At Southern Co-op we offer a lot more than just a job. As we are completely owned by our 200,000+ members, we put people first. Become part of the family who are proud to serve local communities and put people first.
We have an exciting opportunity to join our team as a Franchise Operations Manager to support our franchisees in stores from Milton Keynes north to Nottingham, Yorkshire and Lancashire. The ideal candidate should live in a central location on the area to access all stores.
In this field-based role you’ll build and maintain relationships with new and existing franchisees to enable them to improve standards and hit business plan targets. You are required to hold a full UK driving licence and may also be required to work remotely and stay overnight on occasion. A company car is provided as part of this role!
What to expect
* Provide support and advice through regular store visits and agreement of actionable operational reviews.
* Disseminate internal communications, ensuring relevance and need, in a timely manner..
* Champion franchisee interests within Southern Co-op on all aspects of store operation and customer offer. 
* Manage the day to day relationship with franchisees remembering that it is their business, but that our standards must also be maintained.
* Represent Southern Co-op in a positive manner and uphold our values and mission statement at all times.
* Ensure new franchisees are able to operate and understand all store systems.
* Ensure Franchise Operations Manual and VME Manuals remain current and relevant to the needs of the business.
* Maintain strong working relationships with all internal Southern Co-op teams.
* Support the Franchise Operations Manager and the wider team where required.
Key skills required
* Experience of providing support and developing relationships with business owners or retail leads, across a multisite area 
* Understanding of food retail businesses, ideally from the convenience sector 
* Excellent communication and influencing skills
* Excellent commercial acumen with a sound understanding of cost control, financial planning and budget setting processes. 
* A tenacious team player with the ability to lead and manage several projects simultaneously to successful conclusions and within time restraints. 
* Strong IT skills and knowledge of MS Office products
Benefits 
* £42,000 rising to £46,000
* Company car
* 34 days of annual leave (incl bank holidays) increasing to a maximum of 39 days after 5 years’ service.
* 20% discount in Southern Co-op stores
* Private medical insurance
* Critical illness insurance
* Group life assurance
* Share incentive plan
* NEST pension
* Opportunities to develop your skills through apprenticeships and our own in-house training & development programmes
If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.
INDHQ