all construction, architectural, and final execution of all store construction functions.
• Collaborate with the Operations team to ensure full consideration of operational issues in all capital projects, from design to delivery, while working within the confines of departmental budgets.
• Build teams of general contractors to perform on new store construction, retrofits and remodel projects through establishing rigorous and consistent vetting process.
• Be current on licensing and permitting practices within the municipalities slated for current and future MELT growth.

• Bachelor's degree in related field (i.e. Finance, Accounting, Operations), MBA highly desirable
  
• 10+ years’ experience in Real Estate related functions with at least 3 years in a Retail Real Estate leadership role
• Prior experience in the fast-casual restaurant space with a high growth oriented retail brand. A proven track record in real estate site selection and site approval for a multi-state, multi-unit environment and a strong working knowledge of commercial construction.
• Established network of CREB, Retail Developers and Landlords in both traditional and non-traditional retail formats.
• Knowledge of back-of-house and front-of-house restaurant design & construction.
• Strong analytical skills – experience with creating store pro-formas and economic analysis/ evaluations.
• Knowledge of site plan engineering, zoning laws, local ordinances, leases and contracts.
• Proven leadership and management skills. 
• Relationship management and boardroom level communications skills.
• Demonstrated ability to execute effectively in a cross functional environment.
• Must eat cheese.
• Must Deliver Happiness

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.