Senior Manager, Sales and Operations Planning

Advantage Sales & Marketing dba Advantage Solutions•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Sales and Operations Planning is a critical role within Advantage Solutions, responsible for driving the execution and optimization of operational sales and planning processes. This role focuses on building and managing effective S&OP models, leveraging data-driven insights, and applying technical planning expertise to support business growth and performance. The Senior Manager will collaborate with cross-functional partners including sales, operations, talent acquisition, and analytics teams to translate strategic direction into actionable, measurable plans. By ensuring disciplined planning, accurate forecasting, and seamless operational alignment, this role enables streamlined execution, brand growth, and productivity. The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics, and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Data Analytics, Supply Chain, or related field preferred)
8–10 years experience in relevant field (Sales and Operations Planning experience preferred)
Deep knowledge of sales and operations planning and sales and operations execution best practices with exposure to integrated business planning or mature S&OP processes
Strong cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to influence diverse skillsets to increase stakeholder engagement and accelerate S&OP maturity
Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights and strategies
Excellent communication and presentation skills
Advanced experience using productivity tools for spreadsheets, documents, and presentations
Intermediate to advanced experience using data visualization tools required
Experience supporting S&OP functions in a structured planning environment required

Nice To Haves

Intermediate to advanced experience using strategic planning tools to formally document activities a plus
Intermediate experience with S&OP process design a plus
Experience with enterprise resource planning systems a plus
Experience with advanced analytics tools a plus

Responsibilities

Execute and optimize integrated sales and supply plans across experiential, retail, and branded segments; align to financial targets and people-first practices that create equitable opportunities
Partner with cross-functional teams to gather and validate sales and workforce supply data, identify trends, and turn insights into short- and mid-term plan adjustments
Maintain rolling forecasts that connect demand signals to staffing, capacity, and inventory or throughput constraints; ensure segment-level alignment
Collaborate with technical teams to enhance forecasting tools, data pipelines, and dashboards that join demand signals with workforce supply visibility for key partners
Execute the operational S&OP cadence including calendars, stage gates, and inputs and outputs; ensure handoffs, decisions, and KPIs are documented and auditable
Analyze planning and execution processes enterprise-wide to identify bottlenecks, efficiency opportunities, and better go-to-market alignment
When execution or fulfillment rates miss, lead structured root cause and corrective action analysis and drive corrective actions with segment leaders; verify impact through follow-up metrics
Proactively assess plan performance versus targets; run what-if scenarios and recommend operational changes to improve fill rates and margin outcomes
Build and maintain models that translate forecasted demand into staffing needs by role, skill, and geography; provide timely resourcing signals to talent acquisition
Optimize trade spending assumptions and promotional lifts within forecasts; ensure accuracy and efficiency in planning systems and monitor budget impact