At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to enhance customer care and operational excellence in the On Trade sector.
- Company: Join HEINEKEN, the UK's top pub, cider, and beer business with a commitment to innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, annual bonus, private healthcare, and generous holiday allowance.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with exciting career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of customer experience while driving impactful change in a vibrant industry.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in On Trade operations with proven leadership skills and a growth mindset.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 € per year.
Location: Edinburgh (St Andrew Square) – hybrid office and home working
Contract: Permanent
Closing Date: Thursday 4th June 2026
Overview
HEINEKEN is the UK’s leading pub, cider, and beer business, committed to delivering operational excellence across its On Trade Customer Experience function.
About the role
As Head of On Trade Operations, you will lead a large, multi‑layered team and shape the operational direction for Customer Care, Operations and Planning. You will own the operational agenda, deliver the roadmap, and ensure service, productivity, and resilience are maintained at scale.
Responsibilities
- Own the operational agenda for On Trade Customer Experience, defining how Customer Care, Operations and Planning deliver service, productivity and resilience.
- Lead and deliver the end‑to‑end operational roadmap, driving continuous improvement in performance, customer outcomes and colleague experience.
- Lead Customer Care as a core service function, building a high‑performance, customer‑first culture focused on resolution, accountability and insight‑led decision making.
- Develop and evolve issue resolution capability, embedding automation, technology and external best practice to improve speed, quality and consistency.
- Drive productivity across Sales and Customer Care, ensuring effective deployment of resources aligned to business priorities and demand.
- Own end‑to‑end On Trade processes within the M2C framework, ensuring governance, control and compliance across operational change.
- Ensure business continuity across On Trade operations, managing incidents and protecting service delivery and revenue.
- Lead evolution of operating models through experimentation, organisational design and continuous optimisation aligned to customer and market needs.
- Oversee operational performance, compliance and reporting, including health and safety, service standards and productivity metrics.
- Own and manage key operational platforms, including Salesforce Case Management and Genesis, ensuring scalable and efficient service delivery.
- Contribute to the CX leadership team, shaping culture, engagement and cross‑functional customer experience outcomes.
- Lead, coach and develop your leadership team, building capability, accountability and a consistently high‑performing operational culture.
Qualifications
- Significant experience (5+ years) in UK On Trade or a similar large‑scale customer operations environment.
- Proven leadership of large, multi‑level teams (c.70 FTE or similar scale).
- Strong track record of improving operational performance, service quality and productivity.
- Experience leading Customer Care or service‑led operational functions.
- Confidence working across data, platforms and operational systems to improve outcomes.
- Understanding of agile ways of working and operating model design.
- Strong stakeholder management skills in a matrix environment.
- Evidence of driving change, improving processes and embedding continuous improvement.
- A growth mindset with a focus on capability building and team development.
Benefits
- Discretionary Annual Bonus.
- Benefits Allowance (15% of base salary).
- Company‑funded Private Medical Healthcare.
- Double‑matched pension contributions (up to 10%).
- 35 days holiday (with the opportunity to buy/sell).
- Quarterly allowance towards purchasing HEINEKEN ciders and beers.
- Exciting opportunities to develop your career within the HEINEKEN On Trade business.
Head of On Trade Operations employer: Heineken
HEINEKEN is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of Edinburgh with a hybrid working model that promotes flexibility and work-life balance. Employees benefit from a generous benefits package, including a discretionary annual bonus, private medical healthcare, and extensive holiday allowances, all while being part of a culture that prioritises continuous improvement and professional development. With exciting career growth opportunities within the On Trade business, HEINEKEN fosters a high-performance, customer-first culture that empowers its team to excel and innovate.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of On Trade Operations
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand HEINEKEN's values and how they align with your own. We want you to show them that you’re not just a fit for the role, but for the team too!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online resources to get comfortable with common questions. We believe that the more you practice, the more confident you’ll be when it’s time to shine.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. We’re excited to see your skills and experience come to life in your application!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of On Trade Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of On Trade Operations role. Highlight your experience in customer operations and leadership, focusing on how you've improved service quality and productivity in previous roles.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this position. Share specific examples of how you've led teams and driven operational excellence, and don't forget to mention your understanding of agile ways of working!
Showcase Your Achievements:When filling out your application, be sure to showcase your achievements clearly. Use metrics and data to demonstrate how you've improved performance and customer outcomes in past roles—numbers speak volumes!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates about your application status.
How to prepare for a job interview at Heineken
✨Know Your On Trade Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the On Trade sector. Understand the latest trends in customer experience, operational excellence, and how HEINEKEN stands out in the market. This knowledge will help you speak confidently about how you can lead and improve operations.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading large teams and driving performance improvements. Be ready to discuss specific challenges you've faced and how you’ve successfully navigated them, especially in a customer care or service-led environment.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
HEINEKEN values innovation and efficiency. Come prepared with ideas on how to implement continuous improvement strategies within the On Trade operations. Discuss any past experiences where you've successfully embedded new processes or technologies to enhance service delivery.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Demonstrate your stakeholder management skills by discussing how you've effectively collaborated across different teams in previous roles. Highlight your ability to build relationships and drive change in a matrix environment, as this is crucial for the Head of On Trade Operations role.
