Strategic Planning, Senior Manager - CAI Inventory Solutions (Inside Operations)
About The Position
The Senior Manager of Strategic Planning (CAI Inventory Solutions) serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) supporting Commercial, Dealer, and Front Office operations. This role is accountable for shaping and executing strategic initiatives that modernize business processes across titling, payments, commercial services, dealer services, and client support operations. The position will also play a key role in driving greater efficiency through automation and supporting the evolution to digital self-service. This position partners closely with Manheim auction leadership, auction front office teams, contact centers, and shared service centers to ensure timely and efficient transaction processing at scale. The person in this role will also interface directly with enablement partners such as learning and development, enterprise technology, and change management to translate strategy into action. Finally, this position will own and manage the roadmap of people, process, and technology improvements that drive timely achievement of operational goals while maintaining exceptional client outcomes. The ideal candidate will have an extensive management consulting background blended with years of industry experience. They will demonstrate the ability to combine strategic frameworks with practical experience to create realistic solutions for complex challenges.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and 8 years of relevant experience. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master’s degree and 6 years’ experience; a Ph.D. and 3 years’ experience in a related field; or 12 years’ experience in a related field.
- 8+ years of experience across management consulting, business process design, operations leadership, strategic planning, or operational transformation disciplines
- Strong understanding of auction execution, including sale day, post-sale, and client support operations
- Proven experience working in client experience or front office operations, preferably within shared services or outsourced operating models
- Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into execution across multi‑site operations
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with a bias toward execution
- Ability to influence and lead across diverse stakeholder groups
- Experience developing business cases, operational metrics, and performance insights
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Excel)
- Strong executive presence and comfort with presenting to audiences of various leadership levels across an organization.
- Strong organizational skills, with demonstrated use of related tools and templates such as project plans.
- High adaptability, including the ability to react and adjust based on new knowledge or circumstances.
- Ability to lead and/or manage multiple workstreams with competing priorities and deadlines.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future sponsorship. No OPT, CPT, STEM/OPT or visa sponsorship now or in future.
Responsibilities
- Perform strategic planning and analysis that shapes a single, cohesive client experience, developing outcome scenarios that inform investment decisions and long-range plans
- Translate strategy into action by partnering with auction operations team members on processes and policies that support an outstanding client experience.
- Develop and deliver a sequenced, time-bound roadmap to achieve goals
- Own specific workstreams within strategic initiatives, ensuring comprehensive analysis from multiple perspectives including market positioning, competitive dynamics, and business impact
- Partner with Product and Technology teams to develop innovative, scalable capabilities that address evolving client needs and align with long-term strategic objectives while delivering measurable improvements to operational efficiency
- Develop business cases and operational analyses tied to labor efficiency, throughput, and revenue protection
- Define and track success metrics for modernization initiatives
- Conduct post‑implementation reviews to assess impact and identify improvement opportunities
- Serve as key contributor to execution on specified strategic initiatives, engaging with diverse cross-functional colleagues and business leaders
- Build and sustain relationships with business leaders and stakeholders to understand strategic objectives, challenges, and opportunities
- Act as a bridge between Operational Excellence (Opex) team, shared services functions, and auction field operations
- Influence cross‑functional partners without direct authority
- Support change adoption by translating strategy into clear, operationally relevant messaging
Benefits
- flexible vacation with pay
- seven paid holidays
- up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually
- bereavement leave
- time off to vote
- jury duty leave
- volunteer time off
- military leave
- parental leave
- health care insurance (medical, dental, vision)
- retirement planning (401(k))
- paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, flexible vacation/wellness days, and/or PTO)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
