Head of Strategy; Consumer Goods

About Next Step

Next Step connects top consulting talent with high-potential opportunities through smart, AI-powered matching. We partner with ambitious companies across sectors to place experienced professionals in roles where they can have a real impact. On behalf of a client in our partner network, we are currently looking for a Head of Strategy to join their team.

Our client is a listed consumer goods company headquartered in London, owning a portfolio of market-leading brands across personal care, household, and wellness categories sold in over 60 countries. With revenues of £3bn and a workforce of 8,000, the business is navigating significant strategic complexity, a category portfolio under pressure from challenger brands, a shift in consumer spending patterns, and growing shareholder expectations around sustainability and capital allocation.

The Head of Strategy is a senior role reporting directly to the CEO, with exposure to the Board and Executive Committee.

As Head of Strategy, you will be the CEO's principal strategic advisor, owning the strategic planning process, leading the most consequential strategic projects, and ensuring the business is making bold, well-evidenced choices about its future. This is a high-profile role with real influence over the direction of a global business.

• Own the annual and three-year strategic planning process, coordinating inputs from business units and geographies and producing a clear, Board-ready plan.
• Lead major strategic projects on behalf of the CEO (portfolio composition, M&A and divestiture evaluation, new category entry, and operating model transformation).
• Develop and maintain the company's perspective on consumer trends, competitive dynamics, and structural market shifts across its key categories.
• Prepare strategy materials for the Board, Executive Committee, and investor community.
• Build and lead a small, high-calibre central strategy team.

• 10–14 years of experience, with a strong foundation in strategy consulting (top-tier strongly preferred) and ideally some corporate strategy experience in a consumer or FMCG business.
• Deep understanding of consumer markets (category strategy, brand portfolio management, channel dynamics, and competitive positioning).
• Exceptional communicator, able to influence at the most senior levels of a listed business.
• Comfortable with M&A frameworks, capital allocation decisions, and shareholder value analysis.
• Experience working in or advising large, complex, multi-brand consumer businesses is a significant advantage.

• Base salary of £130,000 – £165,000, depending on experience.
• Annual bonus with meaningful upside.
• Long-term incentive plan linked to total shareholder return.
• Private health cover, enhanced pension, and hybrid working from the London headquarters.

To be considered for this role, please create your profile at  Once your profile is complete, our matching system will evaluate your background against the role criteria and match you with the company if it’s a strong fit. No cover letter required.

This role is listed by Next Step on behalf of our client. All applications are handled with confidentiality.