Sr Director, Strategy & Planning

Department Overview

Reporting to the UKI business leadership, the Senior Director, Strategy, Insights will play a central role in shaping and supporting the UKI growth agenda. The role will translate enterprise and market priorities into clear strategic choices, generate and assess opportunities for sustainable growth, and provide high-quality insight to support leadership decisions. Working collaboratively across the UKI business and with global and international partners, the Senior Director will help define strategic priorities, lead selected cross-functional initiatives and build alignment around practical plans. The role requires a strong balance of strategic thinking, commercial judgement and hands-on delivery, with the credibility to influence senior stakeholders without relying on formal authority. This role offers significant exposure to senior leadership and provides a strong platform for continued development into broader leadership positions.

The Senior Director will lead and develop the UKI strategy capability. The role will work through a combination of direct team leadership, cross-functional project teams and influence across a complex matrix. Final team scope and reporting lines will reflect the UKI operating model.

Duties

• Lead and continuously improve the UKI strategy function's operating rhythm, working closely with functional, market and enterprise partners.
• Coordinate the annual and longer-term strategic planning process for the UKI, supporting clear prioritisation, resource choices and alignment with enterprise direction.
• Partner with senior leaders to develop robust, consumer-led strategies that support profitable growth and market share performance. Lead selected high-priority, cross-functional initiatives from problem definition through recommendation and implementation planning.
• Bring together consumer, commercial, competitive and operational insight to identify opportunities, challenge assumptions and improve decision quality. Translate strategic choices into practical roadmaps, measures and governance, working with accountable business owners to maintain momentum.
• Build strong relationships across the UKI, international and global organisation to share learning, access expertise and connect market priorities. Maintain an informed view of the external environment, competitor activity and changing consumer needs relevant to the UKI market.
• Develop the capability of the strategy team and broader organisation by promoting disciplined problem solving, evidence-based decisions and effective prioritisation

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is an accomplished strategist with relevant experience in a top-tier strategy consulting environment and/or a corporate strategy role. They will combine structured thinking and analytical depth with strong commercial instincts and a practical approach to implementation. Comfortable operating with ambiguity, the candidate will be able to frame complex questions, develop clear recommendations and engage senior decision-makers across a matrixed organisation.

The successful candidate will be collaborative, low-ego and delivery focused. They will demonstrate the judgement to know when to challenge, when to build consensus and how to move from strategic ambition to executable action.

Required Leadership Skills

• Strategic orientation: Thinks beyond the immediate issue, connects external trends and internal performance, and translates insight into focused choices for the UKI business.
• Results orientation: Brings pace, discipline and accountability to complex work, while remaining pragmatic about what is required to move from recommendation to delivery.
• Collaboration and influencing: Builds credibility quickly, listens well and creates alignment across senior leaders, peers, teams and external partners. Challenges constructively where needed.
• Commercial judgement: Understands the drivers of consumer demand, growth and value creation, and applies sound financial and operational judgement to strategic decisions.
• Team leadership and capability building: Sets clear expectations, develops strong talent and creates an inclusive, high-performance environment. Balances empowerment with a hands-on approach.
• Communication: Distils complexity into compelling, concise narratives and adapts communication effectively for executive and cross-functional audiences.

Qualifications

Business & Functional Experience - Must Have / Nice to Have

Must Have

• Strong strategy consulting and/or corporate strategy experience.
• A track record of developing and supporting the implementation of consumer-centric commercial strategies.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional projects and turning analysis into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Experience operating in matrixed environments and influencing senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong analytical, financial and commercial capability. Experience in a consumer-oriented business or advising consumer-facing organisations.
• People leadership and team-development experience appropriate to a Senior Director role. 

Nice to Have

• Experience identifying and developing strategic partnerships or alliances.
• Food and beverage, retail, hospitality or another high-frequency consumer sector.
• Experience working across international markets or on global projects.
• Experience supporting enterprise or market-wide planning and prioritisation processes