Managing Director Job at KellyDeli (London)

Job Description

The Managing Director will take full ownership of Onggi’s strategic direction, commercial performance, and expansion roadmap. This is a commercially‑led, scale‑up leadership role, ideal for a former Director-level leader from a multi‑site food retail, QSR, or franchise environment. You will build the foundations for scalable growth, sell the concept to major retailers, secure national/multi‑country retail partnerships, design the commercial model, and shape the expansion from tens to hundreds of locations. This is a hands‑on, in‑market leadership role requiring both strategic thinking and operational credibility.

Job Responsibility

Define and execute Onggi’s long-term commercial and expansion strategy, aligned with the Founder’s vision
Build the growth blueprint: commercial model, franchise/partnership approach, organisational structure, and scalability frameworks
Lead cross‑functional teams (Operations, Quality, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance) to deliver sustained growth
Act as the concept’s ambassador with retailers, partners, and internal teams
Drive commercial performance across the business: P&Ls, budgets, forecasts, and profitability improvement
Secure national or multi-country retail partnerships, negotiating and closing long-term commercial agreements
Present and sell the concept to major retailers, building strategic relationships that accelerate growth
Identify commercial opportunities, alternative channels, and innovation avenues to broaden Onggi’s reach
Build and manage a pipeline of new kiosk opportunities in the UK and future international markets
Lead end‑to‑end new site launches: retail negotiation, planning, build-out, training, and post‑opening optimisation
Establish scalable playbooks, site selection criteria, and frameworks for rapid multi-site expansion
Oversee the successful performance of the kiosk network, ensuring best‑in‑class food quality, service, and brand consistency
Design scalable SOPs, operating standards, and performance metrics suitable for a growing multi-country estate
Ensure compliance with food safety, health & safety, and internal quality standards
Lead and inspire a growing cross‑functional team, creating clear KPIs, priorities, and accountability
Build a high‑performance culture that blends entrepreneurial agility with operational discipline
Work closely with the Founder to translate vision into actionable growth plans and execution
Ensure Marketing delivers compelling local campaigns, content, promotions, and brand storytelling
Maintain the authenticity of the Onggi Korean customer experience across all kiosks and future channels

Requirements

Experience scaling a multi‑site food retail, QSR, franchise, or kiosk-led business
Proven track record delivering commercial growth, negotiating high-value retail partnerships, and scaling concepts from tens to hundreds of sites
Experience working closely with a founder or entrepreneurial leader
Demonstrated success opening new stores, leading multi-site operations, and building scalable systems and teams
Multi-country expansion experience (ideal)
Understanding of or affinity with Korean culture and food (a plus)
Commercially sharp, strategic thinker with strong P&L ownership and financial acumen
Comfortable operating autonomously in a high-growth environment and making effective decisions with limited structure
Strong communicator and relationship builder, able to influence retailers, partners, and internal teams
Entrepreneurial, pragmatic, hands-on, and deeply committed to building a new brand from the ground up

Nice to have

Multi-country expansion experience
Understanding of or affinity with Korean culture and food

What we offer

An opportunity to build and shape a brand from the ground up
A highly entrepreneurial environment backed by the success and infrastructure of KellyDeli
Autonomy, influence, and the chance to play a key leadership role in national expansion

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Managing Director

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