Project Manager - Store Growth & Acquisitions

Join the Team at Stress-Free Auto Care: Where Your Skills and Passion Drive Success!

Stress Free Auto Care is redefining the auto repair experience by delivering exceptional service with honesty, transparency, and convenience. Our mission is simple: make auto care a stress-free, trustworthy experience for everyone. Join us on this exciting journey and play a pivotal role in reshaping the automotive service industry!

Location: Austin, TX (Hybrid Preferred)
Department: Corporate Development / Operations
Reports To: Executive Leadership Team

Position Overview

Stress-Free Auto Care is seeking a highly organized, execution-focused Project Manager to lead and coordinate the end-to-end lifecycle of store acquisitions and integrations. This role sits at the intersection of Corporate Development, Operations, Finance, Real Estate, and People functions, ensuring acquisition opportunities move efficiently from initial identification through diligence, closing, conversion, and operational launch.

This is not a traditional project management role. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable managing acquisition pipelines, driving accountability across cross-functional teams, collecting and analyzing diligence materials, coordinating legal and financial workstreams, and overseeing the conversion of newly acquired locations into the Stress-Free Auto Care operating model.

As Stress-Free Auto Care scales from 34 locations to 150+ locations over the next 2-3 years, this individual will be responsible for helping build the systems, processes, reporting, and operating cadence necessary to support rapid, repeatable growth.

Key Responsibilities

Store Scouting & Pipeline Development

• Manage and coordinate the Store Scouting Team to maximize the flow of acquisition opportunities.
• Develop reporting, KPIs, and accountability measures for scout performance.
• Drive sourcing strategies across broker, direct-to-owner, referral, and market outreach channels.
• Monitor acquisition pipeline health and ensure adequate deal flow to support growth objectives.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement process improvements to increase sourcing efficiency.
• Maintain acquisition CRM systems and reporting accuracy.
• Facilitate weekly pipeline reviews with executive leadership.

Due Diligence Management

• Own the diligence process from Letter of Intent through transaction approval.
• Coordinate collection of financial, operational, real estate, legal, employment, and compliance documentation.
• Serve as the central point of contact between sellers, brokers, attorneys, accountants, landlords, lenders, and internal stakeholders.
• Track diligence milestones and proactively resolve delays.
• Organize and maintain acquisition data rooms.
• Develop standardized diligence checklists, templates, and workflows.
• Assist in evaluating risks, opportunities, and integration requirements.
• Ensure leadership receives timely and accurate diligence reporting.

Transaction & Closing Management

• Coordinate all workstreams required to move transactions from LOI to close.
• Track critical deadlines and contingency requirements.
• Facilitate communication among all transaction participants.
• Ensure closing requirements are satisfied on schedule.
• Monitor project timelines and escalation points.
• Prepare executive-level transaction status reporting.

Store Integration & Conversion

• Manage the transition of acquired stores into the Stress-Free Auto Care operating model.
• Coordinate onboarding activities across Operations, HR, Marketing, IT, Facilities, Finance, and Training teams.
• Develop and maintain store conversion project plans.
• Ensure timely implementation of:
• Branding and signage
• Technology systems
• Training programs
• Recruiting initiatives
• Vendor transitions
• Facility improvements
• Operational standards
• Track launch readiness and post-acquisition performance metrics.
• Lead post-acquisition retrospectives and continuous improvement initiatives.

Process Development & Scale

• Build scalable acquisition and integration processes capable of supporting rapid expansion.
• Create standardized reporting, dashboards, SOPs, and project management tools.
• Establish operating rhythms that improve visibility and accountability across acquisition activities.
• Partner with executive leadership to continuously refine the company’s acquisition playbook.
• Drive automation and workflow improvements wherever possible.

Success Metrics

This role will be evaluated on:

• Qualified acquisition pipeline growth
• Store scout productivity and deal flow generation
• Diligence cycle times
• Transaction completion rates
• Acquisition-to-opening timelines
• Store conversion execution quality
• Integration milestone completion
• Process standardization and scalability improvements
• Executive visibility and reporting accuracy

Qualifications

Required

• 3+ years of project management, operations, corporate development, M&A integration, or related experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Strong organizational and execution skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to coordinate cross-functional stakeholders and drive accountability.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with project management and reporting tools.

Preferred

• Experience supporting mergers and acquisitions, franchise development, multi-unit retail, automotive, hospitality, healthcare, or other location-based businesses.
• Experience managing due diligence processes.
• Financial statement literacy and business analysis experience.
• Experience scaling operational systems in a high-growth environment.
• Familiarity with CRM, data room, and project management platforms.

Characteristics of Success

The ideal candidate is:

• Relentlessly organized
• Action-oriented
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity
• Able to balance strategic thinking with tactical execution
• Highly accountable
• Process-minded without becoming bureaucratic
• Effective at influencing without direct authority
• Excited by rapid growth and complex operational challenges

Compensation: 

Ready to Elevate Your Career? If you’re interested in joining a supportive team that values your skills and dedication, we’d love to hear from you! Apply today to help us redefine automotive care.