Commercial Planning Manager - Dairy Nutrition Solutions

Based in Lahore, Pakistan, this full-time, permanent role offers an exciting opportunity to lead the commercial growth of assigned brands and categories. The Commercial Planning Manager will translate business and brand strategies into actionable commercial plans, bridging Marketing, Sales, and other cross-functional teams. This position focuses on effective business planning, trade-spend management, distribution delivery, and flawless marketplace execution. Using category, shopper, channel, and performance insights, the manager will identify growth opportunities and drive interventions to meet business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Growth & Performance Management: Drive growth and topline delivery for assigned brands and categories. Monitor performance across brands, SKUs, channels, and geographies to identify opportunities and gaps. Translate insights into actionable plans with stakeholders and track initiatives to ensure alignment with business priorities.

Commercial Planning & Monthly Business Planning Delivery: Lead commercial planning through the Monthly Business Planning (MBP) cycle. Convert brand and category priorities into clear, executable plans. Identify business risks and opportunities early, recommending necessary interventions. Align commercial requirements, including stock coverage, within planning cycles.

Integrated Commercial Planning: Develop Integrated Commercial Planning (ICP) that aligns brand strategy with channel, customer, geography, and SKU priorities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create winning Product, Price, Promotion, and Placement plans. Ensure plans are insight-driven, executable, and aligned across Marketing, Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain. Drive timely alignment and approval of key ICP deliverables.

Trade Spend & Investment Management: Manage trade spend within agreed targets for the portfolio. Ensure investments are focused on defined business and execution objectives. Conduct pre- and post-evaluations of trade activities and recommend optimization or reallocation based on performance and shifting priorities.

Distribution & Sales KPI Delivery: Plan and monitor numeric distribution and coverage by brand, SKU, channel, zone, and geography. Identify availability and distribution gaps, developing action plans with Sales teams. Track key sales and distribution indicators, partnering with regional Sales teams to improve execution quality. Monitor progress and recommend corrective actions as needed.

Category, Shopper & Market Insights: Analyze category, shopper, channel, customer, and competitive trends to uncover growth opportunities. Convert data into clear commercial insights and recommendations. Assess portfolio, pack, price, and promotional performance to support decision-making. Support shopper-centric channel plans and monitor competitor activities to inform commercial responses.

Innovation & Commercial Execution: Develop rollout plans for brand activities, innovations, and renovations. Align volume, distribution, and execution expectations with stakeholders. Ensure readiness in stock availability, visibility, and Sales communication. Track implementation, identify execution gaps, and conduct post-activity analysis to recommend short- and long-term actions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Marketing, Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, and Sales Control to align commercial priorities. Serve as the commercial link between brand strategy and marketplace execution. Equip Sales teams with execution priorities, performance insights, and recommended actions. Facilitate alignment on business priorities, investments, and execution requirements.

Required Qualifications

A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an HEC-recognized institution in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, or a related field is required. Candidates should have over five years of relevant experience in Sales, Commercial Development, Category Management, Trade Marketing, or Marketing. Strong commercial acumen and a deep understanding of category, brand, channel, and Sales performance drivers are essential. The role demands strong analytical skills to translate complex data into actionable insights. Experience with commercial planning, MBP processes, Sales and Distribution fundamentals, trade-spend planning, activity evaluation, and ROI analysis is necessary. Excellent stakeholder management, collaboration, and influencing skills are critical, along with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet demanding deadlines. A proactive, solution-oriented mindset and comfort working in a dynamic, cross-functional environment are also important.

Preferred Qualifications and Benefits

While not explicitly stated, the role encourages innovation, collaboration, and continuous growth within a talented team, contributing to market-leading brands and a healthier future for consumers. This environment supports professional development and the opportunity to make a significant impact on business success.