Director, Integrated Business Planning - AFHI
About The Position
The Director, Integrated Commercial Business Planning – AFH is a newly created leadership role responsible for owning and operating the commercial planning system across the Away From Home business unit. The Director connects brand and category teams through a unified planning cadence, maintains a single trusted demand number, and leads the decision rhythm that links demand, supply, and commercial plans. The role will build the Integrated Commercial Business Planning (ICBP) teams and processes from the ground up in partnership with internal and external partners, including designing routines, establishing governance, and launching a second-half pilot ahead of a January 2027 go-live. The Director will drive cross-functional behavior change and accountability, manage weekly and monthly planning cycles, surface and close risks and opportunities, support selected strategic projects, and coordinate milestones for the annual three-year planning cycle. The role manages two salaried direct reports. It is based at the Chicago/Aon Center in a normal office environment with open workspaces. Office-based employees may work virtually up to two days per week and are expected to work in person at their assigned location at least three days per workweek on defined core days.
Requirements
- Experience in commercial planning, sales strategy, category or business planning, IBP/S&OP, or related commercial roles.
- Demonstrated experience partnering across Sales, Marketing, and Finance to align cross-functional plans.
- Strong commercial acumen and ability to connect demand, investment, financial, and consumption drivers to business outcomes; comfort working with revenue, volume, and margin data.
- Strong organizational and planning skills, including the ability to manage multiple complex workstreams, deadlines, and stakeholders concurrently.
- Comfort with planning tools, dashboards, data analytics, and AI platforms, and curiosity about using digital tools and AI to streamline commercial planning.
- Ability to operate in a dynamic, fast-changing environment and adjust as priorities and business conditions evolve.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to synthesize data from multiple sources into clear, decision-ready insights.
- Excellent communication, storytelling, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders without direct authority.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and AI platforms.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with formal business planning cycles such as IBP, S&OP, AOP/1YP, or similar.
- Familiarity with planning or ERP systems such as SAP and BI tools such as Power BI.
Responsibilities
- Build the ICBP teams and process from the ground up with internal and external partners, including designing routines, establishing governance, and launching the second-half pilot ahead of the January 2027 go-live.
- Drive behavior change and accountability across functions and levels to establish the new process and sustain change over the long term.
- Lead the weekly and monthly commercial planning cadence, including Quarterly Delivery Management and Rolling Gap Management cycles, ensuring pre-reads, minutes, and actions are completed each cycle.
- Serve as the neutral custodian of a single, trusted demand number and authoritative cross-business-unit view used for organizational planning.
- Surface, frame, and close risks and opportunities in real time; bring recommendations to the appropriate forum and maintain accountability through resolution.
- Lead selected business-unit strategic projects, including assessments of organic and inorganic opportunities.
- Coordinate cross-business-unit milestones for the annual three-year plan cycle, including governance meetings and progress on long-term business enablers.
- Manage two salaried direct reports.
Benefits
- Performance-based bonus, subject to plan terms and governing documents.
- Equity compensation through a long-term incentive program.
- Healthcare, protection, and savings plans for employees and eligible dependents, subject to applicable plan terms.
- Wellbeing events, resources, and learning opportunities supporting physical, social, emotional, and financial wellbeing.
- Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage, and screenings or assessments.
- Paid time off, company holidays, leave of absence, flexible work arrangements, recognition, and training.
- Employee assistance, wellbeing, and family support programs.
- 401(k), life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, and disability coverage.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
No Education Listed
