Account Director

Contract: Full Time , PermanentSalary: £ 65,000 per annumHours: 40 per week

Our head offices based in the beautiful village of Hook Norton near Banbury. Here you will find our teams of finance, HR, purchasing, marketing & creative that support all of our locations across the Thomas Franks family. There is ample parking space available when visiting.

Role Purpose

The Account Director is responsible for the strategic leadership, commercial performance, and operational excellence of a portfolio of contract catering accounts. This role ensures strong client relationships, profitable contract delivery, high food and service standards, and consistent compliance with company and legislative requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the senior point of contact for key clients, building trusted, long-term partnerships.
• Lead contract review meetings, service reviews, and performance evaluations.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance the client experience, add value, and drive contract retention.
• Manage client escalations and ensure issues are resolved promptly and professionally.
• Own full P&L responsibility for the account portfolio.
• Deliver budgeted revenue, margin, and cost control targets.
• Drive growth through upselling, contract variations, and innovation.
• Oversee pricing, forecasting, and financial reporting with accuracy and discipline.

Operational Leadership

• Ensure consistent delivery of high-quality food, service, and hospitality standards across all sites.
• Support and challenge site teams to achieve operational excellence.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, health & safety, HR, and brand standards.
• Lead mobilisation of new contracts and re-tenders where required.
• Lead, coach, and develop Operations/Group Managers and Location Managers.
• Promote a positive culture focused on engagement, performance, and retention.
• Ensure robust succession planning and talent development.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of senior operational roles.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all sites meet legal, contractual, and company compliance standards.
• Champion food safety, allergen management, sustainability, and ethical sourcing.
• Monitor audit results and implement corrective actions where required.
• Drive menu development, food trends, sustainability initiatives, and digital solutions.
• Encourage innovation to enhance customer satisfaction and commercial outcomes.
• Share best practice across accounts and the wider business.

Charity, Community & Social Responsibility

• Champion the Thomas Franks Foundation and social responsibility strategy across the account portfolio.
• Partner with clients on joint social value initiatives, including food poverty, skills development, and employability programmes.
• Promote sustainability initiatives including food waste reduction, responsible sourcing, and environmental impact reduction.
• Track and report on charitable engagement and social value outcomes where required.
• Proven senior management experience within contract catering, hospitality, or foodservice.
• Strong commercial acumen with demonstrable P&L responsibility.
• Experience managing multiple client accounts or contracts.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong leadership and people management capability.
• Thorough understanding of food safety, health & safety, and employment legislation.
• Experience in education / business & industry sectors.
• Degree in Hospitality Management, Business, or similar (or equivalent experience).
• Experience leading contract mobilisations and retentions.

Personal Attributes

• Client-focused and commercially driven.
• Strategic thinker with strong attention to operational detail.
• Confident, resilient, and able to influence at senior levels.
• Collaborative leadership style with a hands-on approach.
• Passionate about food, service, and people development.
• Wider wallet scheme (discounts at major retailers, restaurants, gyms etc).
• Free meals on duty
• Volunteers leave – up to one day per year.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Recommend a friend bonus.
• Unrivalled individual training and development.
• Well established apprenticeship programme.
• Team & company social events.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Excellent career progression within a leading independent contract caterer.

About us

Thomas Franks is a founder led, fresh food catering business with a focus on excellence and service delivered with individuality, passion and style. We are unique in every approach and our clients, and our people are paramount to our daily success.

Disclaimer

All applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for this role.

An enhanced DBS, Identity & reference checks (covering the last five years) will form part of the selection process. As an organisation using the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure service to assess applicants\’ suitability for positions of trust, Thomas Franks Ltd complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly. We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure based on conviction or other information revealed. However, for any post in a school please be aware that any application is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such any criminal conviction, caution or bind-over must be declared.

Diversity and Inclusion at Thomas Franks

We actively encourage applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and continue to develop a culture of growth and inclusion and would like to invite applications from groups who are currently under-represented, because we believe greater diversity leads to exceptional results and provides a better working life.