The HEINEKEN Company
Senior Customer Manager
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Senior Customer Manager – Strategic Discounters: Aldi & Lidl
Function
Off Trade
Salary
£62,772 - £70,000, dependent on experience, plus 15% benefits allowance, annual bonus and benefits outlined below
Location
Field Based
Contract
12-month FTC
Closing Date
10th July 2026. Don't delay applying - we may close applications early when we receive high volumes.
About the role
This is a high-impact role shaping how HEINEKEN UK wins in the fastest-growing and most disruptive channel in UK grocery today.
Discounters are no longer a niche. ALDI and LIDL now represent c.20% of UK grocery spend and continue to outgrow the total market. Their growth is structural, driven by simplicity, operational excellence, and changing shopper habits. As a result, they are actively reshaping how the wider market operates.
As Senior Customer Manager, you’ll play a critical role in defining and delivering our strategy within this channel, balancing short-term commercial delivery with building the long-term capabilities required to win in a fundamentally different retail model.
You’ll lead our relationships with ALDI and LIDL, owning the full commercial agenda including joint business plans, pricing, promotions, and range. Beyond delivery, you will shape how we show up as a supplier, ensuring our approach reflects the unique dynamics of discounters, from simplified range strategies to flawless in-store execution.
This role goes beyond traditional customer management. You’ll act as a strategic connector across the business - aligning Commercial, Category, Revenue Management and Supply Chain to deliver a clear, consistent and future-fit approach to discounters.
Working within a high-performing team and closely with European counterparts, you’ll help embed a model that balances scale, simplicity and margin discipline, while unlocking new growth opportunities through evolving levers such as retail media, loyalty, and pack architecture.
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Ultimately, this role is about ensuring HEINEKEN not only keeps pace with channel change - but leads within it.
Key responsibilities include
- Lead the end-to-end commercial agenda for ALDI and/or LIDL, delivering against volume, revenue, profit and market share targets
- Own and negotiate Joint Business Plans, translating strategy into clear, executable customer plans
- Shape HEINEKEN’s discounter strategy, ensuring our approach reflects the unique dynamics of limited assortment, EDLP retail models
- Build senior, trusted relationships with customer stakeholders, influencing both short-term delivery and long-term partnership direction
- Act as a cross-functional connector, aligning Commercial, Category, RGM and Supply Chain to deliver a consistent and simplified approach
- Identify and unlock growth opportunities through evolving levers such as retail media, loyalty (e.g. Lidl Plus), and pack architecture
Success in this role will directly shape HEINEKEN UK’s ability to win in the most dynamic and fast-growing part of the grocery market.
About You
You’re a commercially sharp and strategically minded operator, comfortable balancing pace, ambiguity and complexity.
You’ll bring:
- Experience managing a P&L or leading a significant customer/account, with accountability for delivering commercial performance
- The ability to operate effectively within simple, fast-paced retail models where execution excellence is critical
- Strong influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge and shape thinking both internally and with customers
- A strategic mindset - able to connect customer plans to wider business priorities and long-term growth opportunities
- Curiosity and adaptability, with a willingness to test, learn and evolve approaches in a rapidly changing channel
Our benefits
Here’s a flavour of what we offer:
- Annual bonus
- Double-matched pension (up to 10%)
- 15% Flexible Benefits Allowance (Can be taken as cash or used against benefits)
- 32 days’ holiday, plus three listed public holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day – if any fall on a weekend, you’ll get the following weekday off)
- Life assurance (subject to policy terms)
- Critical illness insurance – comprehensive cover for you and your family
- Free ciders and beers (including low and zero alcohol options)
- Retail discounts
- Wellbeing support, including mental health champions, free counselling, and access to colleague networks
- Comprehensive development opportunities
- Option to join our colleague networks to connect, share, and build inclusion
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Please note: Rewards and benefits can vary from role to role. Some benefits are taxable and may be based on employee contributions. We’re happy to discuss further throughout the application process.
The application
If you like what you’ve read and want to explore this opportunity further, here’s what you need to do:
- Speak with your people manager first, as applications for roles should be linked to your development plan.
- Contact Jay Patel to discuss the opportunity
- Apply online before the closing date mentioned above. Make sure you attach a copy of your latest signed-off Performance Review Document. Please note, we may close vacancies early where we receive significant numbers of applications, so don’t delay!
If you need any adjustments made to support your application, for example if you require information in different formats, or if you have any accessibility issues, then we’re more than happy to review our processes – please feel free to get in touch with us at [email protected].
This role is offered on Standard HEINEKEN Terms and Conditions. For the avoidance of doubt, this includes our standard notice periods and discretionary sick pay terms (added to our Absence Policy on 1 November 2014).
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