Marketing Planning & Operations Associate Director

Marketing Planning & Operations Associate Director, EMEA

Reports to: Head of EMEA Marketing

Level: Associate Director

Location: Ireland, France, Spain or the Netherlands

The role

Grant Thornton Advisors is expanding across more than 20 markets. As the organisation grows, we are building a more integrated approach to marketing across EMEA, connecting regional priorities with market plans, investment and global marketing capabilities.

The Associate Director, EMEA Marketing Planning and Operations will be a senior adviser and operational partner to the Head of EMEA Marketing. You will lead regional marketing planning and provide the analysis and recommendations that shape decisions on priorities, investment, capacity and delivery across EMEA.

A significant part of the role will be helping to design and establish how EMEA marketing operates as a region. You will work across market, regional and global teams to clarify responsibilities and decision-making, improve how resources are deployed and make it easier for markets to access global marketing capabilities.

Key responsibilities

Regional planning and priorities

Lead annual and quarterly EMEA marketing planning, bringing global priorities, regional opportunities and market plans into a clear regional view of priorities, commitments and investment.

Establish the criteria for assessing competing demands and recommend where EMEA should invest, deprioritise or change course.

Ensure EMEA requirements are represented in global planning and investment discussions.

Investment, capacity and risk

Maintain a consolidated view of marketing investment, resources, capacity and delivery risk across EMEA and use it to support regional decisions.

Design the approach to funding cross-market marketing activity, working with Global Marketing Operations and market marketing leaders.

Identify where priorities and available capacity are misaligned and recommend what should stop, move or be resourced differently.

Give EMEA leadership a clear view of delivery, investment, capacity, risk and relevant marketing performance.

Leadership decision support

Establish the regional planning and review cadence needed to make timely decisions and maintain accountability across EMEA marketing.

Provide independent advice to the Head of EMEA Marketing on priorities, trade-offs and delivery risk.

Represent the Head of EMEA Marketing on agreed operational matters, resolving issues within your remit and escalating decisions where required.

EMEA marketing operating model

Help design and implement the EMEA marketing operating model, defining how regional, market and global marketing teams work together and where responsibilities and decisions sit.

Improve how EMEA markets access and prioritise global marketing capabilities and shared services.

Work with market marketing leaders to embed the model, assess how well it is working and recommend changes as the organisation develops.

Required experience

Degree in business, marketing, management, finance or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.

Eight or more years' experience in marketing planning, strategy, business planning, marketing operations or management consultancy, including responsibility across several markets or business units.

Experience designing or implementing an operating model across global, regional and local teams.

Experience translating business priorities into plans, investment choices and resource decisions, including funding or cost-allocation approaches across business units with separate budgets.

Experience advising senior leaders independently, making recommendations on complex trade-offs and exercising sound judgement about when to act or escalate.

Strong analytical skills and the ability to turn complex information into clear recommendations for senior decision-makers.

Experience in professional services, financial services or another complex international organisation would be useful but is not essential.

Fluent English is required. Another European language would be useful. European travel will be required.

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