{"id":1573522,"url":"https://alion.io/job/kinders-manager-sales-planning-central","title":"Manager, Sales Planning - Central","company":{"id":678338,"name":"Kinder's","domain":"kinders.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/kinders","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":87,"open_postings":9,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.333,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":90,"computed_at":"2026-10-23T05:54:15Z"}},"role":"Sales","role_family":"Sales","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Walnut Creek, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":135000,"max":155000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":155000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[],"status":"closed","first_seen_at":"2026-09-30T22:58:31Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-20","last_verified_at":"2026-10-23T22:06:35Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":"2026-10-23T22:06:35Z","days_open":22,"trust":{"level":"not_scored","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":22},"description":"BUILT ON FLAVOR. FUELED BY PEOPLE.\nWhat’s it like to work at Kinder’s? Well, there’s a lot of snacking and geeking out over what we all cooked over the weekend. Beyond that, there’s also plenty of hard work. Because we don’t just like flavor, we’re obsessed with it. \nWith over 100 products sold nationwide, we’re now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, and more. We’re not your typical CPG company. Privately held and founder-led, we like to think of ourselves as a pirate ship in a sea of cruise ships. Our crew is adventurous and fearless. We chart our own course and chase big ideas to make food unforgettable. \nAs we expand globally and approach $1 billion in revenue, we need more smart-and-scrappy, flavor-obsessed people to come aboard. If you’re looking for a place where you can see the real impact of your work... this is it! Every day, you’ll be part of a journey to add flavor to millions of meals and lives. \nAbout the Role:\nThe Manager, Sales Planning - Central serves as a key commercial leader responsible for driving the integration of sales, demand, and inventory planning across the organization, focusing on the Central Region of Grocery. This role is part of a high-performing team that partners cross-functionally with Sales, Brand, Finance, and Operations to deliver accurate forecasts, optimize trade investment, and improve customer inventory health. The Manager ensures that Kinder’s commercial plans are data-driven, strategically aligned, and executed to support sustainable growth and operational efficiency.\n*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-(--header-height)\" data-turn-id=\"bdf5638c-a114-455f-aa9e-405d00ca3c44\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-1\" data-scroll-anchor=\"false\" data-turn=\"user\">\nKey Responsibilities Include:\nStrategic Sales Planning Leadership\nLead the development of sales and demand plans, aligning volume, revenue, and trade investment targets with company strategy.\nDrive the end-to-end planning calendar, ensuring alignment and timely input from cross-functional partners including brand, sales, planning, and finance.\nChallenge assumptions and elevate the analytical rigor of commercial plans through data-driven insights and scenario modeling.\nTeam Development\nBuild team capabilities in forecasting, analytics, and cross-functional communication.\nCreate a collaborative and performance-driven environment that emphasizes continuous improvement and proactive problem-solving.\nForecasting & Demand Planning\nOwn divisional monthly sales forecast accuracy and integration into the Demand Planning process.\nManage cross-functional forecasting reviews, ensuring timely updates reflecting current market dynamics, customer performance, and promotional shifts.\nPartner with Finance to ensure forecast alignment with financial targets and strategic objectives for revenues, trade spend, and total promotional spend.\nTrade & Promotional Effectiveness\nOversee post-event analysis and ROI evaluation for trade and promotional spend; analyzes total trade investment for partners include trade spend, marketing spend, slotting, and additional promotional activity.\nIdentify opportunities to improve trade and total investment spend efficiency and recommend reallocation strategies to maximize growth and profitability.\nSupport Trade Finance teams with integration of sales plans, trade planners, and trade promotional tools during annual promotional planning; monitor promotional tools for promotional alignment with sales strategy and planning.\nCustomer Inventory & Supply Optimization\nMonitor customer-level inventory performance, driving proactive actions to prevent out-of-stocks or overstocks.\nDevelop and maintain real-time dashboards and visibility tools for internal and external stakeholders.\nPartner with Supply Chain to ensure sales and operations alignment, supporting service level and inventory health goals.\nAnticipate inventory requirements for new items based upon historical sales performance of similar items, promotion analysis, and customer loading needs.\nProcess & Infrastructure Enhancement\nDesign and implement scalable processes, tools, and templates for sales planning, forecasting, and performance tracking.\nPartner with IT and Data teams to enhance system capabilities (e.g., TPM, ERP, BI tools).\nStandardize reporting and establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and improve commercial planning effectiveness.\nExecutive Communication & Strategic Partnership\nServe as a liaison between Sales and cross-functional leadership, ensuring commercial plans are cohesive and actionable.\nProvide leadership with data-driven insights into sales execution, trade effectiveness, and forecast risk.\nPartner in executive-level presentations and represent the Sales Planning function in strategic business reviews.\nWhat You Bring to the Table:\nEducation & Experience\nBachelor’s Degree required; MBA or related advanced degree preferred.\n5+ years of progressive experience in Sales Planning, Demand Planning, or Commercial Analytics-preferably within CPG or Food & Beverage.\nExperience with major grocery retailers is a plus.\nProven experience managing complex annual planning and forecasting cycles.\nStrong business acumen with experience collaborating across Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, and IT.\nProficiency with trade promotion management systems (Exceedra, Confido, or similar) and intermediate Excel or BI tools; SAP Business One knowledge is a plus.\nLeadership Characteristics\nStrategic Operator: Thinks broadly and anticipates the commercial and operational impact of planning decisions.\nAnalytical Innovator: Uses data and insights to influence strategic direction and improve business performance.\nCollaborative Partner: Excels at cross-functional communication and alignment in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.\nChange Agent: Continuously improves systems, processes, and behaviors to drive better outcomes; isn’t afraid to challenge current practices and speak candidly\nLocation and Travel:\nThe position will be based onsite in Walnut Creek, CA. We strongly believe in the power of culture and community and have a hybrid work structure with 4 days in the office on a weekly basis to encourage collaboration and personal connections that will allow us to better serve our customers and consumer and to have more fun. Fridays are flex days with employees having the opportunity to choose to be either in the office or to work from home based on what makes most sense for them.\nPay Transparency:\nThe expected starting salary range for this role is $135,000-$155,000 per year. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role. The amount a particular employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education, qualifications, performance and business needs.\nSEASONED FOR SUCCESS:\nNo two days here are the same. \nWe try to be good team members and good communicators, but we don’t live by hierarchy and structure - everyone is a difference maker here. \nWe make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information - our team embraces ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow. \nWe believe our job is to take smart risk, not to eliminate risk. \nWe believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise, but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart. \nWe aren’t trying to be average - we want to do exceptional things, and we are willing to work hard to achieve them. \nBENEFITS THAT BRING MORE TO THE TABLE:\nWe offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off, 401k, bonus / incentive eligibility, equity grants, competitive health benefits, and other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave. Kinder’s benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process. \nOUR RECIPE FOR BALANCE:\nWe believe great culture starts with people. We’re a people-first company built on connection, collaboration, and balance. Most of our work happens in the office to spark creativity and community, but we also offer flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments.\nWHERE EVERY INGREDIENT MATTERS:\nKinder's is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, citizenship, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, veteran status, as well as any other legally-protected characteristic. 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