At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead operations and franchising strategy for a major pizza brand in the UK.
- Company: Join Papa John's, a dynamic and diverse team passionate about pizza.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and a vibrant work culture.
- Other info: Exciting opportunities for personal and professional development in a fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on customer experience and franchise success.
- Qualifications: Senior leadership experience in operations or franchising required.
The predicted salary is between 99000 - 121000 £ per year.
- What’s
- Unique
About You
Is What Makes Us Better! Diversity is our strength and competitive advantage. Bring your flavor to the Papa John's team today!
Role Purpose
The Senior Director – Operations & Franchising is a senior leadership role responsible for the operational performance, franchise strategy, franchisee performance and customer experience leadership of the UK business.
As a member of the UK Leadership Team, the role contributes to the overall business strategy, commercial priorities and long-term growth agenda, ensuring strategy is translated into effective execution across the restaurant network.
The role leads the UK Franchise Ownership Strategy, working closely with Development to connect franchise capability and ownership with new restaurant openings, network growth and non-traditional opportunities.
The Senior Director also provides leadership for the end-to-end customer experience, ensuring the voice of the customer is represented across the business.
Digital elements of the journey, including App, Web and aggregator experiences, are jointly led with the relevant functional partners.
The role is ultimately focused on creating a high-performing franchise system that delivers sustainable sales and profit growth, strong franchisee economics, outstanding customer experiences and consistently high brand standards.
Key Accountabilities
- 1. Leadership & Business Strategy
- Serve as a core member of the UK Leadership Team, contributing to the strategy, commercial direction and long-term priorities of the UK business.
- Act as a strategic partner to the Managing Director and wider Leadership Team.
- Represent Operations, Franchising, franchise partners and the voice of the customer in key business decisions.
- Translate business strategy into clear operational priorities and measurable execution plans.
- Lead and sponsor major cross-functional initiatives impacting restaurants, franchisees and customers.
- Ensure decisions appropriately balance customer outcomes, commercial performance, franchisee economics and long-term brand growth.
- 2. Operations & Performance
- Own the operational strategy and performance of the UK restaurant estate.
- Drive improvement across sales, transactions, profitability, service, product quality, customer experience and brand standards.
- Establish clear KPIs, scorecards and performance routines, using data and insight to identify opportunities and drive action.
- Simplify restaurant operations and ensure effective implementation of new products, technology, channels and operating models.
- Drive consistent execution of strategic initiatives while identifying and scaling operational best practice.
- Champion a culture of operational excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.
- 3. Franchising & Franchisee Performance
- Lead the UK franchising strategy and franchise operating model.
- Build strong, commercially productive relationships with franchise partners.
- Establish clear expectations and accountability for franchisee and restaurant performance.
- Support franchisees in improving sales, profitability, customer experience and operational capability.
- Lead strategic and performance reviews with key franchise organisations and ensure appropriate action where performance falls below expectations.
- Develop franchise organisational capability to support sustainable multi-site growth.
- Strengthen franchisee engagement while ensuring the long-term interests and standards of the brand are protected.
- 4. Franchise Ownership, Development & Growth
- Lead the UK Franchise Ownership Strategy, ensuring the franchise network has the capability, capacity and ambition to support sustainable growth.
- Work hand in hand with Development to connect Ownership Strategy with the new-store pipeline, ensuring the right franchise partners are aligned to future growth opportunities.
- Shape the future ownership structure of the network, including consolidation, succession and Change of Hands.
- Identify franchise partners with the operational, financial and organisational capability to grow.
- Work jointly with Development to support successful new restaurant openings, from franchise partner alignment and operational readiness through to post-opening performance.
- Support the development of new formats, routes to market and non-traditional channels and partnerships.
- Ensure new growth opportunities are operationally viable, scalable and capable of delivering sustainable economics.
- Provide the Leadership Team with a clear view of network health, ownership capability, development pipeline and future growth potential.
- 5. Customer Experience & Brand Leadership
- Provide leadership for the end-to-end customer experience across the UK business.
- Champion the voice of the customer at Leadership Team level and ensure customer outcomes influence strategic and commercial decision-making.
- Own operational delivery of the customer experience across product quality, service, delivery, order accuracy and issue resolution.
- Jointly lead App, Web and aggregator customer experience with Digital, Marketing and relevant commercial partners.
- Establish clear customer KPIs and lead improvements in satisfaction, complaints, resolution and service performance.
- Use customer insight and feedback to identify systemic issues and mobilise cross-functional action.
- Ensure franchisees maintain a strong customer-first culture and consistently deliver the brand promise.
- 6. Commercial & Financial Leadership
- Maintain a strong focus on restaurant economics, franchisee profitability and sustainable system growth.
- Partner with Finance to understand performance, restaurant P&Ls and return on investment.
- Identify opportunities to increase sales and transactions while improving productivity and profitability.
- Ensure operational and franchise initiatives have clear commercial outcomes and measurable returns.
- Ensure franchise economics and operational realities are represented in major business decisions.
- 7. People & Organisational Leadership
- Lead, develop and inspire the Operations and Franchising leadership teams.
- Build a high-performance culture based on accountability, collaboration and ownership.
- Develop organisational capability and succession across the function.
- Coach senior leaders and develop future leadership talent.
- Lead through influence across franchisees, cross-functional teams and external partners.
- Build capability within franchise organisations to support sustainable growth and performance.
- 8. Governance & Risk
- Ensure restaurants operate in accordance with brand standards, franchise agreements and regulatory requirements.
- Maintain strong governance around food safety, health & safety and operational compliance.
- Partner with Legal, Finance and other functions on significant franchise and operational matters.
- Ensure appropriate intervention where brand, commercial, customer or operational standards are at risk.
- Protect the reputation and long-term value of the brand.
Key Relationships
1. Internal
Managing Director; UK Leadership Team; Development; Finance; Marketing; Digital & Technology; Supply Chain; People; Legal; International/Global Leadership.
External
Franchisees and franchise organisations; strategic commercial and operating partners; aggregator and delivery partners; non-traditional and development partners; industry bodies and relevant external stakeholders.
Experience & Capability
The successful candidate will be an established senior operational and franchise leader with significant experience in a large-scale, multi-site, franchised or consumer-facing organisation, demonstrating:
- Senior leadership experience across Operations and/or Franchising and experience operating as part of a senior Leadership Team.
- Strong understanding of franchise business models, franchise relationships and franchise economics.
- Proven experience leading large, geographically dispersed multi-site operations.
- Experience shaping franchise ownership, network development and growth strategies .
- Strong commercial and financial acumen with a track record of improving sales, profitability, customer experience and operational performance.
- Strong strategic thinking combined with the ability to translate strategy into execution.
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders, franchise partners and independent business owners.
- Experience leading significant change and developing high-performing senior teams.
Everybody loves pizza, which means they also love the people who are behind the scenes working to deliver it.
This is complex and challenging work – but let’s face it – it’s also pizza!
If you want a fulfilling career with a company that’s always moving forward, we’re the right place.
Senior Director – Operations & Franchising, UK employer: Papa Johns
At Papa John's, we celebrate diversity as our greatest strength, fostering a vibrant work culture where every team member's unique contributions are valued. As a Manager Designate, you'll not only lead a dynamic team but also have access to comprehensive training and growth opportunities that pave the way to becoming a General Manager. Join us in a fun and energetic environment where your passion for quality and customer service can shine, all while being part of a company that is committed to ethical practices and community engagement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Director – Operations & Franchising, UK
✨Get Involved in Industry Events
Jumping into industry events or leadership conferences can really help boost your visibility. Not only will you meet potential employers, but you’ll also get the chance to connect with other leaders in corporate management. Look for local or even virtual events that focus on leadership—every connection counts!
✨Engage in Professional Networks
Join professional management associations relevant to your career goals. These networks often host workshops, panels, and networking events that can put you in front of hiring managers. Plus, they can give you the scoop on upcoming roles, such as the full-time positions with companies like Papa Johns.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
When reaching out to potential employers, particularly for leadership roles, demonstrate your leadership capabilities with real examples. Share stories from your previous positions that illustrate how you handled challenges and drove results. This will help you stand out when you apply to places like Papa Johns.
✨Tailor Your LinkedIn Presence
Ensure your LinkedIn profile is specifically tailored to corporate leadership. Highlight achievements, showcase relevant content and engage with posts in management groups. This not only builds your credibility but keeps you on the radar of companies looking for candidates like you as they post full-time opportunities.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Director – Operations & Franchising, UK
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Leadership Skills:In the corporate leadership and management field, it's essential to highlight your leadership experience. Use your CV to flesh out examples of how you've led teams to success or managed significant projects. We want to see specific instances where your actions made a tangible difference in your previous roles!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers talk, especially in management! When detailing your achievements in your CV or cover letter, don’t just say you improved team performance. Instead, say you boosted productivity by 30% over six months through effective strategy implementation. This makes your application pop and shows us what you can bring to Papa Johns.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to narrate your professional journey. We’re looking for motivation and a clear understanding of what corporate leadership means to you. Dive into your aspirations and how they align with the values and vision of Papa Johns. Make it personal – we want to get to know you!
Tailor Your CV for Management Roles:Ensure your CV reflects the management skills that are essential for this role. Focus on competencies like strategic planning, team building, and problem-solving. Use a clean layout, and don’t forget to align your experiences with those keywords mentioned in the job listing. This will help you stand out from the crowd!
How to prepare for a job interview at Papa Johns
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
You’ll want to thoroughly convey your unique approach to leadership. During the interview with Papa Johns, be ready to share real-life examples of how you've inspired and motivated teams in the past. Think about specific achievements that illustrate your strategic thinking and your ability to drive results.
✨Brush Up on Management Theories
Expect some technical questions related to management theories and practices. Brush up on concepts like transformational leadership, servant leadership, or situational leadership. Be prepared to discuss how you would apply these theories to the role at Papa Johns, especially in the specific context of the challenges they’re currently facing.
✨Craft Your Vision for the Company
Since this is a full-time leadership role, spending time thinking about your vision for Papa Johns could really set you apart. Consider potential strategies for growth and how you would lead teams towards achieving them. This shows not just enthusiasm, but also strategic foresight that they’ll likely be looking for in a candidate.
✨Emphasise Team Dynamics and Culture
In corporate leadership, team dynamics and organisational culture are everything. Be ready to discuss how you've fostered a positive work environment in previous roles. Bring up examples of how you've managed diverse teams effectively—this will resonate well at Papa Johns as they’re likely seeking a candidate who can enhance their workplace culture.
