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About the Role

The Senior Manager, Sales Planning plays a critical role in translating commercial strategy into actionable sales plans, ensuring alignment across Sales, Marketing, and Finance teams. This role is responsible for driving target setting, territory and coverage design, performance management, and trade investment governance to enable sustainable growth and maximize return on resources. The position acts as a central connector across cross-functional teams, ensuring that plans are data-driven, execution-focused, and aligned with strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

Translate business strategy into revenue, volume, and distribution targets
Define channel and customer priorities
Develop growth plans (“where to play / how to win”)
Support Annual Operating Plan (AOP) development and forecasting alignment with leadership
Define territory structure, sizing, and store prioritization (80/20 focus)
Design coverage models and call frequency strategies
Optimize sales productivity (impact vs. cost to serve)
Support sales organization redesign toward higher-impact coverage
Define KPIs aligned to business objectives (distribution, advocacy, activation, ROI)
Track performance against plan (gap-to-target, risks, opportunities)
Ensure clear accountability across Field Sales and Strategic Accounts
Enable performance-driven decision-making
Develop customer segmentation based on size of prize, strategic relevance, and growth potential
Define customer tiers with differentiated strategies and engagement models
Enable focused resource allocation and tailored commercial approaches
Track performance against customer contracts, trade agreements, and Joint Business Plans (JBPs)
Audit and validate compliance with agreed terms (investments, activations, commitments)
Ensure agreements are executed effectively and deliver expected value
Support trade allocation decisions by customer and channel
Evaluate ROI and effectiveness of trade investments
Ensure investments align with strategic priorities and growth objectives
Act as the key connector between Sales and Finance for trade planning and execution
Align trade budgets, accruals, and phasing across customers and channels
Ensure visibility of planned vs. actual trade spend
Track performance vs. expected ROI and manage variances
Enable fact-based decision-making on investment allocation
Support governance routines (forecast alignment, trade reviews, period reviews)
Own the annual customer planning calendar, including Joint Business Plans (JBPs), range reviews, and key commercial milestones, coordinating cross-functional inputs from Category Leadership, Key Accounts, Brand, and Shopper Marketing to develop aligned and compelling customer-facing sell-in materials.

Requirements

Minimum of a BA/BS in a business related field
MBA or advanced degree or comparable experience is an asset
Minimum 5 years of business experience in CPG industries, working in sales planning, Commercial Strategy or related roles
Solid understanding of industry and trade channel
Ability to travel up to 20% of the time
Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities
Experience working cross-functionally with Sales and Finance teams
Proven ability to translate strategy into actionable plans and measurable outcomes
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
Advanced proficiency in Excel and sales planning/analytics tools

Skills

Strategic Mindset
Plans and Aligns
Ensures Accountability
Collaborates
Excel
Sales planning/analytics tools

Location

Louisville, CO
Nashville, TN
New York City, NY

Work Type

Hybrid

Experience Level

Senior Manager
5+ years

Education Level

BA/BS
MBA or advanced degree

Salary/Compensations

USD$130,000 to USD$179,000

Benefits

401k with Company match
Donation matching
Medical
Dental
Vision
Employee Assistance Programs
In House & Online Learning & Development
Education Assistance Program
Free Bag of Premium Pet Food each month
Free Parking

About the Company

Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years.
Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions.
Mars is a family-owned business with more than $35 billion in global sales.
We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL®, and COCOAVIA®.
Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™.
Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries.
The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 140,000 Associates into taking action every day towards creating the world we want tomorrow.

Equal Opportunity

Champion is an equal opportunity employer. Regardless of your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other creed, you are wanted here.