At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to create impactful campaigns for top QSR and hospitality brands.
- Company: Join an ambitious independent agency with a unique vision and culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, growth opportunities, and a vibrant team environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of brands in fast-paced, culturally rich environments.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in client-facing roles with strong commercial and cultural fluency.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative team that values creativity and innovation.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
The Business Director - Hospitality, QSR and Leisure, will lead their own division of the agency, bringing strategic direction, commercial leadership and cultural fluency to our clients operating in fast-moving, high-impact environments. This role exists to be the senior partner to our clients, you must be someone who builds trust in the boardroom, relevance in the feed and empowerment in an enthusiastic team. Leading multi-disciplinary teams across communications, social, creators, partnerships, experiential and project delivery, you will know how to translate brand ambition into sharp, actionable, culturally tuned work, ensuring all our activity ladders back to brand, audience and cultural intent. You create clarity, pace and momentum, driving retention, growth and creative excellence across your portfolio.
Key Responsibilities
- Client + Stakeholder Leadership
- Act as the senior point of contact for flagship QSR, Hospitality and Leisure clients.
- Build trusted relationships with CMOs, brand teams and senior stakeholders.
- Understand client ambitions and translate them into sharp, actionable briefs.
- Provide a strong point of view on brand, culture, category and audience.
- Manage high-stakes conversations with clarity, confidence and commercial grounding.
- Strategic + Creative Impact
- Guide strategic direction across earned, owned and paid activity.
- Ensure all work is rooted in cultural intelligence and QSR/Hospitality and Leisure category understanding.
- Leading strategy, creative and production teams within the QSR/ Hospitality and Leisure department to deliver standout, culturally resonant campaigns that ladder into brand intention and business impact.
- Translate trends into insights that inform commercial and creative action.
- Commercial Ownership
- Own client account P&L across QSR, Hospitality and Leisure portfolios.
- Oversee scopes, budgets, forecasting, resourcing and profitability.
- Identify and grow organic opportunities across TFR’s service lines.
- Lead proposals, renewals and new business pitches with commercial competence.
- Contribute to agency revenue planning, pipeline forecasting and leadership decisions.
- Ensure high commercial rigour across teams and accounts.
- Team Leadership + Development
- Manage, mentor and upskill a high-performance team.
- Lead multi-disciplinary teams across Social, Content, PR, Communications and Project Delivery.
- Set the tone for clarity, energy, pace and cultural curiosity.
- Ensure teams operate with accountability, strong communication and values-driven behaviour.
- Build a positive, ambitious and supportive team culture.
- Delivery Excellence
- Oversee seamless cross-functional delivery across multiple workstreams.
- Maintain standards of excellence across strategy, creative, comms, social and experiential.
- Support teams to identify risks early and course-correct.
- Champion integrated thinking and ensure all outputs meet TFR’s bar for cultural impact.
Skills, Experience + Mindset
- Minimum of 10 years experience in a client-facing role within a culture-first, creative, social or brand agency working with leading QSR and Hospitality brands.
- Experience running multi-workstream, integrated accounts across social, content, PR, creator and experiential.
- Strong commercial track record: P&L ownership, forecasting, growth and contract negotiation.
- Exceptional communication, presentation and influencing skills from C-suite to cross-functional teams.
- Deep cultural fluency with the ability to translate trends into strategic action.
- Strong problem-solving ability with sharp prioritisation and decision-making.
- Highly organised with strong budget management and commercial acumen.
- Strategic, commercially sharp and culturally tuned.
- Positive, proactive and solutions-led, even under pressure.
- Thrives in pace and excels in fast-moving client environments.
- Values-driven leader who brings energy, empathy and excellence.
- Collaborative and team-first but confident in senior leadership moments.
- Willing to be hands-on when needed and lead from the front.
The Fitting Room started with less than £20 and a vision to build something different. That idea-to-execution mindset still defines us and is central to how we hire. We look for individuals with proven experience, strong drive and values that align with our culture. If you care deeply about your craft, live and breathe pop culture, and want to help shape an ambitious independent agency, get in touch.
Business Director employer: The Fitting Room
Contact Detail:
The Fitting Room Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts on LinkedIn. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can’t.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your expertise! When you get the chance to chat with someone from a company you’re keen on, share your insights on current trends in QSR, Hospitality, and Leisure. This not only showcases your knowledge but also positions you as a thought leader in the field.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company’s recent campaigns and be ready to discuss how you can contribute to their goals. Tailor your examples to highlight your experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and driving commercial success.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us. Plus, it gives you a chance to showcase your enthusiasm for our culture and values right from the start.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Strategic Side: When writing your application, make sure to highlight your strategic thinking skills. We want to see how you can translate brand ambitions into actionable plans, just like the role requires. Use examples from your past experiences to showcase your ability to lead and inspire teams.
Be Culturally Tuned: We’re all about cultural fluency here at StudySmarter. In your application, demonstrate your understanding of the QSR, Hospitality, and Leisure sectors. Share insights on trends you've noticed and how they could impact our clients' strategies. This will show us you’re not just a fit for the role, but also for our culture.
Communicate Clearly: Your written application is your first chance to impress us, so make it count! Use clear and concise language to convey your ideas. Remember, we value exceptional communication skills, so let your personality shine through while keeping it professional.
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific requirements of the Business Director role. Highlight relevant experiences that align with the job description, and don’t forget to mention why you’re excited about joining StudySmarter. Apply through our website to ensure we see your application!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Fitting Room
✨Know Your Clients Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the clients you'll be working with, especially in the QSR, Hospitality, and Leisure sectors. Understand their brand ambitions, recent campaigns, and market positioning. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your ability to build trusted relationships and provide valuable insights during high-stakes conversations.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare to discuss how you've guided strategic direction in past roles. Bring examples of how you've translated cultural trends into actionable insights that drove commercial success. This will highlight your capability to lead multi-disciplinary teams and ensure all work aligns with brand and audience intent.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Acumen
Be ready to talk about your experience with P&L ownership, budgeting, and forecasting. Share specific instances where you've identified growth opportunities or successfully managed account profitability. This will showcase your strong commercial grounding and ability to contribute to agency revenue planning.
✨Emphasise Team Leadership Skills
Highlight your experience in managing and mentoring high-performance teams. Discuss how you've fostered a positive team culture and ensured accountability and strong communication. This will reflect your values-driven leadership style and your ability to set the tone for clarity and energy within a fast-paced environment.