Director, Sales and Operations Planning

Career Area:
Sales

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.

Join a team that is at the forefront of global planning, supply chain strategy, and operational excellence. As the Director, Sales & Operations Planning, you will lead the development and execution of worldwide machine allocation, lane strategy, production planning, and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes that directly influence Caterpillar's market leadership, profitability, inventory performance, and customer satisfaction. Serving as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and cross‑functional partners, you will navigate complex global challenges, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop innovative solutions that shape both near‑term business outcomes and long‑term strategic direction.

• Lead the development of worldwide supply plans by model, region, and month, balancing demand signals, sales performance, inventory levels, plant capacity, and margins to maximize profitability and support PINS leadership targets.
• Identify and implement alternative machine supply strategies, partnering with global cross‑functional teams to address supply constraints and meet customer requirements.
• Oversee order board‑managed products, machine scheduling, and dealer inventory health to ensure alignment with customer demand and overall chain inventory objectives.

• Lead the development and execution of lane strategies, machine hierarchies, and product package structures while incorporating dealer, product group, and manufacturing input.
• Oversee design center updates, price list coordination, product outline compatibility (POC), and implementation activities across global facilities.
• Drive inventory planning, startup initiatives, replenishment management, take‑rate analysis, and phase‑in/phase‑out planning in partnership with production, logistics, and product teams.

• Coordinate global production schedules with manufacturing facilities to ensure supply plans are executed effectively and issues are resolved proactively.
• Lead planning efforts for new product introductions (NPI/NMI), transition activities, availability concerns, and supply chain challenges impacting production and delivery.

• Serve as the primary interface for forecasting and planning systems, including sourcing, forecast, and sales model setup, as well as PDC/SAP issue resolution.
• Support the implementation of new processes, solutions, models, and facilities while ensuring the integrity of data used in monthly and annual forecasting activities.

• Partner closely with Finance and Business Resources teams on revenue forecasting, inventory projections, and long‑range business planning.
• Ensure forecasting assumptions and volume plans accurately support S&OP cycles, RBM reporting, business planning, and five‑year strategic targets.

• Drive the development and continuous improvement of global S&OP processes.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on enterprise forecasting, scheduling, inventory, and supply chain process improvement initiatives.

• Support the development of worldwide volume forecasts that drive market leadership and long‑term business objectives.
• Provide documentation and planning support for executive production scheduling and capacity decisions.

• Own the end‑to‑end global S&OP process, including forecast development, demand and supply reviews, production plan coordination, executive S&OP meetings, and monthly reporting activities.
• Ensure alignment across commercial, manufacturing, supply chain, and finance teams to support business.