Managing Director - Onggi in London

Onggi Korean is a vibrant, modern Korean street‑food kiosk concept inspired by the bold flavours, creativity and warmth of Korean culture. We have our kiosk in Kings Cross, London, with ambitious plans to scale across the UK and beyond, following the successful growth trajectory of our sister brand Sushi Daily (part of KellyDeli). We are now seeking a Managing Director to help take Onggi from an early‑stage footprint to a nationally and eventually internationally recognised food‑to‑go brand. This is a pivotal strategic hire and will serve as the driving force behind Onggi’s commercial growth, brand development, and multi‑site expansion.

The Managing Director will take full ownership of Onggi’s strategic direction, commercial performance, and expansion roadmap. This is a commercially‑led, scale‑up leadership role, ideal for a former Director-level leader from a multi‑site food retail, QSR, or franchise environment. You will build the foundations for scalable growth, sell the concept to major retailers, secure national/multi‑country retail partnerships, design the commercial model, and shape the expansion from tens to hundreds of locations. This is a hands‑on, in‑market leadership role requiring both strategic thinking and operational credibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic & Concept Leadership
  • Define and execute Onggi’s long‑term commercial and expansion strategy, aligned with the Founder’s vision.
  • Build the growth blueprint: commercial model, franchise/partnership approach, organisational structure, and scalability frameworks.
  • Lead cross‑functional teams (Operations, Quality, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance) to deliver sustained growth.
  • Act as the concept’s ambassador with retailers, partners, and internal teams.
• Commercial Growth & Retail Partnerships
  • Drive commercial performance across the business: P&Ls, budgets, forecasts, and profitability improvement.
  • Secure national or multi‑country retail partnerships, negotiating and closing long‑term commercial agreements.
  • Present and sell the concept to major retailers, building strategic relationships that accelerate growth.
  • Identify commercial opportunities, alternative channels, and innovation avenues to broaden Onggi’s reach.
• Expansion & New Market Development
  • Build and manage a pipeline of new kiosk opportunities in the UK and future international markets.
  • Lead end‑to‑end new site launches: retail negotiation, planning, build‑out, training, and post‑opening optimisation.
  • Establish scalable playbooks, site selection criteria, and frameworks for rapid multi‑site expansion.
• Operational Excellence
  • Oversee the successful performance of the kiosk network, ensuring best‑in‑class food quality, service, and brand consistency.
  • Design scalable SOPs, operating standards, and performance metrics suitable for a growing multi‑country estate.
  • Ensure compliance with food safety, health & safety, and internal quality standards.
• Leadership & Culture
  • Lead and inspire a growing cross‑functional team, creating clear KPIs, priorities, and accountability.
  • Build a high‑performance culture that blends entrepreneurial agility with operational discipline.
  • Work closely with the Founder to translate vision into actionable growth plans and execution.
• Brand & Customer Experience
  • Ensure Marketing delivers compelling local campaigns, content, promotions, and brand storytelling.
  • Maintain the authenticity of the Onggi Korean customer experience across all kiosks and future channels.

About You

Experience:

• Experience scaling a multi‑site food retail, QSR, franchise, or kiosk‑led business.
• Proven track record delivering commercial growth, negotiating high‑value retail partnerships, and scaling concepts from tens to hundreds of sites.
• Experience working closely with a founder or entrepreneurial leader.
• Demonstrated success opening new stores, leading multi‑site operations, and building scalable systems and teams.
• Multi‑country expansion experience (ideal).
• Understanding of or affinity with Korean culture and food (a plus).

Skills & Attributes

• Commercially sharp, strategic thinker with strong P&L ownership and financial acumen.
• Comfortable operating autonomously in a high‑growth environment and making effective decisions with limited structure.
• Strong communicator and relationship builder, able to influence retailers, partners, and internal teams.
• Entrepreneurial, pragmatic, hands‑on, and deeply committed to building a new brand from the ground up.

What We Offer

• An opportunity to build and shape a brand from the ground up.
• A highly entrepreneurial environment backed by the success and infrastructure of KellyDeli.
• Autonomy, influence, and the chance to play a key leadership role in national expansion.