Sales & Operations Planning Manager

Caterpillar · Peoria · $172,630–$258,950 (stated in the posting)

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Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other.  We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

Sales & Operations Planning Manager leads Caterpillar's global S&OP process for the Tracked Product Group portfolio, aligning commercial demand, manufacturing capacity, supply chain capability, inventory strategy, and financial objectives into a single integrated operating plan.

This position serves as a key enterprise leader, driving cross-functional alignment across commercial, manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, procurement, finance, and executive leadership teams. The role is responsible for translating market opportunities into executable production and delivery strategies while balancing customer commitments, operational constraints, and business objectives.

The successful candidate will lead a global team and influence stakeholders across multiple functions and regions to ensure Caterpillar delivers industry-leading availability, supports profitable growth, and maintains operational excellence in a dynamic and rapidly evolving market environment.

Additional Details:

• Moderate travel required (5% - 15% of working time).
• This role will be based in Peoria, IL or Tucson, Az.
• Domestic relocation is offered for this role.
• Visa sponsorship is not available with this position.
• This role is on-site five days a week.
• Applications will be taken through Nov 5th, 2026.

What you will do:

• Own and lead the global monthly S&OP process for the Tracked Product portfolio of Large Dozers, Electric Rope Shovels, Hydraulics Mining Shovels, Surface Rock Drills.
• Develop demand forecasts and scenario-based planning strategies that align market opportunities with operational capabilities.
• Drive executive consensus on demand, supply, capacity, inventory, and financial plans.
• Lead long-range capacity planning and identify strategic investments required to support growth.
• Govern inventory strategies, model mix optimization, and order fulfillment priorities across the portfolio.
• Provide executive-level communication and recommendations regarding risks, opportunities, and business performance.
• Partner with regional sales teams to understand market dynamics, competitive positioning, and customer demand signals.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, engineering, procurement, and supply chain teams to align production and material strategies.
• Establish and monitor key performance metrics, ensuring alignment between forecast, production, inventory, and customer delivery performance.
• Lead cross-functional efforts to identify, mitigate, and escalate supply chain constraints and operational risks.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance planning accuracy, decision quality, responsiveness, and business outcomes.
• Develop and coach a high-performing team while fostering collaboration, accountability, and operational discipline.

What Makes This Role Exciting:

This role sits at the center of one of Caterpillar's most strategic businesses. The leader will shape how Caterpillar responds to rapidly dynamic global mining demand, influence enterprise investment and capacity decisions, and partner directly with senior leadership to develop the operating plans that drive billions of dollars in revenue and customer commitments worldwide.

What skills you will have:

• Customer Focus – Extensive Experience: Anticipates customer needs and applies strategic thinking to balance short-term execution with long-term objectives, delivering customer-focused solutions that drive results.

• Decision Making and Critical Thinking – Advanced: Demonstrated ability to analyze complex business challenges, assess risks and opportunities, and make sound decisions using informed judgment and data. Ability to establish meaningful KPIs, measure performance, identify improvement opportunities, and drive sustainable business results. Comfortable operating in highly dynamic and ambiguous business environments.

• Effective Communications – Extensive Experience: Communicates clearly and persuasively across organizational levels, demonstrating strong executive presence and the ability to lead across organizational boundaries, influence without direct authority, align diverse stakeholders, and drive execution through high-performing teams in a complex, matrixed environment.

• Negotiating – Extensive Experience: Leads significant internal and external negotiations by understanding competing interests, protecting key priorities, resolving obstacles, and pursuing collaborative win-win outcomes.

• Problem Solving – Extensive Experience: Leads the resolution of complex supply chain and operational challenges by integrating structured problem solving with extensive S&OP, supply chain planning, demand planning, and manufacturing expertise to drive effective business solutions.

• Relationship Management – Extensive Experience: Builds and maintains productive, long-term relationships with clients, vendors, and colleagues by establishing clear expectations, fostering collaboration, and addressing progress and issues effectively.

• Project Management – Advanced: Leads complex cross-functional initiatives by integrating project management with Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP), production scheduling, and capacity planning to align resources, manage risk, and drive successful operational execution.

• Value Selling – Basic Understanding: Combines customer-focused value selling with forecasting, demand planning, and market analysis to translate changing business conditions and complex data into actionable plans and solutions.

Top Candidates Will Have:

• A college or university degree or equivalent job-related experience, along with significant experience in S&OP, demand planning, supply chain planning, operations planning, or manufacturing planning within a large, complex manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading an integrated S&OP process, aligning customer demand, supply, manufacturing capacity, inventory, production requirements, and financial objectives into executable business plans.
• Proven ability to develop demand forecasts, scenario-based plans, and long-range capacity strategies, identifying constraints, supply risks, investment requirements, and opportunities to support future growth.
• Strong analytical and strategic decision-making capabilities, including establishing meaningful KPIs and translating complex data, market intelligence, and operational performance into actionable recommendations for senior and executive leadership.
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams across commercial, manufacturing, engineering, procurement, supply chain, finance, and other functions, building alignment and driving results in a complex matrixed environment.
• Demonstrated people leadership and executive communication skills, with experience developing high-performing teams, driving accountability, managing competing priorities, and leading effectively through ambiguity and changing business conditions.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing and supply chain execution, including MRP, production scheduling, capacity management, material availability, inventory, order fulfillment, and continuous improvement; knowledge of Tracked Products, mining applications, customers, competitive dynamics, and global markets is highly valued.

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Summary Pay Range:

Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar. 

Benefits:

Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits*

• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*

• 401(k) savings plans*

• Health Savings Account (HSA)*

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*

• Health Lifestyle Programs*

• Employee Assistance Program*

• Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*

• Career Development*

• Incentive bonus*

• Disability benefits

• Life Insurance

• Parental leave

• Adoption benefits

• Tuition Reimbursement

* These benefits also apply to part-time employees

Posting Dates:

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities.  Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.

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