Planning and Inventory Program Manager

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.•Tampa, FL

12d•Onsite

About The Position

At Checkers & Rally’s, being fearlessly original is in our DNA—and strong Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and Integrated Business Planning (IBP) are essential to supply reliability, inventory effectiveness, and restaurant execution. As the Planning and Inventory Program Manager, you will lead enterprise planning programs that connect demand, supply, and inventory—ensuring plans are integrated, actionable, and execution‑ready. Reporting to the Sr. Director of Supply Chain Management and Planning, you will own S&OP / IBP program governance, cadence, and performance with primary accountability for supply and inventory outcomes. You will partner closely with Supply Planning, Inventory, Distribution, and Category teams, while working with Demand Planning stakeholders—including Marketing and Finance—to align forecasts, assumptions, and priorities. You will also work directly with executive leadership to present and review scenarios, surface risks, and support informed, timely decision‑making. This role plays a critical part in balancing availability, cost, and inventory performance as planning maturity continues to scale.

Requirements

Demonstrates full accountability for S&OP / IBP program performance and execution‑ready planning outcomes.
Operates as a trusted planning owner who partners effectively with Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, and Executive stakeholders.
Influences to drive alignment and decisions in complex, cross‑functional environments without formal authority.
Thrives in a fast‑paced, execution‑focused environment with demand volatility and operational constraints.
Uses data, KPIs, and scenario analysis to inform decisions and surface risks and opportunities.
Anticipates supply and inventory risks and proactively drives mitigation plans.
Drives process and system improvements, supporting adoption of scalable, system‑enabled planning capabilities.
Effectively manages multiple initiatives while meeting deadlines and commitments.
Communicates clearly and confidently with cross‑functional teams and senior leadership.
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Business Management, Engineering, Finance, or a related field required.
10+ years of progressive experience in planning and inventory management (including supply planning, inventory management, demand planning) and program management.
Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating cross‑functional planning initiatives, partnering with Supply Chain, Demand Planning, Finance, and Executive stakeholders.
Proven ability to manage complex planning or IBP programs spanning multiple workstreams, timelines, dependencies, and competing priorities.
Strong experience using data, KPIs, and scenario analysis to drive planning decisions, monitor performance, and improve inventory availability and service outcomes.
Demonstrated experience owning or operating S&OP / IBP processes, including cadence management, scenario preparation, decision documentation, and follow‑up actions.
Experience presenting planning scenarios, risks, and recommendations to senior and executive leadership to support alignment and decision‑making.
Demonstrated experience working with and improving S&OP/IBP, forecasting, and inventory planning systems, including ERP or planning tools (e.g., demand, supply, or inventory platforms), and integrating system outputs with Excel‑based analysis to support scalable planning and execution.
Experience driving planning process and system change, including stakeholder adoption, standardization, and sustained execution.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration (MBA), or related discipline preferred.
Professional certifications such as APICS Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM), Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), Project Management Professional (PMP), or equivalent are a plus.
Experience working in a restaurant or Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) environment, or similarly fast‑paced, consumer‑driven operation.
Hands‑on experience with high‑velocity SKUs, demand volatility, promotions, and seasonality, particularly in environments with tight service‑level expectations.
Experience supporting or leading S&OP / IBP executive forums or comparable integrated planning decision processes.
Experience operating in a multi‑unit, distributed network (e.g., restaurants, retail locations, or distribution center networks).

Responsibilities

Own end‑to‑end S&OP / IBP program governance, including cadence, inputs, outputs, decision forums, and escalation paths.
Lead integrated demand, supply, and inventory planning programs across short‑ and long‑term planning cycles.
Translate business and supply chain strategy into actionable planning roadmaps, timelines, and deliverables.
Partner with senior business leaders to identify, prioritize, and structure short‑ and long‑term planning initiatives.
Translate demand signals into feasible supply and inventory plans, clearly communicating constraints, risks, and assumptions.
Develop and present planning insights, scenarios, and recommendations to senior and executive leadership to support aligned decision‑making.
Monitor inventory health, supply risks, and performance metrics; proactively manage and escalate exceptions to minimize service impact.
Own program execution across scope, timelines, dependencies, and cross‑functional coordination.
Define, track, and report KPIs related to service levels, forecast accuracy, inventory performance, and cost.
Support promotions and Limited Time Offer (LTO) planning by ensuring supply and inventory readiness.
Lead continuous improvement of planning processes, governance, and execution readiness.
Drive planning system enablement, including implementing and enhancing forecasting and inventory planning tools and integrating system outputs with Excel‑based analysis.
Document planning processes, standards, and best practices to support scalability, adoption, and consistency.