Commercial Strategy Manager

The Opportunity
We are looking for a dynamic, commercially minded and forward-thinking Commercial Strategy Manager to join the Business Insights team here at McDonald’s. Reporting into the Senior Manager, Business Strategy and Insights, your role is to drive change through actionable commercial insight by acting as a trusted strategic advisor across the business and supporting the delivery of strategic objectives through customer-centric commercial initiatives.

What will my accountabilities be?
This busy and fast-paced role will primarily face into Marketing, Food Development and Finance, and support other areas of the business on an ad hoc basis. Responsibilities include:

• Product Category Management: Collaborating closely with Food Development and Marketing to define product category strategies by using internal and external data to identify customer-centric propositions that meet our commercial business objectives
• Promotional Planning: Analysing promotional product performance and making recommendations for future promotional activity, including product proposition and price recommendations and volume forecasts
• Pricing: Collaborating closely with Finance and external agencies to determine product level pricing recommendations for our Franchisee partners, informed by understanding product level elasticity, consumer insight and competitor activity
• Performance reporting: Communicating latest business commercial performance with diverse sets of stakeholders, including UK&I leadership group
• Strategic Scenario Planning: Working cross-functionally and with the UK&I leadership group to identify opportunities to maximise commercial returns in a customer-centric manner
• Competitor and market data analysis: Owning relationships with external market data providers. Integrating this data and insights from multiple other sources to provide a strong understanding of our position within the market, and trends affecting our customers behaviour
• Guiding and developing analysts in the team, ensuring they are adding value to the business, and developing as future business leaders

What Team will I be a part?
The Business Insights team is responsible for strategic commercial planning, analysis and reporting, and advising how best to shape the McDonald’s offer and menu to meet business objectives. The wider Strategy department includes Consumer Insights, who are responsible for informing on how best to meet the needs of our customers

Who are my customers?
This high-profile role will include working with and building relationships with a wide variety of partners across the business including Marketing, Food Development, Finance, Supply Chain, Operations, external agencies and Franchisees, with regular interactions with senior (board-level) stakeholders

What background do I need to have?

• Proven experience in category management, with a strong understanding of ranging, pricing and promotional planning best practice (ideally in food / retail)
• Confident presenter with strong interpersonal skills and a track record of interacting with & influencing senior stakeholders
• Strong commercial acumen, experience working within commercial roles preferred
• Analytical competence: strong grasp of Microsoft applications (Excel & PowerPoint) required. Experience using tools such as Tableau and Alteryx an advantage 
• Experience of translating analysis into clear actionable insights
• Evidence of operating at a strategic level and ability to influence others
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment is fundamental
• Ability to translate complex challenges into something simple to understand and act on
• Ability to work collaboratively and cross functionally, building relationships with stakeholders
• Line management experience preferable, alongside an ability to nurture & develop direct reports

At McDonald’s we are People from all Walks of Life... 

People are at the heart of everything we do, and they make the McDonald’s experience. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture that means people can be their best authentic self in our restaurants and offices, which helps us to better serve our customers. We have a strong heritage of diversity and representation within our communities, which we are proud of. The diversity of our people, customers, Franchisees and suppliers gives us strength.

We do not tolerate inequality, injustice or discrimination of any kind.  These are hugely important issues and a brand with our reach and relevance means we have a very meaningful role to play.

We also recognise our responsibility as a large employer to continue being active in our communities, helping to develop skills and drive aspirations that will help people to be more aware of the world of work and more successful within it, whether with McDonald’s or elsewhere.”

#LI-Hybrid