Alken-Maes is part of The HEINEKEN Company, which could sometimes lead to great international career opportunities. Similar to our internal career opportunities, there is not one direct bite-sized career path. Nonetheless, occasionally some colleagues are asked to lead international projects or some advance to the global stage. We’re not saying we’re happy to see you leave, but we wish everyone well!
We can be Cristal clear about that. If it is your ambition to go from zero to hero like a rocket, we don’t have that on tap, I’m afraid. We are a local company with around 600 colleagues. Humble in size and modest in its management structure. We don’t invent C-level profiles just for the sake of it, and career development proceeds organically here. Sometimes faster than expected, but sometimes it takes a little longer to reach your next opportunity. Switching industries during your career? That’s definitely something we can offer you. From HR to marketing, sales to finance or technician to team leader: all our vacancies are also open internally.
Letting your talents develop and reach high fermentation sounds like Alken-Maes. Certainly, don’t expect rigorous training programmes (not really our thing); instead, you can expect learning landscapes. A fancy term to say that your entrepreneurship and proactivity determine how fast you grow. Most learning occurs on the job, while additional learning is done through courses matching your profile and interests. Do you feel like learning French to communicate better with customers and colleagues? You’ll have it dans ta poche in no time! We are happy to provide weekly French lessons for you. And for us.
With flipchart, lecturer and a 15-minute break every two hours, you mean? Nope, that’s not like us. Here, you dive straight into the foaming Alken-Maes pool. Your colleagues function as navigators or lifeguards when needed, though we’re sure you’re a better swimmer than you might think.
Your new manager will take you on a rollercoaster ride through all the buildings, passing your new colleagues and heading towards your new workplace. Getting the jitters about going to a new place? All our colleagues say they immediately felt at home here, so no doubt you will too!
You can find us all over Belgium, not just in pubs or football stadiums, by the way. Our malt house is located in Puurs, our headquarters in Mechelen, and our breweries are in Alken, Aubel and Asse-Kobbegem. Our colleagues on the road visit every corner of Belgium and come into contact with numerous exciting hospitality and retail entrepreneurs. Do you like the comfort of your own home? Working from home for a few days is absolutely fine.
Secretly, it is our customers who determine what we value. They want only the best, and so that is what we want. We create quality beers and ciders, build strong brands and provide a pleasant experience across the board. We embrace fresh ideas to improve those three pillars. By the way, your job title does not determine what you can or cannot say here; a good idea is a good idea.
Beware, as rolling up your sleeves at Alken-Maes can have global consequences. After all, we are members of a big family (hi, HEINEKEN!). At the same time, we are also very proud of our distinctly Belgian character. Seeing someone enjoying a perfectly tapped Cristal Xtra or a fresh Desperados at a festival is the icing on the cake (or the foam to our beer) for us.
Take the inverse of boring, and you end up with Alken-Maes. Good times brewing is our slogan for a reason. We thrive on drive and passion because our beers and ciders deserve the best care. We work as a team to bring people together, but we also like to blow off steam with colleagues after working hours. With us, you get freedom. A lot of freedom. It’s up to you to make the most of it. We do not like stringent job descriptions and rigid structures, but we do like going all-out for the perfect serve.
Don’t worry. We won’t make you do a blindfolded taste test of our brands. We will not make you take a general admission test, but depending on the job you apply for, we do test other skills.
For sales & marketing positions, we would like to hear your input and ideas on a business case.
If you are applying for a job in our supply chain, a personality test and an analytical test will be carried out. These assignments are part of the application process, so please don’t be put off by them. Enthusiasm and common sense will get you a long way.
No, that is not required.
Working at Alken-Maes may feel like top-level sports, but we will not make you undergo strict medical tests. Often, a medical examination is not even necessary. A medical test will be required only when you could come into contact with technical risks during your job (for example, particularly in operational functions).
Keep your CV short, clear and relevant. Ensure you show us who you are outside your professional life, but keep it to the point.
If your CV is exceptional, you won’t need a cover letter. But it could help in case we still need to be convinced. In your cover letter, be sure to explain why you are the perfect brew for the job.
That is what the introductory meeting is for, so no. Do you have important questions about the job content of an opening? Then you can ask them via jobs@alken-maes.com.
Even though every recruitment process is unique, it typically follows these steps:
1. You register on our job site and submit your application for a position that suits you.
2. Our recruiters review your CV. If there is a match, an initial (online) interview follows.
3. Good vibe? Then we present your application to your future manager.
4. If they also see your potential, they invite you for a second interview.
5. If this interview was positive, a third meeting will take place. This time, in the presence of an additional stakeholder or manager. If you are applying for a position within marketing or sales, you will also be given a business case during the interview where we would like to hear your ideas.
6. Did everything go smoothly? Then a contract offer might follow!
A neatly structured CV, conveying the right vibe at a glance, is worth its weight in gold. Show us who you are, why we should hire you and what you have been involved in professionally over the past few years. Get bonus points if it is related to the job you are applying for!
We may have 0.0% beers available, but most of what rolls off the belt here is quite a bit stronger. If you want to work for us, you have to be 18 years or older. It is as simple as that!
Juggling three full glasses and whistling Despacito on Desperados bottles are excellent skills, but they are not required to join us. However, what is essential is an adaptable mindset, the will to work and the ability to create order from chaos. All because you will enter a bustling, vibrant workplace. Sounds like your thing? Send your CV to jobs@alken-maes.com.
14.3 interns per financial year. Just kidding, we don’t have a set number of interns. Far more important: do we feel a connection, because good times don’t brew themselves. By connection, we mean the desire to work hard and have fun. We ask you to join us for at least three months. It could be in marketing, maintenance, working with the engineers in the brewing area, etc. Regarding internship profiles, we are like a fresh Strongbow: flexible and fun. Just send in your internship application, and we’ll ensure it reaches the right colleagues.
During the summer, we are busy-busy-busy as the summer is a season for beer, thanks to festivals, pub terraces, barbecues, and more. Our job is to provide the right amount of fresh ciders, beers and Desperados to quench everyone’s thirst. Interns are therefore very welcome to join, for example, our customer service, logistics and sales support teams during those months.
Send your application to jobs@alken-maes.com, and it will reach our HR department. There is no separate department for interns or students because each workforce member is a part of the same vibrant Alken-Maes crew.
Our headquarters in Mechelen is completely wheelchair-accecible. Unfortunately, we still have some work to do at some of the other locations, but we are looking into it. So, for the time being, it depends on where you’re applying. We hope to update this answer to a wholehearted yes soon.
No, non, nein, nee … anyone can start with us. Being part of the global HEINEKEN Company means you will work with international colleagues frequently.
Every day, people are making a difference here, and we can only achieve that through an atmosphere of openness, respect and trust. We almost forgot fun, but here we are! We regard diversity, in all its forms, as an enrichment.
Diversity is our thing. You can see it in our brands and feel it in our workplace. Talent, drive and respect are at the centre of our being. Your origin, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc. does not matter at all. Our pub is an inclusive one where we will serve everyone a refreshing pint, with or without alcohol.
Our DPO is Wouter Vanspauwen and you can reach him via privacy@alken-maes.com.
Even though we love a cloudy beer from time to time, aside from that, we swear by transparency. You can get your details by simply requesting it via privacy@alken-maes.com.
The GDPR legislation does not specify a specific time limit, but as you may already realise, we are a people-loving bunch: we know privacy is important, and we are by no means going to spam you. We’ll keep your data for one year. That way, we can reach you when you get the job or when we have another position that matches your profile. Be sure to tick the box on your application form to allow us to store your details. That way, you won’t miss any opportunities.
