This role will define and lead the strategic direction for Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and Integrated Business Planning (IBP) across the global network. This role will build and manage a newly centralised planning system ensuring that all planning activity operates with excellence while driving global alignment, standardisation, compliance, and simplicity. The successful candidate will be responsible for embedding a robust, future-ready S&OP framework that supports business growth, enhances decision-making, and strengthens end-to-end supply chain performance.
Key Areas of Responsibility
Strategic Leadership
- Set the global strategic direction for S&OP and master planning, ensuring alignment with overall supply chain and business strategy.
- Develop and implement a unified global planning framework that promotes standardisation, transparency, and best-practice adoption across all regions.
- Act as a senior thought leader on planning maturity, scenario planning, capacity alignment, and long-range planning.
Team Leadership & Organisational Build
- Lead and develop a centralised planning organisation based in Dublin.
- Provide direct leadership to the S&OP Manager, Demand Planning Manager, and Supply Planning Manager
- Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making.
S&OP / IBP Governance
- Own the global S&OP governance model, ensuring consistent cadence, quality, and participation across all markets.
- Oversight of the delivery of accurate, timely, and insightful materials for IBP and S&OP forums.
- Drive cross-functional alignment between Commercial, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain teams.
Planning Excellence
- Oversee the development of high-quality demand and supply plans that support service, cost, and inventory objectives.
- Ensure the global planning organisation operates effectively, with clear processes, roles, and performance metrics.
- Champion the adoption of digital tools, analytics, and automation to improve planning accuracy and efficiency.
- Lead initiatives to simplify planning processes and reduce variability across the global network.
Performance Management
- Define and track KPIs related to forecast accuracy, service levels, inventory health, and planning cycle adherence.
- Provide regular performance insights to senior leadership, highlighting risks, opportunities, and required interventions.
- Ensure continuous improvement initiatives are identified, prioritised, and executed.
Key Essential Skills
- Extensive experience – 5+ years – in S&OP, IBP, master planning, or end-to-end supply chain leadership roles.
- Proven track record of building or transforming planning organisations in a global or multi-market environment.
- Strong understanding of demand and supply planning processes, systems, and best practices.
- Demonstrated ability to lead senior-level forums and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
- Experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
- Strong analytical capability with comfort working with complex data sets and planning tools.
- Experience in a centralised planning model or global centre of excellence.
- Exposure to digital planning tools (e.g., SAP IBP, Demand Plus ).
- Background in FMCG, pharma, manufacturing, or other complex supply chain environments.Change management or transformation experience.
This is an exciting opportunity within a business that have a big growth agenda globally and this role is a critical appointment to support the growth.
The role can be based in the UK or Ireland, although a hybrid working pattern is preferred a fully remote option could be considered for the right person
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