Senior Manager, New Country Entries & Corporate Development, Burger King & Popeyes, EMEA

Ready to make your next big professional move? Join us on our journey to achieve our big dream of building the most loved restaurant brands in the world.   

Restaurant Brands International Inc. is one of the world's largest quick service restaurant companies with nearly $45 billion in annual system-wide sales and over 32,000 restaurants in more than 120 countries and territories.

RBI owns four of the world's most prominent and iconic quick service restaurant brands – TIM HORTONS®, BURGER KING®, POPEYES®, and FIREHOUSE SUBS®. These independently operated brands have been serving their respective guests, franchisees and communities for decades. Through its Restaurant Brands for Good framework, RBI is improving sustainable outcomes related to its food, the planet, and people and communities.

RBI is committed to growing the TIM HORTONS®, BURGER KING®, POPEYES® and FIREHOUSE SUBS® brands by leveraging their respective core values, employee and franchisee relationships, and long track records of community support. Each brand benefits from the global scale and shared best practices that come from ownership by Restaurant Brands International Inc.

Our Opportunity:

RBI is looking for a Senior Manager to join our EMEA Corporate Development, Franchising & Deals team in Zug, Switzerland.

Franchising & Deals is a core growth function within RBI EMEA, responsible for expanding Burger King & Popeyes brands across the region through new country entries, new franchise partnerships and strategic transactions.

The Senior Manager will act as lead for new-market opportunities, taking deal opportunities from initial market assessment through partner identification and selection, business-case development, structuring, negotiation, internal approval and signing.

This is a highly entrepreneurial and commercial role at the intersection of strategy, corporate development, franchising and business development. The successful candidate will combine strong analytical and financial capabilities with commercial judgment, relationship-building skills and the ability to execute.

The role provides significant exposure to RBI senior leadership as well as external CEOs, entrepreneurs, investors, family offices, private equity firms and franchise partners across EMEA.

This is currently an individual contributor role. The successful candidate needs to be comfortable operating with significant autonomy, personally driving analysis and execution while also leading complex cross-functional workstreams through influence rather than formal authority.

RBI follows a five-day, in-office working model. The role is based in Zug, Switzerland, with international travel across EMEA as required.

Your Roles & Responsibilities:

• Lead new-country opportunities end-to-end, from market assessment and partner selection through deal structuring, internal approval and signing.
• Assess and prioritize markets, building investment cases and financial models covering market potential, restaurant footprint, unit economics, capital requirements, returns and key risks.
• Identify, engage and evaluate prospective franchise partners and investors, leading commercial and financial diligence on their capabilities, resources, readiness and strategic fit.
• Develop and negotiate deal structures covering territories, economics, development commitments, investment requirements, governance and risk allocation.
• Develop strong relationships with prospective partners and apply a business-development and sales mindset throughout the deal process, understanding counterparties' motivations and identifying solutions that can unlock transactions.
• Drive cross-functional deal execution, working closely with Legal, Finance, Tax, Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Technology and other teams to assess opportunities and resolve issues.
• Partner with brand’s General Managers and their teams to ensure commercial commitments, development assumptions and deal structures are realistic and executable.
• Own internal approvals by preparing recommendations, investment papers and executive presentations for senior leadership and relevant forums.
• Lead complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and workstreams, maintaining clear accountability and prioritization.
• Continuously improve RBI's approach to market assessment, partner selection, deal structuring and new-country development by incorporating learnings from existing and new markets.

Your Skills & Experience:

• 5-9 years of experience in strategy / consulting / private equity / growth equity / corporate development / business development / investment banking / franchising.
• Previous experience within consumer, retail, restaurants, and foodservice industries is strongly preferred.
• Prior exposure to master franchising / franchising business models, international corporate development or new-market entry is a plus.
• At least a bachelor’s degree, preferably in business, finance, or economics. MBA, MSc or other relevant postgraduate qualifications are a plus.
• Strong strategic, analytical and commercial judgment, with the ability to structure ambiguous problems, assess financial models and investment cases.
• Strong project leadership and communication skills, and executive presence to align cross-functional teams and influence CEOs, investors, entrepreneurs and senior internal stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong attention to detail without losing sight of the broader strategic and commercial objective.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, with the ability to independently produce high-quality financial analyses and senior-level presentations. Familiarity with and interest in AI-enabled tools to improve research, analysis, problem solving and productivity is a plus.
• Fluency in English is required; additional languages are a plus.
• Willingness to travel across the EMEA region as required.
• Authorized to work in Switzerland without work permit sponsorship.

Benefits at all of our global offices are focused on physical, mental and financial wellness. We offer unique and progressive benefits, including a comprehensive global paid parental leave program that supports employees as they expand their families, free telemedicine and mental wellness support.

Restaurant Brands International and all of its affiliated companies (collectively, RBI) are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers that do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, provincial or federal laws, rules, or regulations. RBI's policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment. Accommodation is available for applicants with disabilities upon request.