Alice Tuffery, writer
Expanding your franchise head office team is an exciting process, but it can also be a confusing one. How do you know which roles to fill and how many people to hire? This article offers advice on growing a franchise network with a strategic employee recruitment scheme.
You’ve probably spent years of your life - and a considerable amount of money - building your business from the ground up. So, it’s understandable you want to get things right when it comes to creating your franchise head office and recruiting new talent. Focus on developing the wrong areas, and your business could suffer in the long run.
So, how do you decide which roles to create? Keep reading if you’re ready to take the next step in your franchise development journey.
The top roles to recruit in any franchise head office
Every franchise is unique and has different requirements when it comes to recruiting new employees. Some will be interested in rapid expansion, while others will place a significant focus on HR, communications or sustainability, for example. Certain franchises with specialisms in particular areas will need expert consultants and advisors as part of their in-house teams.
But despite the inevitable variation between franchises, some job roles can be found in many businesses. Below, we list some of the top roles to recruit in franchise head offices at different stages of growth.
While some of these job descriptions may not apply to the franchise you’re developing, most are relevant for the vast majority of companies.
Start-up franchisors are not expected to have the kind of management team that a franchisor like McDonald’s would bring to the table. So as a start-up, you will need to wear multiple hats. The implication of this should be clear – until you have built your management team … slow down and grow no faster than your ability to help your franchisees succeed, despite the allure that fast-growth franchising may hold in the short term. —Mark Siebert, CEO and Franchise Consultant at iFranchise Group
Franchise head office key roles
Finance director - keeps track of the franchise’s finances and plans for the future
IT officer - takes charge of the business’s website, social media pages and other online platforms, works in graphic design to create digital content or troubleshoots tech issues
HR officer - monitors and improves communication and interaction within the franchise, and informs recruitment strategies
PR officer - makes sure the franchise is presented favourably in the press and upholds a positive reputation among consumers
Sales officer - oversees the franchise’s sales strategies, sets goals and collaborates with the marketing department to boost revenue
Head of marketing - organises and implements advertising campaigns and creates promotional material
Learning and development manager - rolls out training and ongoing support programmes, both for franchisees and their employees
Admin assistant - picks up any paperwork, errands or urgent tasks to keep the business running smoothly
For a management team to work effectively, the members of the team have to complement each other. They can't bring the same strengths to the team or we'll just end up agreeing with each other on everything. We need to debate and disagree and have a dialogue to make decisions in the best interest of the company and our franchisees. —Nicole Ossenfort, CEO and President of Liberty Tax
>> Read more:
- Recruitment: Why Your Employees Are The Face Of Your Brand
- 10 Ways to Boost Employee Happiness, Engagement, and Satisfaction
- Improving your franchise recruitment strategy
- Tips for Recruitment and Selection
- Tips for Managing Employee Turnover
- 5 Effective Employee Engagement Strategies for Your Business
Franchise head office roles to fill as you grow
Franchise development manager - takes over from the franchisor in identifying and planning business growth strategies
Regional operations managers - oversee franchisee activity in defined areas when the franchise expands nationally or internationally
Head of franchise partnerships - identifies and secures partnership opportunities and communicates with collaborators
Recruitment and selection professionals - provide support with franchisee and employee recruitment programmes
Account managers - build relationships with customers and clients and make sure their needs are met
Customer service assistants - interact with customers and clients to resolve issues and complaints
If you have a team that trusts each other, it is much easier to collaborate, provide meaningful feedback, disagree, brainstorm, and evolve. Trust also makes it much easier to align strategic and operational goals. One additional factor is passion. I really want to be surrounded by people who are passionate about our business, our franchisees, our customers, and our partners. —Brian Petranick, CEO and President of RiseMark Brands
>> Read more:
- 5 Qualities of a Successful Franchisor
- 5 Reasons Why A Strong Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship Is So Important
- 5 Ways to Keep on Learning as a Franchisor
- Franchisor Tips: 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Running a Franchise Network
- What It Really Means To Be a Franchisor
- Ten Ways to Be the Best Franchisor a Franchisee Could Wish For
- Why it’s Important for Franchisors to Visit Franchisees.
Franchise head office roles to fill when you become a large brand
Chief Executive Officer - makes major franchise decisions and manages operations across the brand
Chief Financial Officer - takes control of the franchise’s finances, tracking cash flow and planning for the future
Executive or senior vice presidents for a variety of areas - manage operations in their departments and report to their superiors
Managing director - develops and implements growth plans and communicates with stakeholders
Executive directors - oversee a wide range of business activities, including managing assets, reviewing tax compliance and advising the board of directors
Non-executive directors - monitor executive directors and provide independent advice on business growth as an external party
Supply chain manager - manages the procurement of products and communicates with suppliers
Legal advisor - handles legal processes and issues, advises head office staff, communicates with clients and writes documents
More advice on growing a franchise network
If you’re passionate about developing your business and recruiting new talent to help you achieve your goals, you’re in the right place. Point Franchise makes it easy for ambitious franchisors and franchisees to access the industry data, insights and other information they need to grow their operations.
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Alice Tuffery, writer