Senior Manager, S&OP

Gateway Recruiting

Senior Manager, S&OP

Columbus, OH
Full Time
Paid
  • Responsibilities

    Position Summary:

    The Senior Manager, Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) supports the design, execution, and continuous improvement of the company’s S&OP process. This role is accountable for driving planning discipline, improving data quality, and enabling cross-functional alignment across Demand, Supply, and Finance. Operating in a developing S&OP maturity environment, the Senior Manager focuses on translating strategy into an integrated operating plan, preparing decision-ready insights, and ensuring follow-through on agreed actions.

     

    Position Responsibilities:

    S&OP Process Design & Ownership:

    • Execute and continuously improve the S&OP cadence, including Demand Review, Supply Review, and Executive S&OP preparation
    • Maintain planning calendars, standard work, inputs/outputs, and process documentation
    • Support the development of a single, integrated operating plan aligned to financial targets
    • Ensure effective handoffs between Demand Planning and Supply Planning

    Governance & Decision Enablement:

    • Support S&OP governance through issue identification, scenario development, and escalation preparation
    • Develop executive-ready materials highlighting tradeoffs, risks, constraints, and recommendations
    • Track decisions and ensure alignment of functional plans to approved outcomes

    Team Leadership & Capability Building:

    • Lead, coach, and develop Demand and/or Supply Planners (directly or through matrix leadership)
    • Reinforce role clarity and accountability across planning functions
    • Drive adoption of standard work, planning tools, and best practices
    • Support performance management and capability development within the planning team

    Data, Tools & Analytics:

    • Drive improvements in forecast quality, master data, assumptions, and planning inputs
    • Partner with IT and system owners to support configuration, stabilization, and effective use of planning tools
    • Maintain KPIs, dashboards, and reporting to monitor S&OP effectiveness
    • Ensure consistent use of scenarios, assumptions, and metrics across planning cycles

    Cross-Functional Alignment & Change Management:

    • Partner with Commercial, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain leaders to drive alignment
    • Educate stakeholders on S&OP objectives, roles, and expectations
    • Act as a facilitator to resolve conflicts and enable fact-based decision-making
    • Support change management by reinforcing process discipline and accountability

    Key Metrics:

    • Forecast accuracy and bias (demand)
    • Service level, inventory health, and supply stability (Supply)
    • Alignment of operational plans to financial targets
    • Decision timeliness and execution follow-through

     

    Position Requirements:

    • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Operations, or a related field required
    • Master’s degree (MBA or related discipline) preferred
    • Minimum of 5+ years of progressive experience in S&OP, supply chain, demand planning, or operations
    • Proven ability to lead teams and drive cross-functional programs with a strong track record of execution
    • Strong facilitation, executive communication, and cross-functional influencing skills within a globally decentralized organization
    • Demonstrated bias for action with the ability to make informed decisions quickly and move work forward with urgency
    • Ability to balance structure with pragmatism and bridge theoretical concepts with practical application
    • Strong analytical mindset, including scenario planning and trade-off analysis
    • Capability to align with diverse stakeholders and challenge the status quo to advance solutions
    • Fluency in English required; fluency in Spanish and/or Chinese a plus
    • Ability to travel at least 20% of the time