Manager, Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP)
Location: Greater Chicago Area, IL (On-Site)
Reports to: Director of Operations
About the Role
We are seeking a strategic and hands-on Manager of Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) to lead the end-to-end planning function across a complex manufacturing environment. This role is responsible for aligning demand, supply, and inventory to ensure the business operates efficiently while meeting customer commitments.
You will own the S&OP process, lead Buyers and Planners, and drive execution across multiple fulfillment models including Make-to-Order (MTO), Assemble-to-Order (ATO), Engineer-to-Order (ETO), and Make-to-Stock (MTS). This is a high-impact leadership role for someone who thrives in fast-paced, multi-SKU environments and can balance strategy with execution.
Key Responsibilities
S&OP Leadership
- Own and lead the S&OP process, aligning demand forecasts with supply, capacity, and inventory strategies
- Translate commercial demand into actionable production and procurement plans
- Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Operations, Engineering, and Finance to manage risks and trade-offs
- Establish planning cadence, forecasting discipline, and data integrity across teams
Buying & Procurement Oversight
- Lead and develop the Buying team
- Establish sourcing strategies aligned with demand and inventory goals
- Ensure timely material availability to support production and customer commitments
- Manage supplier performance, lead times, and risk mitigation strategies
Planning & Scheduling
- Lead and develop the Planning team
- Own master production scheduling across MTO, ATO, ETO, and MTS workflows
- Ensure production plans are realistic and aligned with capacity constraints
- Drive continuous improvement in planning accuracy and execution
Inventory Management
- Own enterprise-wide inventory strategy and performance
- Implement and manage ABC classification frameworks and stocking policies
- Balance service levels with inventory turns and working capital efficiency
- Address excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory through data-driven actions
Operational Alignment
- Define and standardize planning rules across multiple fulfillment models
- Partner with Engineering and Operations on ETO workflows and constraints
- Align inventory positioning with customer expectations and lead-time commitments
- Drive scalability and consistency across operating units
Performance & Continuous Improvement
- Establish and track KPIs including forecast accuracy, service levels, inventory turns, and plan adherence
- Use data to identify gaps and drive corrective actions
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives across planning and procurement
- Support ERP and planning system enhancements
Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in supply chain, planning, or operations leadership
- Proven experience leading Buyers and Planners in a manufacturing environment
- Strong knowledge of MTO, ATO, ETO, and MTS operating models
- Deep understanding of inventory management, including ABC classification
- Experience building and running S&OP processes in multi-SKU, multi-site environments
- Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into action
- Excellent cross-functional leadership and communication skills
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or related field preferred
Why This Role
This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible leadership role where you will shape planning strategy, drive operational discipline, and directly impact business performance. You’ll work cross-functionally with key stakeholders and play a critical role in building a scalable, high-performing supply chain.
