Go-to-Market Planning & Operations Associate Director, EMEA
Grant Thornton Advisors is expanding across more than 20 markets. As the organisation grows, we are establishing a regional marketing function for EMEA, connecting regional priorities with market plans, investment and global marketing capabilities.
The Go-to-Market Planning & Operations Associate Director, EMEA will be a senior adviser and operational partner to the Head of EMEA Marketing. You will lead regional planning, run the operating rhythm and govern marketing investment across EMEA, providing the analysis and recommendations that shape decisions on priorities, investment, capacity and delivery.
A significant part of the role will be setting up and running the programme that establishes how EMEA marketing operates as a region. You will work across market, regional and global teams to clarify responsibilities and decision-making, bring greater discipline to how budgets and resources are deployed and make it easier for markets to access global marketing capabilities.
The role suits someone with a background in business operations, go-to-market operations or programme management. A marketing background is not required.
Key responsibilities
Regional planning and priorities
- Lead annual and quarterly EMEA marketing planning, bringing global priorities, regional opportunities and market plans into one regional plan.
- Set the criteria for weighing competing demands and recommend where EMEA should invest, deprioritise or change course.
- Represent EMEA requirements 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.
- Oversee how marketing investment is approved and tracked across EMEA, applying agreed standards consistently.
- Identify where priorities and available capacity are misaligned and recommend what should stop, move or be resourced differently.
EMEA marketing operating model
- Set up and run the programme office that establishes EMEA marketing as a regional function.
- Help design and implement the EMEA marketing operating model, defining how regional, market and global teams work together and where decisions sit.
- Improve how EMEA markets access and prioritise global marketing capabilities and shared services.
- Work with market marketing leaders to embed the model, track how well it works and recommend changes as the function grows.
Leadership decision support
- Establish the regional planning and review cadence needed to make timely decisions and maintain accountability across EMEA marketing.
- Advise the Head of EMEA Marketing on priorities, trade-offs and delivery risk.
- Act for the Head of EMEA Marketing on agreed operational matters, resolving issues within your remit and escalating decisions where required.
Required experience
- Degree in business, finance, economics, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- Typically eight or more years' experience in business operations, go-to-market operations, programme management, chief of staff roles or strategy consulting.
- Experience setting up a programme office, planning cycle or operating rhythm across several countries or business units.
- Experience designing or implementing an operating model across global, regional and local teams.
- Experience running budget governance across business units with separate budgets, including funding and moving spend between them.
- Experience advising senior leaders independently, with the standing to challenge them and the judgement to know when to act or escalate.
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to turn complex information into clear recommendations for senior decision-makers.
- Fluent English is required. Another European language would be useful.
- European travel will be required on occasion
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About UsWe are Grant ThorntonAt GT Ireland we don’t just predict your future, we build it.
What does this mean for you?
At Grant Thornton, we provide equitable opportunities for all our colleagues. We are a responsible, sustainable business where equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) is at the forefront of our workplace culture agenda, and today, we continue to build and develop on our existing ED&I structure and strategy to meet our workplace culture needs. People are at the heart of our business and teams built with varied individuals present diverse viewpoints, which need to be heard and valued.
We are all at our best when we are able to be ourselves and we view integrity and authenticity as integral values to bring to our day-to-day work-life at the firm. We are excited to see the personality and perspectives you will bring to our team because we know we will all benefit from them. Diversity of thought, background and experience enables better decision-making, improves the quality of our delivery, and helps us to meet the needs of our clients. Our firm is built on people and their ideas, so we want to hear all the new perspectives and fresh thinking you have to offer. You form the bedrock of our firm’s best-practice principles and we will champion you as leaders from day one.
Reward and benefits
Our reward and benefits are designed to create an environment where our people can flourish. We are committed to building a culture where our people have access to the necessary benefits to help promote a healthy lifestyle and thrive.
Recognition
We want to create a culture of recognition and celebrating success, by saying thank you to people who surpass our expectations and recognising the right values and behaviours. Our Shout Out recognition scheme is our way of highlighting and promoting achievements. Whether you simply want to say thank you, celebrate a special occasion or give an award for doing something exceptional, you can do all of this and more through the scheme.
Skills Required
- Degree in business, marketing, management, finance, a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience
- Eight or more years of experience in marketing planning, strategy, business planning, marketing operations, or management consultancy
- Experience working 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
- Experience with funding or cost-allocation approaches across business units with separate budgets
- Experience independently advising senior leaders and making recommendations on complex trade-offs
- Strong analytical skills and ability to turn complex information into clear recommendations for senior decision-makers
- Fluent English
- Experience in professional services, financial services, or another complex international organisation
- Another European language
What We Do
Grant Thornton Gibraltar is a leading professional services firm established in 1995. It serves private individuals and public companies listed on international stock exchanges, with experienced teams supporting local and international clients. Its offerings include audit and assurance, business services, payroll, advisory, tax, accounting, and financial services. The firm also helps organizations grow and develop by addressing their accountancy and business needs.







