Director, Customer Strategy and Planning

External • Philadelphia, PA

13d • $160,000 - $180,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic leader to join our organization as Director of Customer Strategy & Planning. In this highly visible role, you will lead the end-to-end sales planning and commercial strategy process across all classes of trade—bridging national brand strategy with customer-level execution to deliver profitable, sustainable portfolio growth. You will manage a team of high-performing professionals and serve as the connective tissue between Field Sales, Brand Marketing, Category Strategy, Finance, Demand Planning, and Omnichannel Activation. This is a critical role that shapes how our brands win with retailers and consumers alike, driving both total portfolio performance and individual customer success.

Requirements

• 12+ years progressive experience in Sales Strategy, Customer Development, Trade Marketing, or Revenue Growth Management within a leading CPG company; food industry experience preferred.
• Proven track record of leading sales planning cycles, customer strategy, and commercial execution across multiple classes of trade.
• Strong financial acumen with expertise in forecasting, trade investment, and revenue management.
• Exceptional cross-functional leadership skills with ability to influence senior stakeholders across sales, marketing, category, and finance.
• Demonstrated success in team leadership and talent development.
• Bachelor’s degree required

Nice To Haves

• MBA preferred.

Responsibilities

• Sales & Commercial Strategy Lead the annual and long-range sales planning process across all classes of trade (Grocery, Mass, Club, Dollar, Convenience, eCommerce).
• Own holistic commercial strategy including customer segmentation, joint business planning and Distribution, Shelving, Merchandising and Pricing (DSMP) strategy.
• Build best-in-class sales planning materials that align with brand priorities, customer needs, and field sales execution.
• Develop insights-led customer strategies for mutual growth.
• Critical partner in S&OP planning process and accountable for accurate forecast Partner with Revenue Growth Management (RGM) to optimize trade investment, pricing architecture, pack strategies, and promotional effectiveness.
• Translate portfolio and category strategies into customer-specific activation plans that maximize ROI.
• Ensure forecasting rigor and accountability for delivering profitable volume growth.
• Act as the bridge between Marketing, Category Strategy, RGM, Sales, and Omnichannel teams, ensuring seamless integration of brand plans into customer strategies.
• Drive total business performance accountability across volume, revenue, and profit metrics.
• Team Leadership & Development Manage and mentor a team of four, building capabilities in commercial strategy, trade planning, analytics, and cross-functional influence.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, and innovation.

Benefits

• In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for bonuses or other incentive programs as part of a comprehensive total rewards package, which also includes a full range of medical, financial, and wellness benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director