At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the transformation of the Away From Home business with innovative strategies and execution excellence.
- Company: Join Coca-Cola, a global leader committed to refreshing the world and making a difference.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for continuous learning and growth.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team focused on sustainable growth and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by driving strategic initiatives and leveraging data-driven insights.
- Qualifications: Strong leadership in AFH, commercial skills, and experience in data and digital transformation.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
The Director Operations AFH is the enterprise leader responsible for transforming and accelerating the Away From Home business in the market through a unified, insight-driven, and execution-focused system approach. This role owns the end-to-end AFH strategic agenda and ensures the Company and the bottler operate against a single, fully aligned 360 Integrated Activation (360IA) plan that drives availability, incidence, outlet penetration, equipment productivity, and profitable growth across all AFH segments.
A core part of the mandate is leading commercial execution excellence, accelerating the AFH system capabilities to predictive, insight-led, and value-driven models that materially improve availability, incidence, and cooler performance. This role also leads the development of a customer segmented equipment strategy for AFH and partners with bottlers to ensure disciplined system-wide implementation. The Director is fully accountable for owning AFH channel performance, jointly setting and governing system KBIs, and leading mitigation and acceleration actions to meet BP volume, revenue, and share targets.
As the senior orchestrator of the AFH system, the Director integrates data, analytics, and AI across planning, execution, and performance routines—driving a modern, consistent, and future-ready operating model that unlocks sustainable growth across the AFH ecosystem.
What You’ll Do for Us
- Lead the creation of ABP and long-range AFH strategies, translating them into integrated roadmaps that connect portfolio, RGM, media, equipment, RTM, and in-outlet activation across all AFH segments.
- Lead high impact strategic initiatives, including RTM design, recruitment channel expansion, category development, omnichannel execution, and data-driven customer planning tailored for the AFH ecosystem.
- Act as the senior system integrator and influencer, aligning GM, Marketing, RGM, Finance, Digital, bottler, and key customers behind a unified AFH growth agenda.
- Lead commercial execution excellence for the AFH business in the market, accelerating system capabilities to predictive, insight-led, and value-driven models to grow availability, incidence, and Coolers/10k performance.
- Lead the development of a segmented equipment (cooler, vending, fountain and others) strategy, ensuring system-wide implementation with bottlers to maximize coverage, productivity, and outlet penetration.
- Embed RGM, financial modelling, and scenario planning into AFH decisions to optimize price pack architecture, customer profitability, and margin delivery.
- Own system AFH channel performance, jointly setting and monitoring system performance KBIs and leading mitigation and acceleration actions to deliver BP volume, revenue, and share targets.
- Govern AFH performance routines, ensuring they are insight-driven, action-oriented, and forward-looking rather than reporting led.
- Maintain a predictive view of the competitive, channel, and regulatory environment using data and insights to proactively shape system responses.
- Embed data, analytics, and AI across the AFH operating model, improving forecasting, outlet segmentation, equipment deployment, activation effectiveness, and execution quality.
- Leverage advanced analytics and AI to identify incremental revenue, margin, and execution opportunities across brands, packs, consumption occasions, and customer types.
- Champion a test–learn–scale culture, accelerating adoption of digital tools and analytics across the Company–bottler AFH system.
Experience & Capabilities
- Strong AFH and channel expertise, with deep understanding of customer needs, RTM models, and execution levers across the AFH landscape.
- Robust commercial, RGM, and financial skills, with experience using modelling and scenario planning to drive profitable, insight-led decisions.
- Proven leadership in data-, digital- and AI-enabled transformation, embedding predictive analytics and digital tools into AFH planning, execution, and performance management.
- Demonstrated system leadership, influencing senior stakeholders across Company, bottler, and customer organizations to drive integrated end-to-end execution.
- Strategic and execution-focused leader, able to translate strategy into predictable, high-quality in-market delivery.
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder management, with strong executive presence.
- In-market experience preferred; franchise system or matrix leadership experience is beneficial.
Travel Up to 25%.
Skills: Business Integrations, Business Planning, Channel Management, Communication, Execution Excellence, Market Dynamics, Negotiation, Revenue Growth Management, Value Chain Economics.
Location(s): United Kingdom
City/Cities: London
Travel Required: 0% - 25%
Relocation Provided: No
Job Posting End Date: June 19, 2026
Our Purpose and Growth Culture: We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years.
Director, Operations & Commercial Execution, AFH in London employer: Coca-cola
Coca-Cola is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in London that fosters innovation and collaboration. With a strong commitment to employee growth, the company encourages continuous learning and embraces a culture of inclusivity and empowerment, ensuring that every team member can contribute to meaningful projects that refresh the world. The opportunity to lead transformative initiatives in the Away From Home business, combined with access to cutting-edge data and AI tools, positions employees for success and professional development in a globally recognised brand.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director, Operations & Commercial Execution, AFH in London
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We think you need these skills to ace Director, Operations & Commercial Execution, AFH in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Leadership Skills:In the corporate leadership and management field, it's essential to highlight your leadership experience. Use your CV to flesh out examples of how you've led teams to success or managed significant projects. We want to see specific instances where your actions made a tangible difference in your previous roles!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers talk, especially in management! When detailing your achievements in your CV or cover letter, don’t just say you improved team performance. Instead, say you boosted productivity by 30% over six months through effective strategy implementation. This makes your application pop and shows us what you can bring to Coca-cola.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to narrate your professional journey. We’re looking for motivation and a clear understanding of what corporate leadership means to you. Dive into your aspirations and how they align with the values and vision of Coca-cola. Make it personal – we want to get to know you!
Tailor Your CV for Management Roles:Ensure your CV reflects the management skills that are essential for this role. Focus on competencies like strategic planning, team building, and problem-solving. Use a clean layout, and don’t forget to align your experiences with those keywords mentioned in the job listing. This will help you stand out from the crowd!
How to prepare for a job interview at Coca-cola
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
You’ll want to thoroughly convey your unique approach to leadership. During the interview with Coca-cola, be ready to share real-life examples of how you've inspired and motivated teams in the past. Think about specific achievements that illustrate your strategic thinking and your ability to drive results.
✨Brush Up on Management Theories
Expect some technical questions related to management theories and practices. Brush up on concepts like transformational leadership, servant leadership, or situational leadership. Be prepared to discuss how you would apply these theories to the role at Coca-cola, especially in the specific context of the challenges they’re currently facing.
✨Craft Your Vision for the Company
Since this is a full-time leadership role, spending time thinking about your vision for Coca-cola could really set you apart. Consider potential strategies for growth and how you would lead teams towards achieving them. This shows not just enthusiasm, but also strategic foresight that they’ll likely be looking for in a candidate.
✨Emphasise Team Dynamics and Culture
In corporate leadership, team dynamics and organisational culture are everything. Be ready to discuss how you've fostered a positive work environment in previous roles. Bring up examples of how you've managed diverse teams effectively—this will resonate well at Coca-cola as they’re likely seeking a candidate who can enhance their workplace culture.
