Hunter Campbell’s Mastering Supply Chain Series profiles jobs within the Supply Chain job family including jobs in demand, salaries, and employment prospects.
In this article, the role of Sales & Operations Planning Manager (S&OP Manager) is in the spotlight.
Purpose of the Role
The S&OP Manager plays a critical role in aligning cross-functional teams—Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing, New Product Development, Finance, and Manufacturing—to balance supply and demand, increase transparency, and drive profitability.
Through a structured monthly planning process, S&OP Managers provide visibility across the value chain, enhancing decision-making around demand and supply alignment, improving inventory management, and streamlining operations to elevate the customer experience and the company’s bottom line.
S&OP Manager’s responsibilities have evolved to include the need to be able to leverage data analytics, AI, and collaboration across departments to create resilient systems that adapt to changing conditions while supporting sustainability initiatives. As a strategic function, S&OP not only mitigates risks but also empowers businesses to respond to market demands.
Recruitment Forecast 2025
Large S&OP roles have been scarce in the market recently, reflecting a trend of promoting demand planners into these positions—a shift that aligns with current market conditions.
Looking ahead to 2025, recruitment prospects for S&OP Managers in New Zealand are promising. As industries continue to prepare to take advantage of post-recession growth opportunities and prioritise supply chain optimisation, the demand for skilled S&OP professionals is set to remain strong. With a growing focus on efficiency, granular SKU management, agile demand forecasting, and resilient supply chains; S&OP roles are increasingly critical to business success.
Career Prospects
S&OP Managers operate at the intersection of Supply Chain, Sales, Manufacturing, Finance, and Marketing and hold substantial influence over a business’s success in areas like forecast accuracy, inventory control, DIFOT, NPD materials management and adherence to strategy.
This high-profile role directly impacts profitability and often involves navigating cross-functional tensions as team members are held accountable within the S&OP process. S&OP Managers are essential in uniting people and technology to drive outcomes.
For those who prove capable of balancing these complexities, the role serves as a steppingstone to senior positions within Supply Chain Management, often positioning them for roles like Supply Chain Director within the organisation.
Key Skills and Qualifications Required
These essential skills for S&OP Managers can be grouped into two key areas:
Technical Skills:
- Proven experience leading a core S&OP functional area, such as Supply, Demand, or Finance.
- Familiarity with emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and digital twins to enhance forecasting and planning accuracy.
- A tertiary qualification, particularly in fields like mathematics, science, or statistics.
- Strong analytical, organisational, and decision-making abilities.
Leadership and Strategic Skills:
- Ability to lead processes in a complex, matrixed environment with authority.
- Experience crafting executive-level presentations on intricate Supply Chain and business topics, with the ability to present to senior audiences effectively.
- Skilled in driving organisational change within the S&OP process, securing stakeholder buy-in, and ensuring seamless transitions.
- Understanding of business strategy and the impact of supply chain decisions on profitability and long-term goals.
- Competence in quickly adapting to unexpected events, such as demand fluctuations or supply chain disruptions, and recalibrating the S&OP process as needed.
- Proven strength in building and maintaining cross-functional relationships.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration.
Salary Guide
This information is anecdotal and based on roles Hunter Campbell is currently recruiting or has previously recruited and relate to base salaries. They do not include any additional bonuses or benefits.
- Intermediate: $140,000 – $160,000
- Advanced: $160,000 – $200,000
- Leadership: $200,000 – $280,000
In smaller organisations, managing the S&OP process often becomes the responsibility of a Senior Demand Planner, who has visibility across the value chain and engages with the broader business. Salaries for these roles can vary, with a typical midpoint around $120,000.
In larger organisations, there is often a dedicated S&OP function, where the process is formalised and requires executive approval and sign-off each month. Professionals at this level are expected to be highly commercial, numerate, advanced users of planning and forecasting tools, and capable of executing a structured, formalised process. Intermediate-level salaries generally range from $140,000 to $160,000.
At the top end, New Zealand-based multinationals may require S&OP leaders to oversee extensive planning teams and manage the S&OP process across multiple manufacturing sites. These leadership roles, with their added complexities, typically command salaries between $200,000 and $280,000.
If you would like to find out more about the role of Sales & Operations Planning Manager (S&OP Manager), please contact Senior Consultant Wayne Fry. Wayne specialises in the recruitment of Supply Chain, Procurement & Operations roles. For more news and views visit our website by clicking here, see what opportunities we have available here or follow us on LinkedIn.
