Regional Head of Integrated Business Planning AAACE

The Role

A critical new role is being created within the AAACE Region managing the Integrated Business Planning program (IBP) across the Region, reporting to the Regional Finance director with a dotted line to the Regional Supply Chain Business Partner. This role will close work together with the global IBP team and the Clusters and will manage and facilitate the implementation and continuous improvement of IBP across the AAACE Region.

The embedding and ongoing improvement of the IBP framework is critical to the success of Imperial Brands long term strategic plans by ensuring efficient and effective delivery of commercial goals aligned with our forecasting, global supply chain / operational and financial plans. This leader is responsible for implementing best in class Region-wide Integrated Business processes, systems, and methodologies. This role is mission critical as it works in a concerted and highly matrixed engagement with all functions – commercial, supply chain, and corporate functions – as well as our global business to deliver the business results accordingly, and exceeding targets. This role brings analytical rigor and visibility to all critical business decisions, as the incumbent will ensure improved decision making with accurate and accessible data driven analytics.

Principle Accountabilities

• Leading IBP across the Region: Create, implement and lead the regional integrated business planning process, ensuring seamless coordination across all major business functions including Supply Chain / Operations, Commercial Functions, and Enabling Functions by leveraging quantitative and qualitative insights to inform strategic alignment, develop roadmaps, and define prioritization.
  • Ensuring effective IBP implementation within the Clusters and Coaching Cluster IBP Leads & CLTs around optimizing IBP behaviors, processes and tool utilization.
• Ongoing Engagement: Proactively engage with all functions and conduct a deep dive analysis into processes, procedures, metrics, ways of working, decision making, insights, and capabilities, to create a comprehensive, data-based strategy to enhance efficiency and effectiveness and continuous improvement for all teams. Collaboration across the IBP phases of Product, Demand, Supply and Reconciliation are key to success.
• Provide insights and transparency: Curate key elements, information, and insights within the IBP framework to deliver on ITGB net revenue and operating profit ambition.
• Facilitate decision making: Enable improved decision making based on accurate and accessible data – forecasting, budgeting, cash flow investment, demand planning, S&OP, inventory, etc., - to highlight critical issues, trade-offs, and necessary decisions for scenario planning and alignment. Examine the effects of different risk and opportunity scenarios on the demand forecast and planning.
• Measuring impact: Measure effectiveness of S&OP through significant returns, such as increased revenue, profitability, reduction of cost and waste, and ensure risks are highlighted and addressed in a timely manner.
• Stakeholder management: Provide expert consultation and partnership with senior leadership, stakeholders, and extended teams on strategy, areas of opportunities, and organizational transformation and change management.
• Lead towards Class A IBP implementation: Lead the implementation, assimilation, adaptation, and long-term sustenance of the Oliver Wight IBP framework within the AAACE business- working with both Global and Clusters.
• Influence strategic direction: Drive and influence outcomes of commercial strategy while engaging top-down and across key commercial leaders. Develop insightful and compelling presentation materials to drive key IBP cycle meetings and engagement of senior leadership.
• Communication and behaviours: Effectively communicates the organization’s strategy, goals, and behaviors to team members and provides leadership, coaching, and guidance aligned to our company culture. Responsible for fostering a positive and collaborative work environment and supporting the development of team members by role modelling behaviours and driving performance standards.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

KPIs:

• Implementing and improving the governance structures of IBP across the AAACE Region and its Clusters. Use continuous improvement to increase effectiveness and efficiency in adoption over time.
• Key metrics will be defined across Product (business case accuracy and initiative implementation versus plan), Demand (forecasting accuracy and bias), Supply (levels of inventory and out of stocks).
• Accuracy in implementation of governance meetings and adherence to meeting preparation and reporting standards
• Reporting deliverables on time and at the level of quality for the AAACE Leadership team to make decisions.

Skills and Experience Required

Essential

Skills

• Full understanding of corporate financials, P&L and cashflow
• Proactive, empathic and transparent collaboration & Management style

• Strong analytical, problem-solving capabilities, and comfortable with uncertainty
• Excellent oral, written communication and interpersonal skills
• High commercial awareness
• Strong independent strategic planner
• Ability to deal with complexity and ambiguity

Experience

• Proven track record in managing commercial processes and P&L
• Effectively planning, managing, monitoring and reporting on multiple regional projects simultaneously
• Building strong collaborative and influential relationships with a range of international stakeholders, without having formal authority
• Experience of successfully coordinating remote teams
• Effectively managing and escalating risks in complex, pioneering projects
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience with Integrated business planning

Desirable

Skills

• Process management
• Budget management
• Project management of business planning cycle
• S&OP process management

Experience

• Working with senior leadership teams and experienced in challenging the discussion to drive discussion
• Management of network of internal partners

Whilst applications from all locations will be considered, please note that priority will be given to candidates who are based locally and possess the required skills and experience for the role.

What we offer

In return for playing your part in building our future, you will receive a comprehensive compensation package with salary, bonus scheme and further benefits as well inspiring places to work and collaborate with purpose. Here at Imperial we will give you the opportunity to grow and learn, innovate at pace and be a part of our purpose to forge a path to a healthier future for moments of relaxation and pleasure for our consumers.

About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 120 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 25,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all. Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

As a matter of policy, Imperial Tobacco or its subsidiaries never requests or requires payment as part of any recruitment process.

Everyone Belongs

Everyone belongs in Imperial. We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions or beliefs and of neuro divergence. We give fair and equal consideration to all our applicants. Please contact us at [email protected] to let us know if we can provide support in helping you complete an application and/or attend an interview.