Sales Planning Manager

FRESH. FORWARD. FLOWERS.

Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) is not just about baking; it's about crafting moments of joy with every delicious bite. With 2024 sales of $5.1 billion, and as one of the leading producers of packaged bakery goods in the United States, Flowers Foods brings passion to the table. From the wholesome goodness of Nature's Own and Wonder to the bold and artisanal flavors of Dave's Killer Bread, the rustic goodness of Canyon Bakehouse, and the sweet delights of Tastykake, each product is a celebration of taste and quality. Beyond the oven, Flowers Foods fosters a culture that values and reflects Honesty & Integrity, Respect & Inclusion, Sustainability, Passion, and Humility. With a commitment to innovation and a recipe for success, Flowers Foods is more than a bakery – it's a delightful journey into the heart of flavor and community.

Full-time employees are offered the following benefits:

• Comprehensive health and medical benefits
• 401(k) Retirement savings plan
• Professional growth and leadership training
• Paid vacation, holidays, and parental leave

Benefits may vary depending on your work location and your participation in a collective bargaining unit.

Bringing Home the Dough

The Sales Planning Manager leads the Sales Planning team in delivering on its core mission to support effective, data-driven sales planning across the organization. Key responsibilities include:

Customer Business Sales Planning: Oversee the end-to-end customer business sales planning process to support company objectives and drive business growth

Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with Business Units and Financial Planning & Analysis (FB&A) teams to integrate Business Unit targets into the annual sales planning cycle

Training & Enablement: Develop and deliver training programs for account managers and analysts on the company’s business planning processes and tools. Establish a scalable support model to ensure effective use of planning tools and the creation of realistic, actionable sales plans

System Enhancement & Integration: Define business requirements for TPM/CBP (Customer Business Planning) systems in collaboration with IT. Oversee system testing, implementation, and continuous improvement efforts

Forecasting: Lead the generation of the company’s baseline or statistical sales forecast, serving as a foundation for annual planning

Strategic Advisory: Advise Flowers’ Business Units on progress toward sales goals and ensure alignment between sales strategies and TPM/CBP templates

Collaboration & Communication: This position requires frequent and proactive interaction with internal departments, key customer stakeholders, and the Revenue Management team

Compliance & Competency: The role requires demonstration of full competency in all job-related activities, with a focus on maintaining standards for product safety, legality, and quality

Rising to the Challenge: Position Responsibilities

• Supervise two or more direct reports responsible for supporting account sales planners, forecasting, and data quality assurance
• Oversee training and guidance provided to account sales planners in building comprehensive business plans, including base sales drivers and promotional activities
• Ensure generation of accurate statistical base forecasts as a starting point for annual sales planning across all accounts
• Lead quality reviews of input data (e.g., customer master data, product master data, actualized sales data) to ensure high-quality business plans
• Synthesize account-level sales plans and produce aggregated management reporting for executive visibility and decision-making
• Ensure alignment between customer sales plans and broader Business Unit targets
• Advise Business Units on in-flight performance versus plan, highlighting trends, issues, and opportunities at the customer level
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, professional development, and high standards of professionalism within the team
• Ensure compliance with all company policies and regulatory requirements, including but not limited to EEO, Harassment, Safety, and Sarbanes-Oxley policies
• Perform other duties as assigned, including maintaining schedule commitments, adhering to attendance policies, and following standard operating procedures

Knead to Know: Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in sales planning with a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) manufacturer.
• 2+ years of proven leadership experience

Additional Ingredients: Essential Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related field

FRESH. FORWARD. FLOWERS.

Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) is not just about baking; it's about crafting moments of joy with every delicious bite. With 2024 sales of $5.1 billion, and as one of the leading producers of packaged bakery goods in the United States, Flowers Foods brings passion to the table. From the wholesome goodness of Nature's Own and Wonder to the bold and artisanal flavors of Dave's Killer Bread, the rustic goodness of Canyon Bakehouse, and the sweet delights of Tastykake, each product is a celebration of taste and quality. Beyond the oven, Flowers Foods fosters a culture that values and reflects Honesty & Integrity, Respect & Inclusion, Sustainability, Passion, and Humility. With a commitment to innovation and a recipe for success, Flowers Foods is more than a bakery – it's a delightful journey into the heart of flavor and community.

Full-time employees are offered the following benefits:

• Comprehensive health and medical benefits
• 401(k) Retirement savings plan
• Professional growth and leadership training
• Paid vacation, holidays, and parental leave

Benefits may vary depending on your work location and your participation in a collective bargaining unit.

Bringing Home the Dough

The Sales Planning Manager leads the Sales Planning team in delivering on its core mission to support effective, data-driven sales planning across the organization. Key responsibilities include:

Customer Business Sales Planning: Oversee the end-to-end customer business sales planning process to support company objectives and drive business growth

Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with Business Units and Financial Planning & Analysis (FB&A) teams to integrate Business Unit targets into the annual sales planning cycle

Training & Enablement: Develop and deliver training programs for account managers and analysts on the company’s business planning processes and tools. Establish a scalable support model to ensure effective use of planning tools and the creation of realistic, actionable sales plans

System Enhancement & Integration: Define business requirements for TPM/CBP (Customer Business Planning) systems in collaboration with IT. Oversee system testing, implementation, and continuous improvement efforts

Forecasting: Lead the generation of the company’s baseline or statistical sales forecast, serving as a foundation for annual planning

Strategic Advisory: Advise Flowers’ Business Units on progress toward sales goals and ensure alignment between sales strategies and TPM/CBP templates

Collaboration & Communication: This position requires frequent and proactive interaction with internal departments, key customer stakeholders, and the Revenue Management team

Compliance & Competency: The role requires demonstration of full competency in all job-related activities, with a focus on maintaining standards for product safety, legality, and quality

Rising to the Challenge: Position Responsibilities

• Supervise two or more direct reports responsible for supporting account sales planners, forecasting, and data quality assurance
• Oversee training and guidance provided to account sales planners in building comprehensive business plans, including base sales drivers and promotional activities
• Ensure generation of accurate statistical base forecasts as a starting point for annual sales planning across all accounts
• Lead quality reviews of input data (e.g., customer master data, product master data, actualized sales data) to ensure high-quality business plans
• Synthesize account-level sales plans and produce aggregated management reporting for executive visibility and decision-making
• Ensure alignment between customer sales plans and broader Business Unit targets
• Advise Business Units on in-flight performance versus plan, highlighting trends, issues, and opportunities at the customer level
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, professional development, and high standards of professionalism within the team
• Ensure compliance with all company policies and regulatory requirements, including but not limited to EEO, Harassment, Safety, and Sarbanes-Oxley policies
• Perform other duties as assigned, including maintaining schedule commitments, adhering to attendance policies, and following standard operating procedures

Knead to Know: Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in sales planning with a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) manufacturer.
• 2+ years of proven leadership experience

Additional Ingredients: Essential Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related field