Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) Manager

Role Purpose

The S&OP Manager is responsible for driving the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process to ensure optimal balance between demand, supply, and inventory across all business units. The role ensures accurate demand forecasting, effective production planning and smooth cross-functional alignment between Sales, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Logistics to achieve customer service, cost, and inventory objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Demand & Supply Planning

• Lead the monthly S&OP cycle, consolidating inputs from Sales, Marketing, Production, and Finance to create a balanced demand and supply plan.
• Develop and maintain statistical forecasts using historical data, market intelligence, and promotional activities.
• Identify demand risks and opportunities; recommend mitigation or acceleration actions to ensure target service levels.
• Align production and material plans with forecasted demand, taking into account capacity, lead times, and inventory targets.
• Coordinate weekly and monthly review meetings to monitor forecast accuracy, plan adherence, and inventory performance.

Inventory & Material Management

• Monitor and optimize inventory levels across finished goods, raw materials, and packaging materials to achieve working capital targets.
• Collaborate with Procurement and Warehousing to ensure timely replenishment of key materials while avoiding overstock and obsolescence.
• Conduct root cause analysis for stock-outs, slow-moving, and excess inventory, and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure system accuracy for master data, material planning parameters, and BOMs within SAP/S4HANA.

Production & Capacity Planning

• Translate demand plans into feasible production plans in coordination with manufacturing, ensuring optimal utilization of capacity and resources.
• Evaluate constraints and propose alternative scenarios to balance service, cost, and efficiency objectives.
• Support plant scheduling to ensure material and capacity availability for on-time production and delivery.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to align forecasts with business objectives, promotions, and budget assumptions.
• Work closely with Logistics and Customer Service to ensure smooth order fulfillment and delivery planning.
• Serve as the focal point for the S&OP process, driving consensus and transparency across all departments.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Forecast Accuracy, OTIF (On-Time In-Full), Inventory Turnover, and Plan Adherence.
• Develop dashboards and performance reports for senior management highlighting forecast trends, supply gaps, and improvement actions.
• Drive continuous improvement in forecasting models, planning processes, and system utilization.

Continuous Improvement & Systems

• Support digital transformation and process automation in demand and supply planning functions.
• Leverage analytical tools such as Power BI and SAP to enhance decision-making and visibility across the supply chain.
• Identify opportunities for process standardization and efficiency improvement in planning and inventory control.

People & Capability

• Train and coach planning team members on demand forecasting, planning systems, and S&OP methodologies.
• Collaborate with HR and functional heads to identify skill gaps and implement upskilling programs for planners and schedulers.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• 8–12 years of experience in Demand Planning, Supply Planning, or S&OP within the FMCG or manufacturing sector.
• Strong knowledge of SAP (preferably S4/HANA), advanced Excel, and forecasting tools.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong cross-functional communication and facilitation ability.
• Solid understanding of production, inventory, and logistics processes.
• Proficiency in MS Office, Power BI, and planning systems.
• Project management and process improvement mindset.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work under tight timelines.