Senior Manager, Integrated Business planning (IBP)

Job Summary

The purpose of the IBP lead is to co-ordinate and drive the development of the market business plan through the IBP process, supporting the ExCom to deliver the agreed MTP/AOP targets.

The role will actively orchestrate the end-to-end monthly IBP planning cycle leading to the monthly IBP Executive Review, facilitating the review meeting itself to ensure effective course correction, prioritisation and decision making. The role holder will drive the ExCom Review (ER) process, working close with key stakeholders to evaluate and successfully resolve key business issues, mitigate risk or exploit opportunities for growth.

Job Responsibilities

Drive the end to end IBP process
    •     Ensure a rolling IBP plan represented in volume and value terms covering all key lines of the BU P&L and over the defined planning horizon.
    •    Capture changes to the business plan each month through each stage of the IBP process and recommend a revised plan to the ExCom each cycle.
    •    Custodian of key business planning assumptions ensuring clear accountability for their review/relevancy and alignment across all business areas when changes occur.
    •    Ensure constant alignment between Marketing (Portfolio), Sales (Demand), Supply Chain and Finance teams as well as other support functions – attend PMR, DMR and SCR reviews on a regular basis to critique and coach the content and promote information sharing.
    •    Supervise the overall risks and opportunities database ensuring accuracy and clear prioritisation.
    •    Ensure the content flowing through the IBP process is accurate, unbiased and representative of a realistic plan.
    •    Track and report gaps between plans and AOP/MTP commitments
    •    Participate and assist in the development of the MTP and AOP

Facilitates the IBP Executive Review (ER)    
    •    Act as the gatekeeper for the IBP ER agenda (ensuring decision making at the lowest practical level in the process/business)
    •    Prepare the agenda for the IBP ER in collaboration with GM and coordinate the inputs ensuring pre-reads are aligned and sent in advance.
    •    Ensure the ExCom understands key changes to the business plan (volume and value), they agree with the latest view of the gaps to AOP/MTP targets and approve the risk profile and priority opportunities.
    •    Ensure ExCom are fully prepared to make timely decisions in order to course correct performance. Focus on information quality and drive unnecessary detail out.

Lead Demand Planning 
    •    Responsible for leading demand planning team for all forecasting activities. 
    •    Coordinate with multi-function team to strengthen building block assumptions development. 
    •    Provide statistical analysis to help business find insights to grow.

Improve process maturity    
    •    Ensure the process design is in line with CA IBP standard, is working as intended, and delivering value to all stakeholders.
    •    Induct new people into the process, ensuring they are educated on expectations and their role in the process.
    •    Drive evolution in the process as the organization changes and/or new categories are introduced (working closely with the CA IBP).
    •    Own and drive the IBP process maturity action plan.

Skills and Experience

•    Has had exposure to and/or has operated within multiple aspects of the business covering finance, sales, marketing and supply chain – strong business acumen.
•    An excellent understanding of and/or input into MTP and AOP.
•    Able to create effective cross functional teams to solve problems.
•    Well-developed influencing skills and able to network at all levels of the organization.
•    Expert skills in problem solving, communications, negotiation, conflict management, planning and leadership are needed.
•    A deep and practical understanding of IBP best practice is ideal.
•    Business acumen – able to take a business perspective, not function perspective.
•    Able to speak up and challenge.
•    Has 5-10 years’ experience in a demand planning / forecasting role. 
•    Demonstrated demand planning capability to improve forecast accuracy and bias results for the business. 
•    Demonstrated strong analytical skills with a strategic ability to help the business grow.