Role and job profile of a franchise manager

Managing existing and new franchisees effectively involves a lot of work. Consider the following tasks:

• Organizing official contact moments with your franchisees
• Documenting visits and following up on action points
• Answering daily questions from franchisees
• Maintaining individual files for franchisees, including reports, contract expiration dates, etc.
• Training, guiding, and supporting new franchisees during startup

Besides, the daily operations of the franchise formula keep you quite busy. For franchisors handling this personally or with a small team, it's challenging to execute it consistently well while continuing to grow. One option is to hire a franchise manager. This manager will need to be trained to learn all the ins and outs of the formula, considering the necessary efforts, costs, and challenges. A second option is to outsource part of the franchise management to an (interim) franchise manager. A third option is to train someone within your central organization to become a franchise manager.

The franchise manager

There are many names for the franchise manager, such as franchise coach, franchise consultant, formula manager, etc. In a small formula, collaboration often initially begins with an external franchise manager. With 15 to 20 franchisees, the franchise manager's role typically becomes a full-time position. At that point, a second franchise manager is often hired, or additional support is added in some way. When the organization achieves significant growth and a third franchise manager is needed, the franchise managers become franchise coaches, with one franchise manager overseeing these coaches.

But what is really the job profile of a franchise manager? Below is an example of what it typically looks like.

Job profile of a franchise manager

Position in the organization

1. Hierarchically, reporting directly to the management
2. Can receive work instructions from other management members.
3. Member of the (to be formed) Management Team (MT)

Objective of the position

1. To maximize the performance of individual entrepreneurs and the franchise network as a whole
2. Contributes to optimal cooperation between franchisor and franchisee
3. Advising, guiding, and coaching individual entrepreneurs

Duties

1. Daily guidance and coaching of individual entrepreneurs
2. Assessing individual entrepreneurs based on set targets
3. Recruitment and selection of individual entrepreneurs
4. Performing coordinating tasks
5. Identifying development needs for each individual entrepreneur
6. Training entrepreneurs, including 'on the job' training
7. Qualitative and quantitative development of the franchisee base
8. Evaluating business performance and profitability of individual entrepreneurs
9. Creating an annual plan with individual entrepreneurs, including revenue objectives and expected growth
10. Periodic performance evaluations and defining clear objectives and actions to enhance performance and profitability of individual entrepreneurs
11. Conducting courses, training, and workshops
12. Participating in internal and external projects
13. Managing an adequate documentation and/or franchise manual system
14. Keeping records of personal activities, including planning and accountability
15. Attending and participating in franchise meeting structures
16. Actively contributing to the development of the franchise organization in general
17. Monitoring process and quality of outsourced advisory work

Responsibilities and authorities of the franchise manager

The franchise manager is responsible and authorized for:

1. Achieving set objectives (including budgets and quality standards)
2. Fully authorized to advise, guide, and coach individual entrepreneurs
3. Promoting and safeguarding the desired atmosphere and corporate culture
4. Optimal execution of the tasks and sub-tasks belonging to the role
5. Optimal planning and organization of personal work
6. Collegial cooperation with colleagues and individual entrepreneurs
7. Recognizing and addressing the information needs of individual entrepreneurs and management
8. Good management of the available tools, equipment, and materials
9. Strong external representation, both professionally and in personal presentation
10. Recognizing market signals and subsequently initiating actions

Required education and experience

• Relevant vocational (MBO+) or higher professional (HBO) education
• Experience in (franchise) management
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work with computer programs relevant to the role
• Willingness to work irregular hours
• Driver's license (B)

Characteristics and personality traits

1. Commercial ability
2. Initiative
3. Quality-oriented
4. Development of entrepreneurs
5. Persuasiveness
6. Empathy
7. Performance motivation
8. Result-oriented

Franchise Manager Service

For both emerging franchise formulas that do not yet require a full-time franchise manager and established franchise formulas seeking temporary replacement or expansion, the Franchise Manager Service is an ideal solution. It offers the same expertise and support as a full-time manager, but at significantly lower costs.

View our Franchise Manager Service