Head of Johnnie Walker

Job Title: Head of Johnnie Walker

Location: Amsterdam

About us

Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks company with an outstanding collection of brands, such as Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray and Guinness. Our purpose - Celebrating life, every day, everywhere - has an important role in our company, for our people, our diversity, our brands, in how we perform and how we create shared value.

About the role

As a Head of Johnnie Walker for Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), you will lead brand strategy execution and campaign development across a dynamic portfolio of 30+ distributor-led markets. Reporting to the Head of Whisky & Malts (CEE) and working closely with the CEE Marketing Centre of Excellence (COE), you will act as a senior brand custodian - driving equity, cultural relevance, and commercial performance while enabling flawless execution through distributor partners. You'll play a key role in integrating global strategies with in-market realities, while influencing senior stakeholders, leading cross-functional teams, and guiding agency partners across the region.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive Regional Brand Leadership Translate global brand strategies into compelling, culturally nuanced, and commercially viable regional brand plans across multiple CEE markets.
• Own Full Brand P&L & Commercial Strategy Partner with commercial and revenue growth teams to shape pricing, promotion, mix and investment strategies that deliver on annual operating plan targets and long-term brand growth.
• Lead Campaign Development & Execution Own the end-to-end process of campaign localisation, toolkit development, and cross-market deployment - ensuring creative excellence, digital fluency, and omnichannel reach.
• Champion Market Enablement & Performance Act as a critical bridge between the CEE COE and in-market execution teams, empowering distributor partners with the right assets, tools, and guidance while driving agile learning loops and feedback integration.
• Influence Culture, Media & Digital Strategy Co-lead regional cultural and digital brand-building initiatives in close partnership with the Head of Media, the Culture & Entertainment Manager, and agency teams, constantly innovating how brands show up and grow.

• Regional Brand Plan Deployment Deliver insight-led brand plans that are aligned to global strategy but tailored for CEE commercial conditions and cultural landscapes - ensuring brand growth across equity and performance metrics.
• Brand P&L & Investment Ownership Manage brand financials across the region, driving mix optimisation, pricing strategy, and return on marketing investment in partnership with Commercial, Finance, and Revenue Growth teams.
• Creative Asset Development & Market Enablement Lead development of regional campaigns and creative assets, while adapting global toolkits and enabling execution excellence across multiple distributor markets.
• Cross-Functional Stakeholder Engagement Serve as a senior partner across CEE and global teams, influencing planning cycles, campaign decisions, and innovation priorities with strong market insight and consumer focus.
• Cultural Relevance & Media Partnership Guide innovative brand activation in media, social, digital, and cultural spaces, championing test-and-learn pilots and performance-based creative optimisation.

• Brand Strategy & Campaign Leadership: Leads development and execution of regional brand strategies and locally resonant campaigns that build equity and deliver results.
• Commercial & P&L Ownership: Drives strategic brand decisions through full ownership of financial levers, ensuring profitable growth across varied markets.
• Digital & Omnichannel Marketing: Crafts integrated digital, social, and omnichannel plans that engage consumers and accelerate performance.
• Creative & Agency Leadership: Oversees agency partnerships to deliver high-impact, insight-led creative that resonates across geographies.
• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Builds strong, trust-based relationships to align internal teams and external partners around a common brand vision.
• Data & Insight-Driven Decision Making: Applies consumer insights and performance analytics to advise strategy, measure impact, and course-correct as needed.

• Ownership & Innovative Mindset: Thinks beyond brand to business impact, aligning across teams and acting on shared goals.
• Boldly Curious: Seeks and applies insight from culture, consumers, and performance data to shape distinctive brand experiences.
• Collaborative Influencer: Builds strong trust across internal teams, agency partners, and distributor networks.
• Outcome-Obsessed: Moves fast, prioritises impact, and holds self and others accountable for results.
• Creativity: Balances strong brand guardianship with the ability to flex, test, and experiment for growth.

• An inclusive company culture that puts employees and their development first
• A competitive salary with bonus and many benefits that suit your lifestyle
• An industry leading parental leave policy
• ...and of course, THE best colleagues!