Group Development Director

Company: Game Changers Investments Ltd

Location: London/UK

Reports to: Simon Wright / Board of Directors

Job Summary

Game Changers Investments Ltd is a dynamic, forward-thinking hospitality group with a portfolio of innovative food and beverage brands.

Below are some of our current operational brands

- Floozie Cookies – A plant-based stuffed cookie brand with global cult appeal.

- El Takoy – A modern, Pacific-influenced street food concept blending Latin and Asian flavours.

- Doughnation Pizza – A casual pizza concept focused on artisanal dough, sustainability, and community impact.

We are seeking a commercially driven, entrepreneurial, and highly strategic Group Development Director to oversee the performance of our existing brands and lead the franchise development, partnership growth, and strategic scaling across the UK and international markets. This role is suited to a self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, founder-led environment and who can confidently balance operational oversight with big-picture business development. The successful candidate will play a key leadership role in shaping the next phase of growth for Game Changers Investments Ltd.

Key Responsibilities

1. Brand Performance & Strategic Oversight

- Act as the senior point of contact for all operational brands including — Floozie Cookies, El Takoy, and Doughnation Pizza

— ensuring each concept performs against its commercial and experiential KPIs.

- Provide guidance and high-level oversight to operations managers and general managers across all sites.

- Monitor and analyse sales, margins, customer feedback, NPS Scores and team performance to identify areas for improvement and innovation.

- Maintain the integrity of each brand’s identity, standards, and guest experience as the business scales.

2. Franchise & Licensing Development

- Lead the end-to-end development of a franchisee and/or licensing strategy for each brand, adapting the operational model for scalability while maintaining brand ethos.

- Identify, evaluate, and onboard qualified franchisees who align with the group’s values and commercial goals.

- Create and implement all necessary franchise materials — including operations manuals, training programs, compliance standards, and brand playbooks.

- Serve as the liaison between franchised partners and the wider Game Changers Investments Ltd leadership team.

3. Market Expansion & Business Development

- Develop and execute a roadmap for new market entry across the UK and selected international territories.

- Collaborate with legal, finance, property, and design teams to assess potential sites and partnerships.

- Lead commercial negotiations for site launches, franchise agreements, or co-investment deals.

- Build partnerships with developers, landlords, and industry contacts to uncover growth opportunities for existing and future brands.

4. Brand Positioning & Growth Strategy

- Work closely with the CEO and founders to refine and evolve the long-term positioning and vision of each brand.

- Conduct market research, competitor analysis, and consumer insight reports to inform strategic decisions.

- Support the creation of pitch decks, investment materials, and brand proposals for stakeholders and partners.

5. Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

- Lead, inspire, and mentor a small cross-functional team (operations, development, marketing) as needed.

- Foster strong collaboration with the, Executive Chef, Marketing Manager, and external consultants.

- Represent Game Changers Investments Ltd at industry events, conferences, and partnership meetings.

Requirements

Candidate Profile

Experience & Background

- 7–10+ years of progressive experience in hospitality, franchise development, hotel or brand operations — ideally with multi-site, high-growth food and beverage brands.

- Demonstrated experience scaling concepts through franchising, licensing, or owned expansion.

- A track record of launching and managing multiple hospitality or retail concepts across varied markets.

- Previous experience working with founder-led or start-up environments is highly desirable.

Skills & Qualities

- Visionary commercial thinker with excellent negotiation and deal-closing skills.

- Strong operational understanding of hospitality businesses.

- Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to work autonomously and lead complex projects from start to finish.

- Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.

-Quality & detail-oriented and able to balance brand values with bottom-line results.

- Strong project management and financial literacy.

Benefits

Salary: Competitive + Performance Bonus + Benefits + Equity Potential

What We Offer

- A senior leadership role with the opportunity to shape and grow three exciting, purpose-driven brands, with other potential brands in the pipeline

- Competitive compensation with performance-related bonuses and long-term equity incentive potential.

- A dynamic, creative, and collaborative team culture with direct access to founders and decision-makers.

- Opportunities for travel, innovation, and real influence within a growing international business