Senior Director of Field Planning & Activation

Shape the Future of our Syndicated Field Operations at Acosta Europe

Working Pattern: Hybrid - 3 days per week from our Stoke or Woking Office, 2 days from home.

Contract: Full‑time, Permanent (37.5 hours per week)

Salary: Circa £90,000 per annum depending on experience, plus £6,000 annual car allowance, and 15% Annual Bonus Opportunity.

At Acosta Europe, we partner with some of the world's leading FMCG brands to deliver exceptional results across retail, convenience and emerging channels.

We're now looking for a Senior Director – Field Strategy, Planning & Activation, to take on a pivotal leadership role. You will design, evolve and optimise how our syndicated field teams operate to meet the ever-changing needs of our clients.

This is more than leadership. It is about building the future of field execution through strategy and insight, aligning field capacity to changing demand and unlocking growth through smarter deployment of our resources.

The Opportunity

You will lead the thinking on how we use our field teams to their full potential in a business where demand is dynamic and often time critical. That means making smart, sometimes difficult calls on prioritisation, capacity and investment to ensure we deliver for clients and continue to grow.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Strategic Leadership

• Set the direction for how we plan and deploy our syndicated field teams across a complex, multi-client, multi-channel environment
• Lead the ongoing development of our operating model, ensuring it is efficient, scalable and commercially focused
• Identify where we need to change how we work and drive those changes through to delivery

Planning, Performance & Commercial Impact

• Own how we plan field activity, making sure resource is directed where it delivers the greatest commercial return
• Ensure we have clear, meaningful performance measures that drive better decisions and accountability
• Work closely with commercial and client teams to align field plans with business priorities and growth opportunities

Execution & Operational Grip

• Take accountability for the quality and consistency of delivery across grocery, convenience, wholesale and LSR
• Ensure we execute brilliantly in the field, with a clear focus on standards, impact and client outcomes
• Continuously strengthen planning accuracy and execution discipline to improve overall performance

Leadership & Capability

• Lead and develop a high-performing leadership team, setting clear expectations and holding people to account
• Build the capability we need across planning and field teams to support a more responsive and scalable model
• Create a culture where people take ownership, work together and focus on delivering results

About You

We're looking for a commercially sharp leader who is comfortable operating in complexity and making clear, confident decisions. You will be someone who takes ownership for delivery while continuously improving how we plan, deploy and scale our field operation.

You'll bring:

• Significant leadership experience across planning, operations, field strategy or commercial roles, with clear accountability for delivery at scale
• Strong commercial judgement, with the ability to make trade-offs on priority, investment and resources to deliver the right outcomes
• Experience in FMCG, retail or consumer environments where pace and demand shift quickly
• A track record of improving performance through better planning, sharper focus and disciplined execution
• Confidence operating in matrix environments, influencing senior stakeholders and aligning competing priorities
• A genuine commitment to building strong teams, developing leaders and creating a culture where people take ownership and deliver.

Why Join Acosta Europe?

• Work with global, market-leading brands across dynamic and growing sectors
• Take ownership of a high-impact leadership role with real strategic influence
• Be part of a business investing in data and capability to strengthen how we deliver and scale our field operation
• Join a collaborative, ambitious culture where your ideas and leadership will make a tangible difference

We're proud to be an inclusive employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. We believe that diverse teams drive better results, and we're committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.