Assistant Manager, Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP)

About the role

The Assistant Manager, Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) owns the end-to-end S&OP cycle, building accurate demand forecasts and aligning them with supply, inventory, and financial plans across Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain and Finance.

Responsibilities

• Demand Planning & Sales Forecasting:
  • Develop and maintain the consolidated demand plan by product line, channel, and region, blending statistical baselines with sales and marketing intelligence.
  • Generate and refine statistical forecasts (moving averages, exponential smoothing, regression) and incorporate promotions, NPI launches, and seasonality.
  • Track and continuously improve forecast accuracy (MAPE/bias), conducting root-cause analysis on misses and driving corrective actions.
  • Consolidate dealer order intake, sales pipeline, and field input into a single demand signal for the planning horizon.
• Supply, Inventory & Operations Alignment:
  • Balance demand against supply by aligning production schedules, HQ allocations, and inbound shipments from Korea with the demand plan.
  • Set and monitor inventory targets and safety-stock policy across finished goods and parts; manage aging, excess, and obsolescence risk.
  • Cook replenishment and distribution across NA locations (Rome, Bloomsburg, Tyler, Tigard, and TYM Canada) to optimize service and carrying cost.
  • Identify supply constraints, capacity gaps, and lead-time risks, and propose mitigation through the S&OP process.
• S&OP Process Management & Cross-functional Alignment:
  • Facilitate the monthly S&OP cadence - demand review, supply review, pre-SOP, and executive SOP - owning the calendar, agenda, and decision log.
  • Reconcile sales forecasts, production capacity, and inventory strategy into one unified operating plan, surfacing gaps and trade-offs for leadership decision.
  • Lead consensus-building across Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and HQ to resolve demand-supply imbalances.
  • Maintain S&OP governance, assumptions, and version control, ensuring a clear audit trail from demand signal to committed plan.
• Reporting, KPIs & Decision Support:
  • Design and maintain S&OP dashboards covering demand, supply, inventory health, forecast accuracy, fill rate, and plan-attainment KPIs.
  • Prepare the executive S&OP package and board-/HQ-level reporting, including bilingual (KOR/ENG) materials when required.
  • Translate plan performance into actionable insights for senior leadership, framing demand-supply decisions in operational and financial terms.
  • Partner with Finance to connect the demand/supply plan to revenue, margin, and working-capital outlooks (dealer floor plan, inventory turns).
• Scenario Planning & Continuous Improvement:
  • Build what-if and scenario models for demand shifts, supply disruptions, and capacity constraints to inform contingency planning.
  • Assess the operational impact of tariff exposure (Section 232 / 301 / IEEPA), FX volatility (KRW/USD/CAD), and input-cost movements on plan and inventory.
  • Drive continuous improvement of S&OP tools, data quality, and process maturity; support ERP/planning-system enhancements (SAP, Salesforce).
  • Support competitive and market analysis (AEM/EDA registration data) to sharpen demand assumptions and market-share planning.

Qualifications

• Korean fluency is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Statistics, or a related field required.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in strategic & demand planning, sales forecasting, S&OP, or supply chain planning roles.
• Demonstrated experience in a manufacturing, industrial equipment, automotive, or durable goods environment (agricultural / construction equipment highly preferred).
• Proven track record owning a full S&OP cycle and driving measurable forecast-accuracy and inventory-turn improvements (e.g., MAPE reduction or inventory-turn targets).
• APICS / ASCM certification (CPIM or CSCP) preferred.
• Experience supporting executive leadership and/or foreign parent company (HQ) planning and reporting requirements.
• Prior exposure to dealer/distributor business models, channel economics, and floorplan financing preferred.
• Familiarity with statistical forecasting methods (moving averages, exponential smoothing, regression analysis) and demand planning tools.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and data visualization tools (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, forecasting models).
• Power BI experience is a plus.
• Working knowledge of ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or equivalent) is mandatory; experience with advanced supply chain planning systems (e.g., SAP IBP, Kinaxis or o9) and Salesforce a plus.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to build cross-functional consensus and translate data into compelling narratives for leadership audiences.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple planning cycles simultaneously under deadline pressure.
• Collaborative, proactive, and comfortable working in a cross-functional team environment.