Planning Projects & S&OP Manager

Beiersdorf • Stamford, CT

2d

About The Position

The Planning Projects & S&OP Manager leads Beiersdorf’s end-to-end S&OP process and strategic planning initiatives, aligning demand, supply, commercial, and financial plans. As a member of the S&OP Core Team, the Manager coordinates the team’s operating rhythm, meetings, materials, decisions, actions, and cross-functional workshops. The role connects Planning, COE, Finance, and business partners to promote alignment, accountability, and execution, while independently advancing priorities, risks, opportunities, and project outcomes.

The Manager develops a comprehensive understanding of the assumptions underlying the business plan, including KAP, SISO, and OMP, and their implications for the consensus plan. The role facilitates structured, fact-based S&OP discussions and trade-offs; prepares executive-level insights and materials; supports escalation and decision-making for Executive S&OP; and drives continuous improvement in processes, tools, governance, and ways of working.

The position also leads strategic and operational planning projects based on business needs and organizational priorities. It establishes project objectives, scope, deliverables, milestones, ownership, and governance; manages plans, dependencies, risks, and resources; coordinates stakeholders across functions; and supports implementation and change management for planning processes, capabilities, tools, and organizational practices.

Requirements

• 5–10+ years of experience in Supply Chain, Demand Planning, S&OP, Business Planning, Project Management, or related functions.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex cross-functional processes or projects.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment across functions without direct authority.
• Experience managing projects from problem definition through implementation and transition into business-as-usual processes.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple workstreams and priorities.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to connect detailed planning assumptions with broader business and financial implications.
• Ability to constructively challenge assumptions and facilitate fact-based decision-making.
• Ability to translate complex data and business issues into clear executive-level insights and recommendations.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional, and ambiguous environment.
• Proficiency in planning systems and analytical tools such as SAP, APO/IBP, Excel, and Power BI.
• Ability to lead through influence and create alignment across functions.
• Strong ownership, accountability, and bias for action.
• Ability to bring structure and clarity to complex or ambiguous business challenges.
• Strong decision-making and prioritization skills.
• Confidence facilitating discussions and constructively challenging assumptions while maintaining collaborative relationships.
• Ability to move between strategic thinking and detailed execution.
• Collaborative, solution-oriented, and continuous-improvement mindset.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in FMCG / Consumer Goods.

Responsibilities

• Lead and govern the monthly S&OP cycle, including Account Prep, Brand Health, and Consensus, ensuring connectivity and consistency across forums.
• Serve as an active S&OP Core Team member, supporting the Core Team Lead and Co-Lead in driving the agenda, priorities, governance, and ways of working.
• Coordinate the S&OP Core Team’s operating rhythm, including scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and materials, documenting decisions and actions, tracking follow-ups, and moving topics forward between meetings.
• Plan, prepare, and facilitate S&OP workshops and working sessions.
• Identify next steps, owners, dependencies, and decisions needed to advance S&OP topics, and independently engage appropriate stakeholders.
• Understand assumptions behind business plan components, including KAP, SISO, and OMP, and their impact on the consensus plan.
• Connect assumptions across functions and proactively identify, challenge, and resolve conflicting assumptions.
• Ensure S&OP discussions are timely, structured, fact-based, and focused on key organizational decisions.
• Facilitate trade-off discussions by articulating risks, opportunities, financial implications, service impacts, and planning considerations.
• Identify topics requiring Executive S&OP visibility and work with the Senior Demand Planning Manager on escalation and decision requirements.
• Prepare and deliver executive-level S&OP materials that turn complex data and assumptions into concise, actionable business insights.
• Provide the Director of Planning and Senior Manager of Demand Planning with fact-based assumptions, context, risks, and decision points for Executive S&OP.
• Drive continuous improvement of S&OP processes, tools, governance, and ways of working.
• Promote accountability, collaboration, transparency, and proactive problem-solving across the S&OP process.
• Lead strategic and operational planning projects in response to business requirements and organizational priorities.
• Manage cross-functional initiatives involving Planning, COE, Controlling, Finance, Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing, and other relevant functions, as applicable to project scope.
• Define project objectives, scope, deliverables, milestones, ownership, and governance.
• Develop and manage project plans, identifying dependencies, risks, resource constraints, and potential roadblocks.
• Coordinate stakeholders and functions to align expectations, timing, responsibilities, and outcomes.
• Facilitate cross-functional working sessions and decision-making forums, translating discussions into actions, owners, and next steps.
• Monitor project progress and escalate risks, decisions, or resource requirements when needed.
• Translate complex business needs into structured planning solutions, processes, tools, and ways of working.
• Support implementation and change management for new planning processes, capabilities, tools, or organizational ways of working.

Benefits

• Generous and flexible PTO policy.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• Comprehensive Wellness and Benefits program.
• Cash Balance Plan similar to a pension.
• 401k match.
• Employee Resource Groups or affinity groups to foster meaningful connections and belonging.
• A welcoming workplace that fosters diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Personal and professional development support.
• A balance of structure and flexibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed