Sr. Manager, Business Development – London, United Kingdom

Region: London HQ Office

Ready for a fresh, new career? Look no further because one of the world’s most iconic brands can help you get there.

Why Join Us?

At Subway, “better” is baked into our DNA. We are a brand that believes in continued improvement … in our lives, our businesses, and our planet. From the handshake that started our very first sandwich shop to earning our position as one of the world’s leading restaurant brands, we’ve always embraced change and the path ahead. And today, we're making better living way easier.

Our purpose is about more than the food we serve in our restaurants. It’s centered on fueling healthy businesses and healthier lives. It is one of the most exciting times to join the Subway team and contribute to our transformational journey.

About the Role:

We are looking for a Sr. Manager, Business Development based in our London office. The Senior Business Development Manager – Master Franchise, will drive Subway’s growth across EMEA by identifying, evaluating, and securing new Master Franchise partnerships. This role will lead end-to-end deal execution: pipeline generation, partner evaluation, commercial negotiation support, internal approvals, and smooth handover into onboarding.

This role requires a mix of commercial mindset + structured deal making discipline - someone who can open doors, assess partners fast, and build a business case for a win-win partnership for the long term. The role will work closely with the MF BU leadership seeking alignment/buy-in for each business case, and will collaborate with other functions (legal, finance, etc.) throughout the process as needed.

 

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

 

Lead Master Franchise Expansion (Deal Origination to Signing)

Build and manage a healthy pipeline of MF opportunities across targeted EMEA markets Identify high potential partners (operators, investors, multi-brand retail groups, other QSR players), and the list of key decision-makers within each potential partner. Develop winning outreach strategies, tailored to each market / potential partner: network intros, Linkedin connection, advisors, targeted approaches Run partner selection process based on criteria aligned with MF BU leadership: capability assessment, reputation checks, financial strength review, strategic fit

Commercial & Strategic Evaluation

Conduct market-level screening: store potential, whitespace, competition, macro trends, regulatory considerations Support development of a win-win business plan for a sustainable partnership in the long term, based on store build economics, development and sales growth assumptions. Ensure the business plan is commercially viable, able to create investment appetite and satisfy payback expectations Partner with BU Business Analytics team and Finance to shape the “why this market / why this partner / why now” story, to create buy-in from leadership.

 

Deal Structuring & Negotiation Support Support MF BU leadership throughout negotiation of key commercial terms (development schedules, fees, incentives, governance, performance triggers) Coordinate with Legal on franchise agreement alignment and risk mitigation Support leadership alignment and approval process for each signing by preparing “deal summary sheets” for executive leadership`s review.

 

New Business Development (NBD) Process & Sales Enablement

Review, improve, and standardize NBD ways of working to increase speed, quality, and consistency of deal execution Build and continuously refine core sales tools and assets such as: MF sales pitch / partnership deck (master version + market-specific variants) Subway differentiators / value proposition messaging (why Subway, why now, why us) Standard partner qualification scorecards and evaluation templates Pipeline tracking + stage gates for internal governance and approvals Competitive benchmarks and “battlecards” vs. key QSR peers Ensure materials are always “client-ready,” aligned internally, and reflective of current strategy, performance, and brand positioning

 

Handover & Early Partner Success

Manage internal communications to keep all stakeholders up to date on each upcoming deal prior to signing, along with expectations on the timelines, initial support needed and business plan KPIs. Successfully hand over each deal after signing to the transition teams for launch readiness (onboarding handover, governance setup, first-year priorities)

 

Additional responsibilities:

Main KPI:

# of MF agreements signed (annual target)

Other KPIs:

# of qualified MF opportunities added to pipeline (monthly/quarterly) # of partner assessments completed and advanced to proposal stage Time-to-close from first contact to signing Quality of partnerships (financial strength, development capacity and execution capability).

 

Skills and Abilities Required:

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, economics, operations, or similar related field. Master’s degree is a plus 5–8+ years’ experience in strategy, development, commercial, planning or M&A role Industry experience: strategy consulting, QSR, retail, FMCG or Real estate are relevant Prior experience in EMEA required Strong commercial judgment and “ownership” mindset Experience building/negotiating complex partnerships or long term commercial agreements Ability to drive initiatives across multiple internal stakeholders Comfortable with long sales cycles, senior level discussions for strategic alignment Can push back respectfully when deals get too optimistic Clear and concise written and verbal communication Strong presentation and analytical skills Strong proficiency in financial modelling Advanced Powerpoint and Excel capabilities Executive presence / maturity and awareness of the broader business context

 

What do we Offer?

Reimbursements of insurance plans Competitive bonus Commute to work Company Holidays Learning & Development Benefits