Head of Strategic Planning, Customer Services

Sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment is changing, and we’re leading that change. By putting people first. By placing exciting, engaging and entertaining experiences at more fingertips than ever before. We're pulling into pole position by pushing boundaries further. With innovation. With technology. But most importantly, with people like you. Because when you join Entain, it’s your game. So let’s win together.

We are seeking a commercially astute and strategically minded leader to join our Customer Service and Operations division as Head of Strategic Planning. This high-impact role is responsible for driving financial insight, optimising cost efficiency, and shaping strategic direction across the Operations division, as a whole, through rigorous analysis and cross-functional collaboration. You will bring a deep understanding of Total Cost of Ownership, financial performance levers, and service excellence to help deliver exceptional customer outcomes and long-term value for the business.

This role is strategic and commercially driven, focusing on long-term financial planning and optimising cost efficiency at an organisational level. Key responsibilities include:

• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Modelling: Developing comprehensive TCO frameworks to evaluate the long-term financial impact of business decisions, including procurement choices, vendor selections, and operational strategies. This involves analysing direct and indirect costs, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and embedding TCO principles into financial governance and strategic decision-making.

• Financial Forecasting & Commercial Analysis: Conducting in-depth analysis of key financial drivers, including cost structures. This role involves using predictive modelling techniques to forecast financial outcomes, assess margin optimisation strategies, and interpret customer behaviour trends. Insights derived from this analysis help shape investment priorities and strategic business initiatives.

• Budget Oversight & Financial Stewardship: Supporting the end-to-end budgeting process, ensuring financial plans align with organisational goals and operational realities. Responsibilities include monitoring budget adherence, identifying financial risks and opportunities, and implementing proactive cost control measures to maintain fiscal discipline. Collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure financial accountability is a key part of this responsibility.

• Investment Prioritisation: Driving investment strategies by developing robust business cases for transformation initiatives and technology investments. This entails assessing return on investment (ROI), risk exposure, and alignment with functional objectives. The role also includes facilitating discussions with stakeholders, ensuring that financial decisions are data-driven, well-informed, and focused on long-term value creation.

• Aligning Financial Insights with Strategic Goals: Acting as a trusted advisor to senior leadership by translating financial metrics into actionable insights that guide multi-year strategic planning. This involves assessing business performance, identifying growth opportunities, and ensuring financial strategies support overarching function goals.

Specialist skills and experience

Experience

• Proven experience in a senior finance, commercial strategy, or business performance role – ideally within a customer-centric, service-led organisation.
• Strong analytical and financial modelling skills with a strategic mindset.
• Expertise in TCO analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and commercial planning.
• Demonstrated success in developing business cases and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills – able to simplify complexity and drive alignment.
• Adept at managing cross-functional relationships and navigating matrix environments.
• Experience working with customer service, technology, procurement, and operational teams is highly desirable.
• Relevant qualifications (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA, MBA) preferred.

Key Skills

• Strategic Leadership - ability to shape, influence, and execute organisational strategies at scale.
• Exceptional Communication & Stakeholder Management - skilled in engaging and influencing senior leaders, frontline teams, and cross-functional partners.
• Commercial Acumen - strong business understanding to align operational effectiveness with commercial goals.
• Problem-Solving & Crisis Management - ability to navigate challenges and drive solutions in high-pressure situations.
• Resilience & Adaptability - thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments with a focus on continuous improvement.

At Entain, we know that signing top players requires a great starting package, and plenty of support to inspire peak performance. Join us, and a competitive salary is just the beginning.

Depending on your role and location, you can expect to receive benefits like

• A regular bonus
• Healthcare support
• A stake in our success through our ShareSave scheme
• Great development opportunities
• Wellbeing support, and so much more.

And outside of this, you’ll have the chance to turn recognition from leaders and colleagues into amazing prizes, join a winning team of talented people and be a part of an inclusive and supporting community where everyone is celebrated for being themselves.

Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us.

At Entain, we do what's right. It's one of our core values and that's why we're taking the lead when it comes to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive future - for our people, and the wider global sports betting and gaming sector. However you identify, our ambition is to ensure our people across the globe feel valued, respected and their individuality celebrated. 

We comply with all applicable recruitment regulations and employment laws in the jurisdictions where we operate, ensuring ethical and compliant hiring practices globally.