Manager, Planning Processes

What makes this a great opportunity?

The Manager of Business Systems, Global SCP&F CoE, is a manager-level role responsible for supporting and advancing Suntory Global Spirits global Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) transformation. This position focuses on the integration and continuous improvement of production planning, materials planning, and analytics systems across the enterprise. The role is pivotal in ensuring the successful implementation and ongoing optimization of business applications that enable end-to-end planning processes, supporting the company’s strategic objectives and operational excellence.

Role Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities
•    Global S&OP Transformation: Support the multi-year, cross-functional transformation roadmap for S&OP, with a focus on integrating supply, production, and materials planning processes and systems. Collaborate with global and regional supply planning leaders to ensure alignment and adoption of best practices across all operating units.
•    Implementation Management: Lead and coordinate the implementation of business applications that support S&OP, production planning, and materials planning. Document system changes, upgrades, and process enhancements, ensuring all stakeholders are informed and engaged.
•    Production & Materials Planning: Support the deployment and optimization of master production scheduling, finite scheduling, and materials requirements planning (MRP) systems. Ensure these processes are seamlessly integrated with supply and demand planning to drive operational efficiency and responsiveness.
•    Capability Building & Training: Develop, coordinate, and deliver comprehensive training programs for S&OP, production planning, and materials planning applications. Monitor system usage, identify knowledge gaps, and provide ongoing support and education to users globally.
•    Data & Analytics: Partner with IT and business leaders to enhance system and analytics capabilities for supply, production, and materials planning. Lead data cleansing, validation, and problem-solving initiatives to ensure data integrity and global consistency in reporting and decision-making.
•    Business Systems Support: Monitor user adoption and system performance, resolve issues, and maintain thorough documentation for all planning systems. Serve as the primary liaison between the CoE and IT support teams, ensuring timely resolution of technical challenges.
•    Continuous Improvement: Leverage business metrics and KPIs to identify and drive continuous improvement opportunities across production and materials planning. Support the development of business cases for new projects and translate business needs into technical requirements.
•    People Management & Leadership: Support the assessment and development of talent within the S&OP, production planning, and materials planning user communities. Foster a culture of engagement, collaboration, and inclusion, in line with Suntory’s leadership behaviors and values.
Major Interfaces
•    Global and regional supply planning leaders
•    Global CoE leaders
•    Regional and operating unit supply chain leaders
•    Production and materials planning teams
•    IT leaders for planning, finance

Qualifications

Qualifications
•    Minimum 3–5 years of demonstrated operational experience supporting S&OP, production planning, or materials planning software applications for a major business unit, preferably in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) or spirits industry
•    End-to-end supply planning knowledge (production, materials, inventory, distribution requirements)
•    Hands-on experience with SAP ECC, SAP APO, and SAP IBP (including production and materials planning modules) strongly preferred
•    Strong knowledge of digital technology and best practices in supply, production, and materials planning
•    Proven ability to develop and deliver cross-functional training materials and programs
•    Technical proficiency to diagnose, correct, and test software and data issues in partnership with IT
•    Excellent interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to build effective business partnerships
•    Strong analytical, problem-solving, and facilitation skills
•    Advanced proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel
•    Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related field preferred
•    Demonstrated ability to collaborate and work effectively with globally dispersed cross-functional teams at any level of the organization; acute business acumen & understanding of organizational issues or challenges
•    Strong leadership qualities & organizational skills with ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities & assignments
•    Comfortable navigating high change, unstructured environments that require creative approaches to influence & communicate to a broad base of cross-functional stakeholders and peers with varying stakeholder needs

The salary range for this role, based in Chicago, is $105,000-$115,000, along with an annual bonus, 401K match, profit sharing, and medical and wellness benefits. The salary range is commensurate with the candidate’s location, experience, and skillset. The range will vary if outside of this location.