Director
Overseeing the performance of one or more brands, a Director is wholly accountable for the profitability, sales and integrity of those brands. Operating at Board level, a Director will work closely with other head office functions to guarantee the sustainable growth of operations and maximise shareholder value.
In addition to leading Operations and Support teams on the day to day delivery of brand objectives, a Director is also responsible for locating and exploiting new opportunities in the marketplace.
Developing fledgling concepts from the ground up requires a Director to: pinpoint suitable locations for outlets; co-ordinate with Support Services to build a logistics and distribution infrastructure; plan purchases and inventory control and develop competitive positioning through brand promotion, marketing, advertising and pricing strategies.
Ultimately, the Board will rely on a Director to strengthen their competitive advantage at every opportunity.
Area Manager
An Area Manager has a key role in maximising the sales and profitability of a brewery, leisure-chain-owned public houses, clubs, restaurants or hotels. Working within a specified brand or category in a specific geographic area, they work closely with venue managers to plan, coordinate, maintain and develop each venue's commercial performance.
Area managers are usually responsible for a number of businesses in each area. The role has developed from overseeing the estate to providing active strategic business support and because of this they are increasingly referred to as business or sales development managers. In an increasingly competitive industry, this is a high pressured, but rewarding role.
Day to day activities vary on the size and type of outlet, but will typically comprise: monitoring the business performance of outlets and setting and achieving profit targets; targeting and developing specific markets; promoting company products in the light of market and competitor activity; selecting, training, motivating and developing staff; monitoring health and safety, environmental health and legal requirements and ensuring that premises are maintained to company standards.
Unit Manager
A Unit Manager ensures their establishment operates efficiently and profitably while maintaining its reputation and ethos. They must coordinate a variety of activities, whatever the size or type of the outlet, taking responsibility for its business performance, as well as maintaining high standards of service and health and safety.
A Unit Manager’s remit comprises strategic planning, shift pattern organisation and day-to-day management activities. Depending on the nature of the outlet, the role may have creative aspects, particularly in marketing and business development. As a key role within the hospitality sector, unit management is fast-paced, highly demanding and very rewarding.
Day to day activities vary depending on the type of outlet, but typically include: analysing and planning the outlet’s profitability; setting budgets; organising marketing activities; preparing reports on staff control, food control and sales.
Front of house and housekeeping activities include: organising and supervising the shifts of kitchen, waiting and cleaning staff; coordinating the operation of the restaurant during shifts; handling customer complaints and queries; checking stock levels and ordering supplies.
In some units, fast food outlets or coffee chains for example, there may be up to 50 staff contributing to a turnover in excess of £1million per annum, requiring management on a relatively large scale. This would include the recruitment, training and development of staff, motivating and encouraging them to achieve targets and instilling company policies, procedures and ethics.
Unit Managers at this level are also responsible for establishing relationships with the local community and undertaking activities which comply with the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes.
