Group Chief Operations Officer

Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Salary: Competitive + Bonus

Hours: 40 per week

Our head offices are 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.

Thank you for your interest in the role at Thomas Franks. We are looking for an exceptional leader who shares our values, understands our culture and is excited by the opportunity to help shape the next chapter of the Thomas Franks story. We look forward to receiving your application.

Role Overview

The Group Chief Operations Officer is responsible for day-to-day operational and administrative functions, driving the operational strategy, execution, and performance of the business under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer, ensuring alignment with board-level objectives and identifying and setting strategic goals, whilst ensuring operational efficiency.

The role ensures all departments work seamlessly to achieve our business objectives and drive process improvements, optimise resource allocation, and foster a culture of kindness, inclusivity, collaboration, leadership development, and organisational resilience, driving profitability, operational excellence, and digital transformation. Working closely and collaboratively with the Board and Company Directors.

Reporting to: CEO

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Drive the organisation towards higher EBITDA growth (UK & International).
• Translate board strategy into actionable plans, ensuring clear alignment across departments.
• Oversee business continuity planning and crisis management to safeguard operational stability internationally.
• Develop and implement operational strategies that align with overall business goals.
• Assist in exploring new market opportunities and diversifying revenue streams.
• Work with the leadership team to scale operations internationally in response to market demands, challenges and growth.
• Deputise for the CEO, when required.
• Operational Management
• Optimise resource allocation to maximise output and minimise waste.
• Oversee daily operations and manage the Business Services, Health and Safety, ESG departments and work closely with the Group CFO and Group CPO to ensure seamless workflow.
• Reduce the CEO's management load by handling reports from mid-level management and other C-level executives.
• Oversee budgeting and financial planning to ensure alignment with financial goals working closely with the Group Chief Finance Officer.
• Optimise expenses and cash flow to support sustainable growth.
• Working closely with the CFO, Group Commercial Director and Chief Procurement Officer, develop and maintain financial models to improve financial performance.
• Oversee financial decisions related to operational expenses, contracts and infrastructure costs.
• Performance & Organisational Development
• Mentor and coach key leaders, strengthening succession plans.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and cross-departmental synergy, eliminating silos and optimising strategy execution.
• Mentor junior executives, support performance management processes, and support a company culture of growth and mentorship.
• Develop contingency plans and establish processes to mitigate financial, operational, and reputational risks.
• Recognise and manage potential risks based on experience across the industry.
• Safeguard the company’s employees, assets, and reputation through proactive risk management strategies.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration and communication to support growth.
• Establish rigorous quality assurance processes to ensure operational standards are met and exceeded.
• Introduce and sustain data-driven decision-making through digitalisation and reporting tools.
• Champion a culture of kindness, excellence, innovation, and accountability across all business units.
• Continuously assess and optimise operational processes to maintain high standards of excellence.
• Provide operational insights to support business development initiatives and expansions.
• Report performance of the business to the CEO and board directors.
• Build and manage relationships with suppliers, partners and clients.

Key Skills and Experience

• BSc/BA in Business Administration or Hospitality Management is preferred.
• Proven experience in Hospitality executive leadership role preferred.
• Highly collaborative, results-driven, with a strong background in operational management.
• Working knowledge of IT/business infrastructure and MS Office.
• Experience in international financial planning and budget management.
• Experience in managing geographically dispersed teams.
• Awareness of emerging technologies and their potential impact on business operations.
• Understanding of regulatory issues and compliance.
• Excellent strategic planning and business development capabilities.
• Exceptional communication skills, both interpersonal and public speaking.

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.

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.