Store Development Manager

At Caribou Coffee we create day-making experiences that spark a chain reaction of GOOD!  This is our purpose.  Our team brings this to life by focusing on what’s really important – TEAM, GUEST, BUSINESS!  It’s that simple.  If you’re ready to work somewhere you can be yourself while making an impact on your community, creating life-long relationships, and serving the best coffee around, join our herd!  Apply today and be part of the ‘Bou Crew!

Position Overview:

The Store Development Manager is accountable for the full development lifecycle of new Caribou Coffee locations, from market strategy and site identification through store opening. This role leads site selection, deal negotiation, entitlements, design coordination, construction oversight, and operational handoff, ensuring stores open on time, on budget, and aligned with brand standards.

Focused on Core Growth Markets, the manager develops multi‑year market strategies, identifies high‑potential trade areas, and drives accelerated expansion in competitive, high‑priority regions. This includes conducting advanced market analysis, monitoring demographic and competitive trends, and maintaining strong relationships with brokers, developers, and municipal partners to secure high‑quality sites.

The role negotiates purchase and lease agreements, partners closely with operations, design, construction, finance, and legal, and maintains accurate development forecasts while proactively identifying and mitigating risks related to entitlements, construction, or market conditions. Frequent regional travel is required to assess trade areas, engage stakeholders, and ensure project momentum.

Core Responsibilities

Real Estate Acquisition & Pipeline Development

• Own the development pipeline for assigned markets, using robust trade area analysis, broker insights, and competitive intelligence to identify high potential sites and guide long term market strategy.
• Align market penetration plans and development pacing with senior leadership and Regional Directors of Store Operations, supported by data driven growth models and multi year forecasts.
• Manage the existing real estate portfolio, including lease renewals, reinvestment planning, and negotiations informed by performance trends, market shifts, and financial impact.
• Evaluate new markets and submarkets through demographic studies, mobility patterns, psychographics, competitor activity, and retail development trends to determine viability.
• Lead site search, evaluation, and selection for new and repositioned Caribou locations, applying analytical scoring, predictive modeling, and in market validation. Carry approved sites from LOI through entitlement, construction, and opening.
• Develop clear real estate materials—market maps, demographic summaries, performance data, and broker assessments—to support internal decision making and project approval.
• Support financial analysis by supplying accurate market inputs into store performance models and pro formas.
• Maintain and improve market analytics platforms, ensuring accurate data for forecasting, white space identification, and portfolio modeling.
• Conduct ongoing market and demographic research to refine strategies, validate assumptions, and predict store performance.
• Negotiate LOIs and construction work letters in partnership with Legal, Design, Construction, Brokers, and Developers, informed by market norms and competitive rent benchmarks.

Relationship Management with Key Partners & Brokers

• Manage end to end development schedules, identifying risks tied to entitlements, permitting timelines, partner readiness, or regional regulatory trends and escalating as needed.
• Coordinate development timelines with brokers, developers, general contractors, and internal construction and design teams, ensuring clear communication of market assumptions and requirements.
• Drive process and systems improvements to enhance data accuracy, reporting efficiency, and development workflow effectiveness.
• Lead cross functional teams through all development milestones—legal, entitlement, signage, and project scheduling—ensuring timely execution supported by market insights.
• Strengthen cross functional relationships across Operations, Finance, Legal, Design, and Construction to ensure alignment on priorities, risks, and market specific strategies.

Skills:

• Lives our Core Values: Support One Another, Make Fun Happen, Be Yourself, Take Ownership, Serve with Love.
• Strong prioritization, judgment, and decision making in fast paced, high growth, and ambiguous environments.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with brokers, developers, municipalities, and cross functional teams.
• Creative, goal oriented, and resourceful in identifying market opportunities.
• Effective stakeholder manager with strong influencing skills.
• Self starter with initiative and ability to independently drive development opportunities.
• Highly organized; able to manage multiple deals and shifting priorities.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills using market insights and scenario planning.
• Results driven, anticipates risks, and maintains urgency in execution.
• Clear, influential communicator and collaborative partner across functions.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to inspire innovative, market informed solutions.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Finance, Business, Urban Planning, Geography, or related field.
• 5+ years in commercial real estate or multi‑unit retail/QSR development.
• Experience sourcing, evaluating, negotiating, and executing sites through LOI, entitlement, design, construction, and opening.
• Experience with QSR and/or drive‑thru real estate.
• Strong market analysis, GIS/mapping, and financial modeling skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and work cross‑functionally.
• Familiarity with zoning, permitting, and entitlements.

Preferred:

• 7+ years in high‑growth or competitive retail/QSR development.
• Experience creating multi‑year market plans and performance forecasts.
• Established network with brokers, developers, and municipalities.
• Advanced proficiency in location analytics and real estate financial modeling.

Physical Requirements: 
The physical requirements for this position include sitting, standing, bending, lifting, and moving intermittently during working hours.  These physical requirements must be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodation.  

The duties of this position may change from time to time. Caribou reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of Caribou or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive. 

Caribou Coffee Operating Company, Inc. and its affiliates are proud to be Equal Opportunity Employers to all applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type based on any characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

The physical demands for this position are seeing, hearing, speaking, reaching, lifting up to 50 pounds, sitting, standing, for 4 to 8 hours, bending, and moving intermittently during working hours. These physical demands may be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodations.

The duties of this position may change from time to time. Caribou Coffee reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the company or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive.

Caribou Coffee Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Company”) are proud to be Equal Opportunity Employers of Minorities, Women, Protected Veterans, and individuals with Disabilities and do not discriminate based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

Brand: