Franchise Chief Growth
Officer Executive Search
Recruiting Franchise Growth Leaders Who Accelerate Expansion and Enterprise Value
Franchise growth requires more than adding locations. It demands strategic leadership capable of aligning franchise development, franchisee profitability, brand positioning, operational performance, and long-term enterprise value.
At Wray Executive Search, we specialize in Franchise Chief Growth Officer Executive Search, helping franchisors and multi-unit organizations identify transformational executives who can accelerate systemwide growth while strengthening franchisee relationships and protecting brand integrity.
Whether your organization is expanding into new markets, optimizing franchisee performance, preparing for private equity investment, or building a more scalable franchise system, our executive recruiters connect you with Chief Growth Officers who understand the complexities of sustainable franchise expansion.
Trust Earned Through Decades of Success
96%
Search Completion Rate
94%
Offer Acceptance Rate
50+
Years as Industry Specialists
Restaurant & Franchise Executive Search
92%
Placement Retention Rate
21 Days
Average to 1st Vetted Slate of Candidate
Why Franchise Organizations Are
Hiring Chief Growth Officers
The franchise business model presents unique growth challenges. Successful expansion depends on attracting qualified franchisees, identifying profitable markets, supporting existing operators, and ensuring consistency across an increasingly complex network.
As franchise systems scale, growth responsibilities are often distributed across development, marketing, operations, and finance. A Chief Growth Officer brings these functions together under a unified strategy focused on sustainable expansion and long-term performance.
Unlike traditional marketing or development executives, franchise Chief Growth Officers are accountable for the broader growth ecosystem. Their responsibilities may include franchise sales, new unit development, market penetration, franchisee economics, strategic partnerships, and revenue optimization.
For organizations evaluating whether to establish this position, understanding the differences between a Chief Growth Officer and Chief Marketing Officer can help clarify leadership needs. Similarly, companies focused primarily on unit expansion may benefit from evaluating their Franchise Development Executive Search strategy alongside broader enterprise growth leadership.
Wray Executive Search has partnered with some of the most recognized restaurant, franchise, hospitality, and food service organizations in the world.
The Wray Advantage
For more than 50 years, Wray Executive Search has helped restaurant, franchise, hospitality, and food service organizations identify executive leaders who drive growth and operational performance. As experienced restaurant executive search consultants, Wray combines deep industry specialization with a personalized, high-touch approach to executive recruitment.
Our national network gives clients access to proven leaders across operations, finance, marketing, HR, franchise development, and the C-suite — including passive candidates who are not actively seeking new opportunities. From succession planning and confidential leadership searches to growth-focused executive hiring, Wray helps companies build leadership teams aligned with their culture, strategy, and long-term goals.
Companies choose Wray because of our industry expertise, operational understanding, national reach, and decades-long reputation as trusted restaurant executive recruiters, franchise executive search firms, hospitality executive recruiters, and food service executive recruiting specialists.
6 Points of Distinction
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Our Leadership
Our leading consultants bring substantial senior-level experience.
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Wide Scope
Wray Executive Search offers a wide scope of industry knowledge and experience. We provide a wide array of services and have an extensive network in these arenas.
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Impactful Expertise
The cross-functional, wide-reaching expertise our company provides can have a deep impact on your business. We serve client needs internationally, nationally, regionally and locally.
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Unique Guarantees
We offer a full one-year replacement guarantee ensuring that our candidates will bring value long term. If, for some reason, the hired candidate does not work out, we will find a replacement.
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Diverse Consultants
Our consultants bring varied experience from all segments of the industry. We offer broad-based, cross-functional expertise to enhance our partnership.
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Competitive, Comprehensive Rates
There are no surprises when it comes to our fees. We maintain highly competitive performance-based rates founded upon our robust executive search record.
What Does a Franchise Chief Growth Officer Do?
A franchise Chief Growth Officer develops and executes strategies that expand the franchise network, strengthen franchisee performance, and increase systemwide revenue. Although responsibilities vary by organization, the position typically combines strategic development, commercial leadership, and cross-functional execution.
Franchise Development and Unit Expansion
Chief Growth Officers identify new markets, oversee franchise development strategies, strengthen the franchise sales pipeline, and establish expansion priorities that balance growth potential with operational capacity.
Franchisee Performance and Profitability
Sustainable franchise growth depends on the financial health of existing operators. Effective CGOs collaborate with operations and finance leaders to improve unit-level economics, franchisee retention, and overall system performance.
Brand Growth and Customer Acquisition
Growth executives align consumer marketing, digital engagement, loyalty strategies, and brand positioning with franchise expansion objectives. They work closely with leaders responsible for Franchise Marketing Executive Search functions to ensure that consumer demand supports development initiatives.
Strategic Partnerships and New Markets
Franchise CGOs evaluate partnerships, acquisitions, alternative distribution channels, and geographic opportunities that can accelerate expansion while supporting the organization's long-term vision.
Cross-Functional Growth Leadership
The most effective CGOs connect franchise development, marketing, operations, technology, and finance. This alignment is particularly important for franchise systems experiencing rapid growth or transitioning from founder-led management to institutional leadership.
What Makes an Exceptional Franchise Chief Growth Officer?
The strongest Franchise Chief Growth Officers combine strategic thinking with operational execution. They understand how growth decisions impact every area of the business—not just marketing.
Successful candidates often demonstrate experience in:
Multi-unit restaurant leadership
Franchise systems
Consumer marketing
Digital transformation
Revenue optimization
Customer acquisition and retention
Unit economics
Operational scalability
Cross-functional leadership
Executive collaboration with CEOs, Boards, and Private Equity sponsors
At Wray Executive Search, we evaluate leaders on more than their résumé. We assess leadership style, cultural fit, strategic thinking, financial acumen, and the ability to build organizations capable of sustained growth.
Our Chief Growth Officer Executive Recruiters
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![restaurant-executive-search, restaurant-recruiters, hospitality-executive-search, food-search-executive-search, franchise-executive search, franchise-recruiters]()
Kevin Stockslager
Managing Partner
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Ray Kelley
Managing Partner
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![restaurant-executive-search, restaurant-recruiters, hospitality-executive-search, food-search-executive-search, franchise-executive search, franchise-recruiters]()
Rebecca Patt
SVP & Partner
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![restaurant-executive-search, restaurant-recruiters, hospitality-executive-search, food-search-executive-search, franchise-executive search, franchise-recruiters]()
Bob Gershberg
Executive Advisor
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![restaurant-executive-search, restaurant-recruiters, hospitality-executive-search, food-search-executive-search, franchise-executive search, franchise-recruiters]()
Joe Radice
Advisor
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Jonathan Kelley
Vice President of Recruiting
Partner with Wray Search
Finding the right Franchise Chief Growth Officer requires more than reviewing résumés. It requires understanding your business, identifying leaders with proven results, and engaging executives who can shape the future of your organization.
If your organization is preparing for its next phase of growth, Wray Executive Search can help you identify transformational Chief Growth Officers with the leadership experience to make an immediate impact.
If you are looking to be considered for opportunities, go to our candidate page and submit your resume.
The Executive Connection: News & Insights
Frequently Asked Questions About Franchise Chief Growth Officer Executive Search
What does a Chief Growth Officer do in a franchise company?
A franchise Chief Growth Officer oversees strategies designed to expand the franchise system, increase revenue, strengthen franchisee performance, and create long-term enterprise value. Responsibilities may include franchise development, marketing, market expansion, strategic partnerships, and cross-functional growth initiatives.
What is the difference between a franchise Chief Growth Officer and a Chief Development Officer?
A Chief Development Officer primarily focuses on franchise sales, development agreements, and new location expansion. A Chief Growth Officer generally has broader responsibility for systemwide growth, including revenue performance, brand development, franchisee economics, and strategic expansion.
When should a franchise organization hire a Chief Growth Officer?
Franchise organizations may benefit from hiring a CGO when entering new markets, accelerating development, preparing for private equity investment, restructuring executive leadership, or experiencing growth challenges that require coordination across multiple departments.
What experience should a franchise Chief Growth Officer have?
Qualified candidates typically have experience in franchise development, multi-unit operations, commercial strategy, revenue growth, financial performance, and executive leadership. The ideal background depends on the franchise organization's size, business model, and strategic priorities.
How does a Chief Growth Officer improve franchisee profitability?
A CGO can help improve franchisee profitability by aligning development strategies with market demand, supporting customer acquisition, collaborating with operations on unit-level performance, and prioritizing sustainable growth rather than expansion alone.
Can a Chief Growth Officer help a private equity-backed franchise system?
Yes. A CGO can help private equity-backed franchise organizations execute expansion strategies, improve commercial performance, identify new revenue opportunities, and align growth initiatives with investment objectives.
Why hire a specialized franchise executive search firm?
A specialized franchise executive search firm understands the leadership requirements of franchisor organizations, maintains relationships with experienced franchise executives, and can assess candidates based on franchise development expertise, operational knowledge, and cultural alignment.
How long does a franchise Chief Growth Officer executive search take?
The timeline varies depending on the complexity of the position, candidate requirements, organizational structure, and geographic considerations. A retained executive search process typically includes leadership assessment, candidate identification, evaluation, interviews, and final selection.
Ask Our Franchise Executive Search Team a Question
Hire a Franchise Chief Growth Officer Who Can Lead Your Next Stage of Growth
Successful franchise expansion requires more than ambitious development targets. It requires leaders who can connect franchise sales, market strategy, franchisee profitability, operational excellence, and brand performance into a sustainable growth model.
Wray Executive Search helps franchise organizations identify Chief Growth Officers with the experience, strategic perspective, and leadership capabilities necessary to accelerate expansion and strengthen enterprise value.
Whether you're creating a new executive position, replacing an existing growth leader, or preparing your franchise organization for its next phase of development, our team can help you identify the right executive.