Director of Sales Strategy &Trade Planning

Job Summary

Do you thrive at the intersection of sales, marketing, and strategic planning? Are you a passionate leader with a proven track record of driving profitable growth? If so, Lala US has an exciting opportunity for you as our Director of Sales Strategy & Trade Planning.

Own Your Impact

In this pivotal role, you'll be responsible for developing and executing the overall commercial strategy to propel Lala US to new heights. You'll partner with key stakeholders across the organization to create a unified sales and marketing approach, ensuring we maximize sales growth and profitability across the entire portfolio.

Responsibilities / Duties

Strategic Planning & Growth Engine:

• Lead the Comprehensive Business Planning process, delivering a Demand Plan for the 2-18 ? month Rolling Horizon.
• Maximize the effectiveness of forecasting methods by ensuring statistical bases, new launches, price increases, promotions and customer events.
• Define, establish, and ensure the guidelines to prioritize the necessary changes in the IBP and in operational planning.
• Impact on the IBP the price and elasticity strategies generated by the Commercial Strategy team, after a consensus analysis.
• Generate the statistical forecast for the Annual Sales Budget base
• Adjust the demand plan if there is a constant bias against the sale.
• Lead market research initiatives to identify emerging trends, customer needs, and untapped opportunities. Develop data-driven go-to-market strategies to capitalize on these insights.
• Partner with Marketing to create a cohesive sales and marketing strategy that leverages synergies across both functions.
• Analyze sales data and metrics to identify growth opportunities, diagnose performance issues, and continuously improve sales effectiveness. Define delivery priorities in case of shortages, in coordination with commercial areas.
  
  

Trade Planning & Profitability Champion

• Develop and execute a comprehensive price and pack architecture for all trade channels, optimizing product offerings for profitability and market competitiveness.
• Deep dive into trade promotional spending to identify optimization opportunities and maximize ROI. Lead the analysis of promotional execution to ensure effectiveness and alignment with strategic goals.
• Responsible for developing pricing architecture and sales strategies working with Account managers to meet company revenue and profit deliverables.
• Use external data to analyze market pricing to ensure pricing decisions are aligned with the market. Plan and execute Trade Promotion Management (TPM) planning and budgeting for the organization.
• Develop Trade Promotion Management/Trade Promotion Optimization tools.
• Provide tactical Trade Promotion recommendations to the Sales Teams based on Brand Marketing initiatives and Pricing Guardrails.
• Present Trade Promotion initiatives and pricing recommendations.
• Provide value added recommendations to improve revenue and margin performance.
  
  

Sales Operations & Force Multiplier

• Maximizes supply chain capabilities through the implementation of continuous improvement strategies in the generation of demand plan.
• Optimize the process of generating the weekly demand plan based on the IBP, actual demand and unplanned events in the IBP.
• Resolve and escalate business opportunities identified in IBP forums with the intention of generating VP-level agreements during the delivery of the unrestricted IBP.
• Promote IBP compliance through constant monitoring and adjustments accordingly.
• Impact on the IBP the price and elasticity strategies generated by the Commercial Strategy team, after a consensus analysis.
• Oversee the sales planning process, fostering clear communication and seamless alignment between sales, marketing, and other departments.
• Design and implement impactful sales tools and resources, such as customized sales playbooks and territory maps, to empower the sales force with the knowledge and strategies they need to succeed.
• Analyze sales data and reports to identify trends, diagnose performance gaps, and develop data-driven recommendations for improvement.
• Lead the internal development and external communication of compelling retailer selling materials, including those supporting new product launches, seasonal campaigns, and brand initiatives. Coordinate webinars with broker partners to ensure effective communication and product knowledge transfer.
• Oversee retail operations and broker relationships, ensuring seamless execution and strong partnerships that drive sales growth.
  
  

Leadership & Collaborative Catalyst

• Support the reduction of waste by analyzing alternatives for venting in coordination with commercial teams.
• Act as a bridge between the sales team and senior management, advocating for the needs of the sales force and providing insightful recommendations to leadership.
• Coach and mentor sales managers, equipping them with the skills and strategies to drive high performance from their teams. Foster a collaborative environment within the sales organization, promoting knowledge sharing and teamwork to achieve shared goals.
• Develop the work team with the knowledge of the best practices in Commercial Planning.
• Create the conditions to promote the collaboration of the different trading partners.
• Promote the necessary adjustments after a deviation from the weekly plan
• Partner with Marketing on the complete product launch cycle, ensuring key sales input is considered. Collaborate on developing trade and channel pricing strategies that support successful launches, considering competitive landscapes and category dynamics.
• Provide data-driven retailer specific distribution assumptions and cost projections to inform initial launch volumes and resource allocation.
• Lead and inspire a team of direct reports with diverse responsibilities (e.g., pricing/revenue management, retail operations, customer service), fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
  
  

Work Experience / Knowledge

• 8-10 years of experience in CPG sales leadership or trade management roles.
• A strong understanding of P&L statements and growth drivers.
• Proven analytical skills and a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving abilities.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.