Chief Operating Officer (COO): Scaling #1 UK Short-Let Management Franchise

Summary

Pass the Keys is hiring a COO to lead operations across our franchise network and support the CEO/Founder in scaling a purpose-driven organisation through its next stage of UK and international growth. We aim to grow net booking value from £35m to £100m+ over the next couple of years.

The position is London-based, requiring three days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) of in-office presence each week at our location near Bank station.

Reporting to the CEO, the COO will be responsible for leading our senior management team (sales, marketing, technology, franchise success, our own operations). You will take over the majority of day-to-day running of the business, allowing the CEO to focus more on new products, new markets, new business models, M&A, and other opportunities.

This is a role for someone who is equally comfortable building systems, driving accountability, and leading through influence. It requires exceptional people leadership and rigorous execution with strong strategic skills and commercial acumen. You need to have a very high EQ and be passionate about helping your team succeed and shine. Franchising, property management, and short-letting experience are a bonus.

Our Journey and Vision

Pass the Keys was founded in London in 2015 to help homeowners earn additional income and retain flexibility in using their homes by renting them out on platforms like Airbnb, without the hassle of managing them. We offer a fully managed service for our hosts (including Listing & Revenue Management, 24/7 Guest Services, and Cleaning & Maintenance). Pass the Keys’ tech focus differentiated us from other short-let management companies from the beginning.

Pass the Keys expanded its own operations to 10 cities and 300 properties between 2015 and 2018. From 2018, we have grown through franchising by empowering local entrepreneurs (franchisees) to build successful local businesses in each territory using our brand, in-house technology, processes and support. We are one of the few players that have successfully survived and thrived after COVID.

Today, Pass the Keys is

• one of the largest full-service short-let managers in the UK and Spain, present in 50+ locations with over 1,700 properties under management
• one of the biggest short-let franchise networks in Europe. £35m in net booking value. Around £13m in gross network revenue, £ in Pass the Keys net revenue.
• one of the highest-quality short-let managers in the UK and Europe with an average Airbnb score above , on Google and on Trustpilot
• a team of 40+ team members, mostly in the UK but also in Poland, Spain, Bulgaria and the Philippines. Our office is based near Bank Station in London. We work three days a week in the office, two days remotely.

Our vision is to become the biggest short-let ecosystem globally by constantly improving the success of our hosts, guests and franchisees. Our near-term goal is to reach £100m in booking value by helping 100 franchisees exceed £1m in booking value. As we take on bigger management franchisees and focus more on international expansion, our longer-term goal is a £1 billion annual booking value.

Job Overview

We are looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO)/ Managing Director to help us accelerate our business in the UK and internationally. The successful candidate will report to the CEO/Founder and become his trusted strategic partner. You will be in charge of our Senior Management Team, responsible for leading all our teams. The role is similar to that of an 'Integrator' (as described in Gino Wickman’s Traction), meaning you will turn the company’s vision into execution, manage day-to-day operations with decisiveness and empathy, and hold the senior leadership team to high standards of accountability while building strong relationships.

The opportunity for the COO in Pass the Keys is to help shape our journey, realise our vision, and transform the industry. This is a role for someone who is equally comfortable with building systems that scale, improving accountability, and who prefers leading through influence more than hierarchy. Success in the role will include accelerating profitable growth and continuously improving the team.

Key Responsibilities/ Outcomes for the Role:

• Working with the CEO and the senior management team on setting the company-wide strategy and objectives
• Growing the company’s topline growth and profitability by managing each team’s P&L, working with the CEO on resource allocation
• Prioritising and project managing changes and improvements to our processes
• Wearing multiple hats and rolling up sleeves when necessary
• Collaborating and communicating with external stakeholders (OTAs, technology providers, key suppliers, industry bodies)
• Navigating a changing regulatory and compliance environment
• Optimising operational performance using data and KPIs
• Leadership and team management, including
• Ensuring the management team and each department is performing, hitting their goals (OKRs), and following the company's core processes
• Recruiting staff across the globe to execute our strategy
• Hiring, managing and retaining A-players that are stronger than you in their respective fields
• Being a multiplier (getting the most out of our talent, playing to their strengths)
• Coaching, developing and inspiring our people to grow professionally
• Aligning the different functions of the business (Sales, Ops, Marketing, Tech).
• Reinforcing our company-wide culture and work practices
• Implementing KPIs, operational processes and accountability structures
• Managing team remuneration and bonus structures
• Managing HR processes and policies
• Scaling up our operations and ensuring the success of our three stakeholders (guests, hosts and partners) through our partners (franchisees):
• Executing strategies for the success of our three stakeholders: guests (success measured through reviews), hosts (measured through retention) and franchise partners (measured through partner growth, profitability and retention)
• Building effective training programmes for our partners
• Building and managing relationships with our partners
• Designing and implementing service and quality standards for all stakeholders, controlling the service quality offered to each stakeholder
• Taking commercial and operational decisions
• Scaling our support functions for the stakeholders efficiently.

Requirements

Experience

A successful candidate will demonstrate substantial experience and track record of success in managing the above responsibilities and achieving the above outcomes.

Bonus experience

• Managing expansion into new countries
• Short letting/holiday letting/ hospitality/ property management
• Franchising

Skills

• Most importantly, high-EQ empathetic leadership (understanding people, listening, reading between the lines, motivating and inspiring, creating psychological safety, conflict resolution)
• Talent development, mentoring the next generation of leaders
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving entrepreneurial environment
• Effective communication with clarity, confidence and emotional intelligence
• Problem-solving and strategy
• Implementing change fast while maintaining good relationships
• External stakeholder relationship building
• Able to adapt/change leadership style when needed, making difficult decisions whilst maintaining trust and respect
• Commercial acumen
• Good judgment and independent decision-making
• Operational excellence and efficiency where energised by building rather than maintaining
• Process optimisation
• KPI development and monitoring

Personality

• Highly self-directed and take ownership naturally
• Enjoy creating order from complexity
• Motivated by the successes of your team rather than your own personal projects
• Passionate about seeking the best ideas to implement rather than promoting your own ideas
• Well-rounded person who can flex between different DISC colours
• Ambitious and driven
• Open-minded to feedback and change
• Eager to get things done
• Analytical and data-driven

Interview process

• Several interviews with the CEO
• Personality test
• Opportunity to get to know the senior management team
• Presentation to the team
• Interview with the board of directors
• Reference calls with previous line managers and employees

Please submit your CV together with a short letter describing why this role resonates with you, the leadership principles that guide you and how you believe you could contribute to our next stage of growth. Interviews are planned for second half of August 2026.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Mission-driven startup
• Share options
• 33 Days holiday (inc Bank Holidays)
• Birthday off
• Flexible working policy
• Enhanced maternity/paternity pay
• Enhanced pension contributions