As Global Head of Research & Leadership Advisory at JRG Partners, I have ranked the top 10 most in-demand executive roles in Home Services & Franchising for 2026 based on our search activity and the sector’s structural shifts. This is an industry where private-equity-driven consolidation, franchise-model scaling, and digital customer acquisition are transforming fragmented local trades into national platforms, and the roles below are where employer demand most exceeds available supply.
Key Takeaways: The Most Contested Home Services & Franchising Leadership Roles
- Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer top the demand list, reflecting private-equity-driven consolidation is transforming fragmented local operators i.
- Technology and transition-specific roles now compete directly with traditional operational seats for board attention.
- Most of these roles require candidates who are currently employed and must be recruited through direct, retained approach.
- Compensation for the scarcest roles is being pulled upward as employers bid against adjacent sectors.
- Succession gaps in several of these seats are a growing board-level risk.
Why These Roles, and Why Now
Three forces concentrate demand on the seats below. Private-equity-driven consolidation is transforming fragmented local operators into scaled multi-brand platforms. Digital customer acquisition and lead generation have become decisive competitive capabilities. Technician and franchise-workforce economics are the binding operational constraint. The result is a leadership market where these ten roles command disproportionate board attention and search investment.
The Top 10 In-Demand Executive Roles in Home Services & Franchising
1. Chief Operating Officer
Demand for the Chief Operating Officer is driven by multi-brand service operations and integration. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
2. Chief Marketing Officer
Demand for the Chief Marketing Officer is driven by digital customer acquisition and lead gen. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
3. Chief Development / Franchise Officer
Demand for the Chief Development / Franchise Officer is driven by franchise growth and franchisee success. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
4. VP of Field Operations
Demand for the VP of Field Operations is driven by service delivery and technician productivity. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
5. Chief Financial Officer
Demand for the Chief Financial Officer is driven by platform and franchise economics. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
6. VP of M&A / Integration
Demand for the VP of M&A / Integration is driven by acquisition and multi-brand integration. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
7. Chief Technology Officer
Demand for the Chief Technology Officer is driven by dispatch, CRM, and marketing technology. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
8. VP of Talent / Workforce
Demand for the VP of Talent / Workforce is driven by technician recruitment and retention. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
9. Chief Commercial Officer
Demand for the Chief Commercial Officer is driven by revenue and pricing strategy. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
10. VP of Operations Excellence
Demand for the VP of Operations Excellence is driven by standardization across brands. Employers competing for this profile should expect a thin market of currently-employed candidates and price the role against the sector’s most aggressive payers rather than internal history.
What This Demand Picture Means for Employers
The concentration of demand on these ten seats has three implications: searches for them take longer and cost more, cross-sector sourcing is often unavoidable, and succession planning for these roles is now a strategic priority rather than an HR afterthought. Our guide to executive search in Home Services & Franchising covers the sourcing and process discipline these roles require, and our Home Services & Franchising compensation report benchmarks what they command.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the most in-demand executive role in Home Services & Franchising for 2026?
- A: The Chief Operating Officer leads sector demand, driven by multi-brand service operations and integration.
- Q: Which Home Services & Franchising roles are hardest to recruit?
- A: The technology and transition-specific seats, VP of Field Operations and Chief Financial Officer among them, because the required capabilities often sit outside the sector’s traditional bench.
- Q: Are these roles filled internally or externally?
- A: Increasingly externally for the transition-era seats, since the capabilities are new to the sector; traditional operational roles retain deeper internal benches.
- Q: How should employers compete for these roles?
- A: With mandate clarity, competitive and market-benchmarked packages, and a decisive process, since the strongest candidates field multiple approaches continuously.
Related Home Services & Franchising Resources
See also Home Services & Franchising executive search guide, Home Services & Franchising executive compensation report, Home Services & Franchising CEO hiring guide.
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Tanya Gallardo
Managing Director, Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy
Tanya Gallardo is the Managing Director of Executive Search & AI Talent Strategy at JRG Partners, leading C-suite and Board engagements across key growth sectors including Technology, Financial Services, and Manufacturing.
With over 18 years of experience specializing in disruptive technology leadership, Tanya is recognized as a leading authority on talent architecture for future-focused executive roles, such as the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) and Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Her expertise lies in accurately assessing the cultural fit and technical depth required to ensure a high return on investment (ROI) for critical leadership appointments.
Prior to her role at JRG Partners, Tanya held senior roles directing global talent acquisition strategies at a major publicly-traded technology firm, advising on organizational design and succession planning for emerging executive functions. She is a recognized speaker and contributor to industry events, sharing data-driven insights on executive compensation, leadership development, and the measurable business impact of C-suite talent.
