Sr. Manager Planning (Distribution Center)

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Define and drive the strategic vision and roadmap for the Planning function at the MDC, aligning short, medium, and long-term capacity needs with the company's commercial growth plans across all channels. Lead, coach, and develop the Planning team structure, including direct oversight of the Manager Planning (M4) role and a total team of 7 collaborators, ensuring succession, capability building, and performance management.  Own the end-to-end relationship with key stakeholders (Order Fulfillment, Customer Service, DTC, Retail, Engineering, and regional/global Planning leadership), representing the MDC's planning capabilities and constraints in strategic forums.  Ensure full compliance with commercial plans (IBP, forecast, and volume commitments) by translating business projections into feasible, resourced, and risk-assessed capacity plans.  Drive continuous improvement and standardization of planning processes (SOPs, complexity matrix, waving strategy, capacity models), promoting a Lean culture across the function.  Champion the adoption and scaling of automation and advanced planning tools (e.g., WMS/TMS enhancements, simulation models, Power BI dashboards) to increase planning accuracy and reduce manual intervention.  Challenge current productivity, UPH, and capacity utilization numbers, identifying and closing efficiency gaps in flows and processes across the FC.  Oversee scenario planning and contingency strategies for peak events (Hot Sale, Buen Fin, Back to School) and demand volatility, ensuring business continuity.  Partner with Engineering and Automation teams to maximize the return on existing infrastructure investments (automation, conveyor systems, MHE) through smarter planning and resource allocation.  Build and maintain a robust governance model (steering committees, escalation paths, KPI reviews) that ensures accountability and transparency across the planning cycle.  Represent the MDC in network studies, footprint scenario modeling, and other strategic transformation initiatives that shape the future of the operation.  Ensure the long-term scalability of the planning structure to support future growth of the business in Mexico across all channels.

BUSINESS PARTNER/CONTACTS

DC Director Manager Planning (M4) – direct report  FC Area Managers  Order Fulfillment  Customer Service  DTC / Retail Planning  Engineering & Automation teams  Regional/Global Supply Chain leadership  Finance (budget and cost analysis)

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Advanced English (verbal and written); ability to communicate with global/regional stakeholders. Strong strategic and systems-thinking mindset, with the ability to shape long-term operating models.  Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional discussions at an executive level.  Deep expertise in advanced planning methodologies, capacity modeling, and demand-supply balancing.  Strong analytical, data-driven decision-making, and negotiation skills.  Experience leveraging automation, WMS, and BI tools (e.g., Power BI) to drive planning accuracy.  Proven leadership managing managers and building high-performing teams.  Ability to challenge the status quo, drive accountability, and enforce process discipline.  Strong Lean/Continuous Improvement orientation and change management capability.  Excellent interpersonal skills and executive-level communication (written and verbal).

University degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain, or related field; postgraduate studies (MBA or equivalent) preferred. Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive experience in Supply Chain Management, Planning, or Distribution Center leadership roles.  Proven experience leading teams of managers/supervisors in a distribution center or fulfillment environment.  Experience with automation projects, advanced planning