Franchise Business Representative - Gauteng

SUMMARY:
Our client in the Automotive Manufacturing industry is looking to employ a passionate and driven Franchise Business Representative to join their team based in Gauteng. 

POSITION INFO:
Requirements: Matric or equivelant. A diploma or equivalent qualification in Business Administration, Retail Management, Sales, Marketing, Operations Management or a related field is preferred. Minimum 5 years' experience in retail, franchise, sales, operations or business development. Experience working with franchisees or within a franchise environment is highly advantageous. Experience in multi-site retail operations is preferred. Experience in store openings and operational implementation. Experience in training, coaching and conducting operational audits. Proven experience in sales and business development. Automotive, battery, FMCG or related retail experience will be advantageous. Computer Literacy - MS Office Suite. Strong Excel and reporting skills. Knowledge of retail and franchise operating processes. Knowledge of sales and customer service processes. Understanding of store auditing and compliance. Understanding of financial and commercial principles. Ability to analyse store performance and identify trends. Project management and new store implementation skills. Strong presentation and training skills. Knowledge of POS and retail systems will be advantageous. Responsibilities but not limited to: Franchisee Relationship Management and Business Support Act as the key operational contact between Head Office and allocated franchisees. Conduct regular store visits and maintain consistent engagement with franchisees. Understand the individual needs, challenges and opportunities of each franchise. Provide guidance and support on operational, sales and customer service matters. Assist franchisees in identifying opportunities to improve business activity, buy-in performance and operational efficiency. Proactively identify potential issues before they negatively impact store performance. Escalate matters requiring Head Office intervention in a timely manner. Support franchisees in implementing initiatives, campaigns and strategic priorities. Build trusted relationships while maintaining accountability to franchise standards. Encourage franchisees to take ownership of their business performance and operational standards. Franchise Operational Excellence and Compliance Ensure franchisees understand and implement all relevant SOPs. Provide ongoing operational guidance and support. Monitor compliance with operational processes including opening and closing procedures, cash handling and banking, stock management, ordering and replenishment, administration and reporting, customer service, health and safety, store housekeeping and staff management. Identify operational gaps and recommend corrective actions. Support franchisees in implementing process improvements. Monitor adherence to policies, procedures and franchise requirements. Ensure new SOPs and process changes are communicated and implemented effectively. Work closely with relevant Head Office departments to resolve operational challenges. Store Audits and Corrective Action Management Conduct scheduled franchise store audits and operational assessments. Complete store audit checklists accurately and consistently. Identify areas of non-compliance and operational risk. Provide constructive feedback to franchisees and store managers. Agree corrective action plans with franchisees. Set realistic deadlines for corrective actions. Follow up on outstanding findings. Escalate serious or repeated non-compliance to the department's General Manager. Identify trends across the franchise network and recommend systemic solutions. Maintain accurate records of store visits, audits and corrective actions. Conduct follow-up visits where required to verify implementation. Franchisee and Staff Training & Development Assess training needs across the franchise network. Develop and implement franchisee and store staff training plans. Conduct operational onboarding for new franchisees. Train franchisees and staff on department's systems, SOPs and processes. Facilitate product and battery fundamentals training where required. Provide training on sales techniques, customer service and upselling. Train franchisees and staff on compliance requirements. Support store managers with coaching and performance development. Maintain training records for franchisees and staff. Measure the effectiveness of training through assessments, store audits and performance improvement. Identify recurring knowledge gaps and recommend additional training interventions. New Store Opening and Implementation Support the franchisee throughout the new store opening process. Develop and maintain a detailed pre-opening checklist. Coordinate with relevant Head Office departments regarding store requirements. Assist with store setup and operational readiness. Ensure implementation of product and brand standards. Assist with merchandising, product layout and stock positioning. Ensure systems, POS, reporting and operational processes are ready before opening. Assist with initial stock planning and store readiness. Coordinate franchisee and staff training before opening. Conduct operational readiness assessments before launch. Provide on-site support during the opening period where required. Monitor the first 30\/60\/90 days of trading and provide structured support. Identify and resolve early-stage operational challenges. Complete a formal post-opening review. Franchise Sales and New Business Development Identify potential franchisees through networking, referrals, market activity and business development initiatives. Identify potential franchise territories and locations. Develop and maintain an active pipeline of prospective franchisees. Conduct initial franchise opportunity discussions. Qualify prospective franchisees against agreed criteria. Understand the prospective franchisee's business experience, financial capability and suitability. Present the product franchise opportunity professionally. Coordinate prospective franchisee engagement with relevant Head Office stakeholders. Assist with territory and location assessments. Conduct market and competitor assessments where required. Maintain accurate records of all franchise leads and opportunities. Provide regular pipeline reporting to the department's General Manager. Build relationships that generate sustainable future franchise opportunities. Franchise Buy-In Performance, Product Penetration & Business Growth Monitor franchisee buy-in volumes on a monthly basis. Analyse buy-in trends by franchise, territory, product category and product range. Identify franchisees showing declining, stagnant or inactive buy-in activity and proactively engage with them. Identify opportunities to increase the breadth and depth of products stocked by each franchise. Drive the listing and stocking of department's accessories across the franchise network. Educate franchisees on the commercial opportunity and customer benefits of carrying a broader accessory range. Work with franchisees to identify the appropriate accessory range for their individual store and customer base. Monitor accessory buy-in by franchise and identify gaps in product penetration. Drive adoption of new products and product categories launched by the department. Share product knowledge and sales opportunities with franchisees and store teams. Support franchisees with product, promotional and merchandising initiatives designed to increase purchasing activity. Identify best practices from high-performing franchisees and share these across the network. Develop action plans for franchisees with declining buy-in or limited product range penetration. Monitor dormant and low-activity franchise accounts and support reactivation initiatives. Provide regular reporting to the department's General Manager on franchise buy-in performance and product penetration. Brand, CI and Customer Experience Standards Ensure franchisees comply with product guidelines. Conduct regular brand and visual standards assessments. Ensure signage, branding, merchandising and store presentation meet required standards. Support franchisees with local marketing implementation. Ensure promotional material is displayed correctly and within required timelines. Monitor customer service standards. Review customer complaints and recurring service issues. Support franchisees in implementing customer service improvements. Conduct or coordinate mystery shopping where applicable. Ensure franchise stores represent the product brand consistently. Reporting, Administration and Continuous Improvement Maintain accurate franchise store visit and audit records. Submit regular franchise performance reports. Provide monthly reporting on franchisee performance, compliance and key issues. Track outstanding corrective actions. Maintain the franchise prospect pipeline. Provide new store opening progress reports. Identify recurring issues and recommend improvements. Analyse franchise network trends and provide insights to management. Ensure all required administration is completed accurately and on time. Contribute to the continuous improvement of franchise processes, SOPs and support structures. Franchise Network Growth and Strategic Support Identify market opportunities for new franchise stores. Monitor competitor activity and market developments. Identify potential gaps in the current franchise network. Assist with territory development and expansion planning. Provide input into franchise network strategy. Identify opportunities to improve franchisee sustainability and business activity. Share market intelligence with the department's General Manager. Support strategic projects impacting the franchise network. Contribute to the development of franchise support tools, systems and processes. Assist in ensuring the franchise network grows without compromising operational standards or brand integrity. Please note: If you do not receive a response within 2 weeks of submitting your application, please consider your application unsuccessful.