QSR Country Manager – Zimbabwe

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are recruiting a Country Manager to join the Hungry Lion team in Zimbabwe.  The purpose of this role is to lead and grow the Hungry Lion business in-country by driving operational excellence, ensuring brand standards, and delivering sustainable profitability through effective leadership, financial and market strategies.

DUTIES/ RESPONSIBILITIES

• Brand Standards & Customer Experience
  • Oversee daily operations to ensure efficiency, quality, and consistency by implementing and monitoring standard operating procedures, food safety standards, and hygiene protocols.
  • Ensure brand consistency across all customer touchpoints and champion excellent customer service and guest satisfaction.
  • Monitor and respond to customer feedback and market trends.
• Stakeholder Relations
  • Liaise with head office and regional support teams and manage relationships with licensing, statutory and regulatory bodies.
• Market Expansion
  • Identify high-potential sites for new outlets and navigate regulatory environments, permits, and compliance.
  • Liaise with the Head Office Development team.
• Marketing & Local Relevance
  • Work with Head Office marketing on campaigns, activations, and digital to adapt to local tastes and culture.
• Projects
  • General project management, as well as involvement in new store development projects.
• Risk & Compliance Oversight
  • Identify and mitigate operational, financial, legal, and reputational risks by ensuring full compliance with health, safety, and regulatory requirements.
  • Handle crisis situations (e.g. supply disruptions, political unrest) swiftly.
• Financial Performance
  • ​​​​​​​Accountable for profit and loss (P&L), track financial performance, margins & unit economics.
• People & Culture Leadership
  • ​​​​​​​Drive leadership development, training, and succession planning and ensure compliance with labour laws and HR policies.
• Supply Chain & Procurement
  • ​​​​​​​Manage supplier relationships, enforce supply contracts and coordinate logistics.
• Repairs & Maintenance
  • ​​​​​​​Oversee repairs and maintenance processes to ensure well-maintained operations and maintain costs within budget.

REQUIREMENTS

• 8-10 years of food and beverage management experience.
• Experience in the key result areas listed.
• Hotel management certification or a relevant in-house certification is advantageous.

COMPETENCIES

• Strong financial acumen.
• Resilience and tenacity.
• Strong negotiation skills with a win/win attitude.
• Results-oriented.
• Fair and just.
• Drive and commitment.
• Pragmatic problem-solving. 
• Emotional intelligence.
• Ability to work in unstructured environments.
• Self-reliant.
• Multicultural and interpersonal skills.