Operational Communication & Planning Specialist - 12 months maternity cover

Colonial Group; St Albans; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Share Investment Plan (SIP)

Annual discretionary bonus

Smart pension with up to 10% match

Costa Financial Support Fund

50% discount in Costa stores

Private medical cover

Job summary

Costa Coffee is seeking an Operational Communications & Planning Specialist on a 12-month maternity cover. You will manage and coordinate activity and communications plans across Retail and Away from Home, partnering with the Operations Communications & Planning Manager to ensure timely, accurate delivery.

The role emphasises collaboration, clear communication of operations requirements, and a structured, process-driven workflow with attention to detail.

Qualifications

• Experience in project management and coordinating cross-functional activities.
• Ability to translate operational needs into clear, store-friendly messages.
• Structured, process-driven approach with accuracy and prioritisation.

Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of integrated activity and communications planning across Retail and Away from Home propositions.
• Support the Operations Communications & Planning Manager to ensure seamless planning and coordination of all activity.
• Own the upkeep of the activity and communications plans, calendars and trackers with full accuracy to meet priorities.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to support timely delivery of store and AFH activity.
• Support the communications governance and prioritisation process.

Skills

Project management

Collaborator

Communication

Planning tools

Tools

Microsoft Planner

Job description

Operational Communications & Planning Specialist – 12 months Maternity Cover

At Costa Coffee, we’re on a mission to reimagine coffee experiences across the globe. From bustling cities to local communities, we’re creating meaningful coffee moments, powered by innovation and driven by purpose.

As a proud part of the Coca-Cola system and working hand in hand with our pioneering partners, we’re in over 50 countries and counting. Whether it's served in store, from a machine, at home, or on the go, every cup is thoughtfully crafted by our passionate teams who put heart into every moment.

Our teams truly make a difference. Whether it's pioneering new tech for the perfect pour, launching award-winning campaigns, developing exciting new menu items, or supporting our people to grow – together, we stir up success.

As anOperational Communications & Planning Specialist, you’ll be responsible for maintaining and managing activity and communications plans primarily across Retail, with additional support for Away from Home sites.

What you’ll do

Being anOps Comms & Planning Specialistis about so much more than bringing our coffee to the world. It’s your chance to stir up real success - which means you’ll be:

• Supporting the delivery of integrated activity and communications planning across Retail and Away from Home propositions.
• Supporting the Operations Communications & Planning Manager to ensure seamless planning and coordination of all activity.
• Own the ongoing upkeep of the activity and communications plans, calendars and trackers with full accuracy to meet agreed priorities.
• Co-ordinator cross-functional teams to support timely delivery of store and AFH activity.
• Support the communications governance and prioritisation process.

Who you are

It’s your unique ingredients we’re interested in:

• A confident collaborator who builds strong working relationships across the business.
• Some experience in Project Management beneficial - a natural organiser, used to juggling multiple tasks at once.
• A natural communicator, who can support in communicating confidently, and translates operational requirements, into clear, store & site friendly messages where required.
• You’ll worked in a structured and process-driven way.
• Maintain a high level of accuracy, with strong attention to detail, follow-through and task prioritisation skills.
• Real problem solver who is curious to understand and is agile in their approach.
• Experience with Planning Tools desired (e.g. – Microsoft Planner).

So, why Costa?

We didn’t become a global coffee brand by sitting back. When you work here, you join a community that values passion, progression, and integrity—with some brilliant perks to sweeten the deal. We work in a hybrid environment, giving us the flexibility to balance life while still spending meaningful time together and building strong connections:

• Own a piece of Costa’s success by becoming a share owner in Coca-Cola with our Share Investment Plan (SIP)
• An annual discretionary bonus scheme, based on business results and individual contribution
• A smart pension that saves you money on tax and national insurance, and matches your contributions up to 10%
• The Costa Financial Support Fund, supporting team members who find themselves in unexpected financial pressure
• 50% discount in all Costa-owned stores, and 25% off in other participating stores
• Private medical cover thanks to our Private Healthcare scheme

And that’s not all. Explore even more of our perks here:https://bit.ly/costaperks

We believe in living life with heart – and that starts with our people. By showing up as our authentic selves, we create a culture where everyone belongs. We celebrate diversity in all its forms and are committed to building an equitable and inclusive environment—one that embraces the unique blend of experiences, identities, and perspectives each person brings. This rich diversity strengthens our teams and reflects the spirit of our global brand. Grounded in our core values—Passion for Progress, Win with Warmth, Courage to Challenge, and Trusted Team Players—we strive to make a meaningful impact in everything we do. From empowering communities through the Costa Foundation to supporting local initiatives, we’re committed to changing lives in coffee-growing regions and right here at home.