Senior Franchise Marketing Manager

About Sandbox VR

Sandbox VR offers cutting-edge virtual reality experiences that unite people through immersive entertainment. Since 2017, they've led the location-based VR market, providing guests with engaging adventures in expansive VR spaces equipped with full-body motion tracking and Hollywood-grade motion capture technology. Their mission is to deliver unforgettable journeys such as space exploration, high seas battles, and zombie survival, all within a social setting.

Role Overview

The Senior Franchise Marketing Manager will be instrumental in developing and expanding marketing systems crucial for launching new franchise locations primarily across the U.S. This role focuses on creating repeatable processes, centralized tools, and scalable support structures that franchisees can use to effectively perform local marketing initiatives while preserving brand unity. Collaboration with franchise partners spans from approximately 90 days before store openings to 45 days post-launch.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, refine, and scale a standardized pre-opening marketing framework supporting multiple franchise launches each month.
• Develop comprehensive launch materials including playbooks, timelines, checklists, budget guidelines, and marketing assets to ensure consistent successful store openings.
• Coordinate with internal teams such as Creative, Brand, Growth, CRM, PR, and Operations to deliver localized marketing content and support.
• Advise franchisees on diverse local marketing tactics involving community partnerships, public relations, influencer marketing, paid media, social media campaigns, CRM, grassroots efforts, and event initiatives.
• Provide coaches and strategic guidance to franchise owners through opening milestones to maintain accountability and consistent execution.
• Create scalable training tools including guides, webinars, and onboarding content that empower franchisees to independently manage their local marketing.
• Develop standardized hiring processes to help franchisees recruit marketing and community engagement staff before store openings.
• Identify and manage regional vendors, PR firms, and influencer collaborators capable of supporting multiple markets simultaneously.
• Track and analyze launch metrics such as bookings, revenue, partnerships, media publicity, customer reviews, and guest acquisition, using data insights to optimize future openings.

Measures of Success

• Establish a replicable launch marketing system that franchisees adopt with confidence.
• Enhance pre-opening brand awareness, increase bookings, boost grand opening attendance, and grow first-month revenue.
• Improve collaboration between Marketing, Operations, and franchise partners.
• Expand and refine marketing tools to consistently improve franchise openings over time.

Candidate Profile

• At least 5 years of experience in field, franchise, regional, retail, hospitality, restaurant, entertainment, or experiential marketing.
• Proven track record managing new store openings, grand openings, or local market launches that deliver measurable results.
• Ability to influence franchisees or multi-unit operators effectively without direct command.
• Strong project management skills with capacity to handle several launches concurrently.
• Familiarity with local marketing channels including partnerships, PR, influencer outreach, paid media, CRM, community initiatives, and grassroots campaigns.
• Excellent communication abilities, executive presence, and relationship management skills.
• Willingness to travel frequently to support new franchise market launches.

Benefits

• 4% matching contribution to 401(k) retirement plan.
• Significant equity grants within a rapidly expanding company.
• Comprehensive medical insurance benefits.
• Opportunity for full remote work from approved U.S. states.
• Monthly stipends for internet and phone expenses.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

Sandbox VR proudly promotes a workplace free of discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or other protected statuses. The company uses limited AI tools to support resume screening but final hiring decisions are made by humans.