Director, Sales and Operations Planning

Caterpillar•Peoria, IL

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Join a team that is at the forefront of global planning, supply chain strategy, and operational excellence. As the Director, Sales & Operations Planning, you will lead the development and execution of worldwide machine allocation, lane strategy, production planning, and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes that directly influence Caterpillar's market leadership, profitability, inventory performance, and customer satisfaction. Serving as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and cross-functional partners, you will navigate complex global challenges, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop innovative solutions that shape both near-term business outcomes and long-term strategic direction. This highly visible leadership role requires the ability to balance demand, supply, inventory, and production considerations across a global network while driving continuous improvement and process excellence. You will partner closely with product groups, manufacturing facilities, dealers, logistics teams, finance, and corporate process owners to ensure alignment of forecasting, sourcing, scheduling, and inventory strategies. The Director, Sales & Operations Planning plays a critical role in influencing decisions, developing new processes and capabilities, and defining the roadmap for the next three to five years while delivering results that support Caterpillar's growth, operational performance, and customer success.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of company products and product applications.
Broad company knowledge and strong understanding of dealer operations.
Previous marketing and/or financial-related experience including field and staff assignments.
College or university degree or equivalent experience.
Nine to twelve years of progressively responsible job-related experience.
Good human relations skills are required to develop a cooperative work relationship with others inside and outside the department.
Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with frequent due dates and short turnaround times.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of worldwide supply plans by model, region, and month, balancing demand signals, sales performance, inventory levels, plant capacity, and margins to maximize profitability and support PINS leadership targets.
Identify and implement alternative machine supply strategies, partnering with global cross-functional teams to address supply constraints and meet customer requirements.
Oversee orderboard-managed products, machine scheduling, and dealer inventory health to ensure alignment with customer demand and overall chain inventory objectives.
Lead the development and execution of lane strategies, machine hierarchies, and product package structures while incorporating dealer, product group, and manufacturing input.
Oversee design center updates, price list coordination, product outline compatibility (POC), and implementation activities across global facilities.
Drive inventory planning, startup initiatives, replenishment management, take-rate analysis, and phase-in/phase-out planning in partnership with production, logistics, and product teams.
Coordinate global production schedules with manufacturing facilities to ensure supply plans are executed effectively and issues are resolved proactively.
Lead planning efforts for new product introductions (NPI/NMI), transition activities, availability concerns, and supply chain challenges impacting production and delivery.
Serve as the primary interface for forecasting and planning systems, including sourcing, forecast, and sales model setup, as well as PDC/SAP issue resolution.
Support the implementation of new processes, solutions, models, and facilities while ensuring the integrity of data used in monthly and annual forecasting activities.
Partner closely with Finance and Business Resources teams on revenue forecasting, inventory projections, and long-range business planning.
Ensure forecasting assumptions and volume plans accurately support S&OP cycles, RBM reporting, business planning, and five-year strategic targets.
Drive the development and continuous improvement of global S&OP processes.
Serve as a trusted advisor on enterprise forecasting, scheduling, inventory, and supply chain process improvement initiatives.
Support the development of worldwide volume forecasts that drive market leadership and long-term business objectives.
Provide documentation and planning support for executive production scheduling and capacity decisions.
Own the end-to-end global S&OP process, including forecast development, demand and supply reviews, production plan coordination, executive S&OP meetings, and monthly reporting activities.
Ensure alignment across commercial, manufacturing, supply chain, and finance teams to support business performance and customer success.