Franchise People Lead

About The Role

THE TEAM

Our People and Culture team creates a place where people don’t just work - they thrive and feel genuinely proud to be part of something real. We’re here for all 36,000 members of Team [Employer hidden — view at passion-project.co.uk] – shaping a bold, inclusive culture where everyone feels supported, included, and empowered to grow.

We lead with smart, heart, and courage and are people first, always. From finding and nurturing top talent to unlocking growth opportunities, we’re ambitious about our people’s potential. We ask questions, push boundaries, and challenge the usual way of doing things - if it means building a better experience for our teams, we’re all in.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This role is all about building a *one-team*, people-powered community across our 28 franchise partners and 700+ restaurants. You’ll unite our People & Culture leaders behind a shared strategy, levelling up people experience across the system while strengthening the partnership between People & Ops to deliver legendary employee and customer moments.

You’ll unlock growth by raising people standards, driving brilliant governance, and making sure our franchise system has the support, insight and challenge it needs to win. Real impact, real responsibility, real teamwork.

WHAT WILL YOU SPEND YOUR TIME DOING

Insight Led

• Use data, insight and people metrics to fuel strategic conversations with Franchise Business Leaders and the LT, helping them drive the numbers that matter.
• Build know-how with FBLs so they can confidently deep-dive people data and have intrusive, action-orientated conversations with franchisees.
• Turn market trends and people insight into clear, consistent people standards across the system.

Governance & Compliance

• Shape and drive the people compliance roadmap, ensuring we meet policy, legal and brand standards with clarity, pace and accountability.
• Be the go-to on People governance and risk, leading activity linked to the Enterprise-wide Risk Management framework.
• Horizon scan for emerging risks, patterns and red flags — making sure the People function is ahead, not behind.
• Work closely with People Leaders and Principal Operators on critical people issues, including managing our Franchise Speak Up platform.
• Hold the bar on crisis management, guiding teams to make the right call for our people and our brand.
• Partner with our internal legal team and external employment law experts to keep the system safe and compliant.

Great Partners

• Build trusted, open and respected relationships with franchise partners — understanding their business and supporting them to grow capability and performance.
• Lead the partnership with Franchise Business Leaders to bring People & Ops together as one aligned force
• Create the space and energy for sharing best practice across the system and RSC teams.
• Represent the Franchise People agenda cross-functionally, ensuring employee experience is always part of the plan.

Unrivalled Culture & Talent

• Partner with franchisees and FBLs to shape future org design, capability and talent needs.
• Use people metrics to inform long-term talent, capability and standards decisions.
• Apply commercial and insight-led thinking to influence people standards and initiatives across the brand.
• Lead PPR with franchise partners — ensuring talent, succession, capability and development stay front and centre.
• Champion great training and culture execution, keeping close to completion, quality and impact.
• Build brilliant relationships with all People Leaders across [Employer hidden], influencing their people strategy through trust and credibility.
• Work cross-functionally with the RSC to keep us operating as one system.
• Be a key people partner to the Franchise Business Leader team across planning cycles, standards and capability.
• Attend and contribute to key [Employer hidden] forums as required.

WHAT WE LOVE FROM YOU

EXPERIENCE

• Strong understanding of franchise operations and how franchisor–franchisee relationships work in real life.
• Deep grounding in core HR practices (talent, performance, ER, reward, compliance).
• Comfortable pulling insight from people data and using it to influence the agenda.
• Confident navigating employment law, compliance requirements and industry standards.
• Sound understanding of risk frameworks and how to identify, escalate and manage risk.
• Background in change management and implementing new ways of working.
• Skilled stakeholder manager able to build trust at all levels.

SKILLS

• Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively communicate complex information to various audiences.
• Ability to think strategically and develop long-term plans and initiatives aligned with business objectives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound and data-driven decisions.
• Ability to effectively influence and negotiate with stakeholders at all levels.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritise tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to coach and mentor franchisees and other stakeholders on HR-related issues.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across departments and functions.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and navigate ambiguity in a dynamic environment.
• A proactive and results-oriented approach with a strong drive to achieve goals.
• Proficiency in using HR software and other relevant technologies

ABOUT YOU

• A genuine team player
• A self-starter with curiosity, energy and adaptability
• Hungry to learn and thrive in a small, mighty team
• A practical problem-solver with strong commercial instincts
• Obsessed with high standards, momentum and getting things done
• And of course… a true [Employer hidden] believer

Ready?

We hope so, if you’re ready to be part of our community, now’s the time to apply.

Worried you aren’t ticking all the boxes? Don’t - we’d still love to hear from you.

*Beware of fake job postings using Yum! and/or our brand logos -- [Employer hidden], Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill -- on fraudulent sites. Yum! Brands only posts jobs on official careers pages and never asks for money during onboarding. Avoid unsolicited contacts via Telegram, WhatsApp or similar social apps.*