Commercial Planning Manager, Kinder Masterbrand

As the Commercial Planning Manager for the Kinder Masterbrand, you will take ownership of a $500MM portfolio that includes Kinder Joy, Kinder Bueno, Kinder Chocolate, and Kinder Pure Seasonal. In this role, you will collaborate closely with Field Sales to refine forecasts, partner with Demand Planning on short-term S&OP inputs, and lead supply disruption management through strategic allocation planning. You’ll also be responsible for budget and rolling forecast reconciliation, as well as driving enrichment reviews across key commercial levers such as features, promotions, distribution, shelving, limited-time offers, and seasonal activations. Your contributions will directly impact productivity, brand profitability, and forecast accuracy. As a key cross-functional leader, you will serve as a strategic connector across Marketing, Trade Marketing, Demand Planning, Supply Chain, and Sales teams. Your strong analytical skills, data-driven mindset, and ability to see and communicate the big picture will be essential to your success in this high-impact role.

This position is hybrid, and will be based out of the Ferrero NA Headquarters in Parsippany, NJ.

Key Responsibilities 

• Sales POV focus in partnership with Demand Planning.
• Process Lead – Seasonal, LTO, and Tentpole Displays.
• Constrained and Seasonal/Display item prioritization and allocation.
• Monthly Forecast Review – Customer Level aggregation of Operative Horizon item level demand forecast (0-12 mths).
• Ad hoc reporting and analysis including shipment to consumption ratios, trend review, forecast accuracy, and risk mitigation.

Partnership with Sales 

• Lead monthly KAM/NAM calls across key accounts to review shipment and order trends compared to Lag 1 field forecast. Provide recommendations on forecast adjustments where applicable. 
• Secure the customer level point of view inclusive of drivers and drainers bridging from LY to current forecast.
• Aggregate field input to item level forecasts in comparison with shipment and order trends.

Partnership with Supply Chain (Demand Planning, Supply Planning, and Customer Logistics)

• A collaborative partnership with Demand Planning and Supply Planning is critical to the success of this role as Commercial Planning will present the Sales POV to influence the demand plans and production phasing.
• Understand lead times on everyday, seasonal, and display items.
• Anticipate demand fluctuations as they impact the supply plan – distribution changes, promotions, and customer inventory position.
• Partnership with Customer Logistics for hand off allocation for systemic SAP implementation of quota.

Partnership with Trade Marketing 

• Reconciliation of TM Top Down Innovation estimates with Field Forecast to understand field LE vs TM assumptions (Customer, Distribution, ACV, etc.).
• Reconciliation of TM Tentpole estimates by Channel with Field Forecast to understand field LE vs TM assumptions.

• Developing commercial planning inputs at the topline as well as at multiple sales channel levels using SAP BI/BW, Advanced Excel, and PowerBI to ensure the organization meets financial and sales budgets for fiscal year period.

Reviewing historical shipment trends and research demand drivers using Power BI and SAPTM reporting to improve forecast accuracy.

• Partner with TM, RGM, TPM, and Field Sales teams to analyze promotional plans, features, and innovation to influence demand. 

Analyze forecast trends – positive/negative bias to identify patterns and potential signals to adjust demand. 

• Reviewing field forecasts, base and incremental, to understand deviations from base due to merchandising, promotional activity, cannibalization, flowback, and distribution changes. 

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• 5-7 years of progressive experience in Commercial Planning, Retail Merchandise Planning, Consumption Forecasting, or Demand Planning (CPG Preferred)

Key Qualifications:

• Curious and solutions oriented.  
• Advanced Excel skills – raw data manipulation across multiple sources and reporting development. 
• Ability to influence leveraging strong storytelling skills.
• Comfort navigating interactions with Senior Internal Leaders and Customer Leadership.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Develops and maintains positive cross-functional relationships.

The base salary range for this position is $118,000.00 - $160,000.00 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law. This range represents the anticipated salary for this position at this time.

In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits. Learn more about our benefits at https://www.ferrerocareers.com/us/en/our-benefits

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Ferrero began its journey in the small town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, in 1946. Today, it is one of the world’s largest sweet-packaged food companies, with many iconic brands sold in countries all over the world. Find out more about Ferrero at ferrero.com.

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative, and highly rewarding.
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Ferrero N.A. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.