Associate Director, Customer Performance Planning

Background & Purpose of the Job

The Associate Director, Customer Performance Planning is a pivotal role, responsible for driving the sales performance and strategic planning for US Nutrition categories. This involves leading the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process, Net Revenue Management (NRM) initiatives, overseeing the development of accurate category forecasts, and laser focus on performance of category strategy and pivots needed to create a high performance team. The Associate Director provides strategic direction to a team of forecasting, revenue management, and strategic professionals, while collaborating closely with cross-functional stakeholders to optimize net revenue realization and category growth.

Serving as a critical link between various functions, this role fosters seamless integration of strategies and plans across Customer Strategy & Planning, Marketing, Finance, Consumer Market Insights (CMI) and Field Sales teams. Key responsibilities include proactively monitoring promotional events, field-level opening plans, managing gap-closing initiatives, aligning biweekly volume calls, tracking category-level targets, and actively participating in the commercial Integrated Business Planning (IBP) strategy.The Associate Directormaintains close connectivity with Field Sales, working hand-in-hand to ensure forecasts and plans align with market realities and go-to-market strategies.

The Associate Director, Category Performance Planning will provide strategic leadership by leveraging data-driven insights, identifying business drivers and trends, and recommending actionable strategies to support decision-making and drive category performance. Strong analytical, forecasting, and communication skills are essential, along with a collaborative and customer-centric mindset to build strong cross-functional relationships.

Who You Are & What You’ll Do:

• Oversee the S&OP process, ensuring collaboration across cross-functional teams to deliver unbiased category topline forecasts, balanced risk and opportunity assessments, and proactive identification of business drivers and trends.

• Lead the Net Revenue Management team in developing and implementing strategies to expedite net revenue realization, including trade rates management, channel strategies, promotional performance analytics, and market share projections.

• Serve as a strategic business partner to the Category Sales & Planning and Brand Teams, providing insights, analysis, and recommendations to support decision-making and drive category performance.

• Manage and develop a team of forecasting and revenue management professionals, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and customer-centric thinking.

• Communicate complex data and insights effectively to cross-functional stakeholders, including executive-level presentations to showcase Nutrition commercial strategy.

• Continuously improve forecasting and revenue management processes, leveraging data analytics and industry best practices to enhance accuracy and efficiency.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, market dynamics, and competitive landscape to proactively identify opportunities and mitigate risks.

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Strong analytical and forecasting skills, with the ability to synthesize complex data from multiple sources to derive actionable insights.

• Leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate, develop, and inspire a high-performing team.

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop and implement sustainable strategies that drive business growth and profitability.

• Collaborative and customer-centric mindset, with the ability to build strong cross-functional relationships and align with customer needs.

• Knowledge of supply chain management, demand planning, and revenue management best practices.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing business needs.

• Bachelor's degree required, MBA preferred

• 10+ years CPG industry experience with strong background in Category Management

• Expertise in syndicated data sources (ACNielsen, IRI, etc.), merchandising software, and consumer/shopper insights

• Excellent oral/written communication and presentation abilities

• Ability to develop a strategic vision and drive execution in a complex, matrixed environment.

• Ability to prioritize and stay organized during peak planning seasons

Pay: The pay range for this position is $138,900 to $208,300. Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.