At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a national network of branches, driving performance and customer satisfaction.
- Company: High-growth legal services business specialising in Wills and Estate Planning.
- Benefits: Negotiable salary, performance-related bonus, and strategic influence.
- Other info: Field-based role with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a senior leadership role with significant visibility.
- Qualifications: Experience leading multi-site networks and strong coaching skills required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
SF Partners are working exclusively with a high-growth legal services business specialising in Wills, LPAs, Probate and Estate Planning to recruit a National Head of Branch Network. This is a senior national leadership role responsible for leading a 10-branch network (c.55 FTE), including 8 Branch Managers and 35+ Legal Advisors. The function sits at the heart of the organisation's revenue engine, with full accountability for branch performance, conversion, customer outcomes, and operational delivery.
Reporting into the Operations Director / COO, this role replaces a previous regional structure and creates a single point of ownership for the entire branch network. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving commercial performance, embedding operational discipline, and building a high-performing leadership layer across all sites.
The Opportunity
This is a high-impact leadership role combining commercial ownership, multi-site operational management, and people leadership at scale. The National Head of Branch Network will be responsible for building a consistent, high-performing branch model that delivers strong conversion from appointment to instruction, excellent customer outcomes, and efficient cost-to-serve across all locations. This is a field-based role requiring a highly visible leader who spends significant time in branches, coaching managers, solving operational issues, and driving performance through direct engagement.
Key Responsibilities
- Commercial Performance & Network Leadership
- Own the performance of the national branch network across revenue, conversion, customer satisfaction, and cost-to-serve.
- Deliver and manage branch-level scorecards aligned to commercial and quality outcomes.
- Drive key commercial levers including appointment-to-instruction conversion, advisor productivity, and cross-sell performance.
- Report monthly performance against EBITDA and network KPIs to the COO and executive team.
- Leadership of Branch Managers
- Lead, coach, and develop 8 Branch Managers as accountable site leaders.
- Recruit and onboard missing Branch Managers as a priority deliverable.
- Establish a structured performance cadence including 1:1s, monthly reviews, and quarterly talent planning.
- Build a strong leadership pipeline and succession plan across the branch network.
- Set clear expectations for performance, standards, and accountability.
- Operating Model & Customer Experience
- Define and embed a consistent branch operating model across all sites.
- Oversee customer journey standards, appointment handling, and service delivery.
- Maintain the balance between branch-based and home appointments.
- Drive local market performance and support branch-level growth initiatives.
- Ensure high-quality customer experience and compliance with regulatory standards.
- Capacity Planning & Call Centre Partnership
- Work in close partnership with the Head of Lead Generation Call Centre.
- Co-own the 'Booked : Instruct' metric across the organisation.
- Align appointment demand with advisor capacity across all branches.
- Participate in weekly forecasting and capacity planning reviews.
- Ensure efficient scheduling and utilisation of Legal Advisor capacity.
- Estate, Growth & Operational Development
- Own branch estate strategy including openings, closures, relocations, and acquisitions.
- Support the launch and performance of flagship and new sites (including Manchester).
- Oversee integration of acquired will-banks and customer portfolios.
- Work with Property, Finance, and Operations teams on expansion strategy.
- Drive continuous improvement across the operating model.
- Compliance & Governance Partnership
- Operate within the regulatory framework set by Supervision, Compliance, and Complaints teams.
- Ensure consistent adherence to data protection, safeguarding, and regulatory standards.
- Embed compliance as part of day-to-day branch performance and leadership behaviour.
- Maintain high standards of audit readiness and operational discipline.
About You
We are keen to speak with candidates who have:
- Proven experience leading a multi-site branch or regional network (ideally 8+ locations).
- Strong track record of managing managers and leading through a leadership layer.
- Commercially driven mindset with clear P&L or EBITDA accountability.
- Experience delivering sales or conversion growth across a distributed network.
- Strong coaching and leadership capability with a focus on performance improvement.
- Experience in regulated, customer-facing environments such as legal services, financial services, insurance, funeral planning, or similar sectors.
- Willingness to be highly field-based and spend significant time in branches.
Package
- Salary: Negotiable.
- Performance-related bonus scheme (EBITDA and balanced scorecard based).
- Indicative OTE available subject to structure.
- Senior national leadership role with strategic influence.
- Field-based position (UK-wide, HQ Derby).
Apply
For a confidential discussion regarding this opportunity, please contact SF Partners directly.
National Head of Branch Network in Derby employer: SF Partners
Join a high-growth legal services business that prioritises employee development and offers a dynamic work culture. As the National Head of Branch Network, you will lead a dedicated team across 10 branches, with opportunities for professional growth and a performance-related bonus scheme. Enjoy the flexibility of a field-based role while making a significant impact on customer outcomes and operational excellence.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land National Head of Branch Network in Derby
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals, attend events, and join relevant groups. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that National Head of Branch Network role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your leadership skills! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, highlight your experience in managing multi-site operations and how you've driven performance in previous roles. We want to see that you can lead a team effectively!
✨Tip Number 3
Be visible and approachable! If you're applying for a field-based role, demonstrate your willingness to engage directly with teams in branches. Share examples of how you've coached managers and improved customer outcomes in your past positions.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to reach out directly. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
We think you need these skills to ace National Head of Branch Network in Derby
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the specific skills and experiences that align with the National Head of Branch Network role. Highlight your leadership experience, especially in multi-site management, and any relevant commercial achievements.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this position. Share your passion for leading teams and driving performance, and don’t forget to mention your experience in regulated environments like legal services.
Showcase Your Leadership Style:In your application, give us a glimpse of your leadership style. We want to know how you coach and develop managers, and how you ensure high performance across branches. Use examples to illustrate your approach.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it makes it easier for us to keep track of all the amazing candidates like you!
How to prepare for a job interview at SF Partners
✨Know Your Numbers
As a candidate for the National Head of Branch Network, you should be well-versed in key performance indicators like revenue, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction scores. Prepare to discuss how you've driven these metrics in previous roles and be ready to share specific examples of your impact.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This role requires strong leadership skills, so think about how you can demonstrate your coaching and management abilities. Be prepared to talk about your experience leading teams, developing talent, and creating a high-performing culture across multiple locations.
✨Understand the Customer Journey
Familiarise yourself with the customer journey in legal services, especially around Wills and LPAs. Be ready to discuss how you would ensure a seamless experience for clients and how you’ve improved service delivery in past positions.
✨Be Ready for Operational Challenges
Since this role involves solving operational issues, think of examples where you've successfully navigated challenges in a multi-site environment. Prepare to discuss your approach to capacity planning and how you align resources with demand to drive performance.
