Sales & Operations Planning Manager

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. Sales & Operations Planning Manager leads global demand and orders consultants as the link between Product Groups, Operations, and product configuration team, owning product configuration governance and performance to deliver stable order outcomes and customer satisfaction. What You Will Do: With multiple global direct reports, you will set demand and order team strategy, governance, and service standards aligned with business goals. Partners with product configuration team, Product Groups, and Operations as the primary escalation point. Governs demand intake for product configuration, prioritization, and New Product Introduction (NPI), New Marketing Introduction (NMI), and New Source Introduction (NSI) forecasts from Product Groups. Drives order stability, quality, and continuous improvement while developing a high-performing team. Influences stakeholders to align on priorities, requirements, risks, and timelines. Validates request priority, stakeholder readiness, and requirement quality before work enters the Product configuration value stream. Identifies, resolves, and prevents recurring order and configuration issues using data, feedback, and corrective actions. Establishes quality standards, operating procedures, and monitors KPIs against business objectives. Leads priority planning, succession planning, performance management, and capability development. What Skills You Will Bring: Leadership – demonstrable experience of coaching, performance management, and workforce and succession planning. Customer Focus: Knowledge of the values and practices that align customer needs and satisfaction as primary considerations in all business decisions and ability to leverage that information in creating customized customer solutions. Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment. consensus. Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors. Negotiating: Knowledge of successful negotiation concepts and techniques; ability to negotiate successfully across the organization and with external vendors and clients in a constructive and collaborative manner. Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations. Relationship Management: Knowledge of relationship management techniques; ability to establish and maintain healthy working relationships with clients, vendors, and peers. Project Management: Knowledge of effective project management strategies and tactics; ability to plan, organize, monitor, and control projects, ensuring efficient utilization of technical and administrative resources to achieve project objectives. Value Selling: Knowledge of the principles and practices for selling products, technology and services; ability to provide overall product/service 'value' and to differentiate support offerings that address clearly understood customer needs. Desired knowledge or experience in the following is desired: Order Management Process – end to end order to delivery process. Engineering and Marketing – understanding engineering intent, regulatory compliance, and regional offerings. Dealer Order Resolution & Fulfilment – resolving dealer order issues and keeping fulfilment on track. Product Configuration – understanding Construction, Earth Moving and Minging Machine order configuration. Systems Knowledge – SAP Variant configuration, MSF, COO, CMOPS and Price list. Governance & Quality Management – quality standards, KPI monitoring, and escalation. Continuous Improvement – innovation and process improvement. Pending the number of applications, the criteria for the position may be enhanced to facilitate shortlisting. Job Title: Sales & Operations Planning Manager Salary: £79,000-£92,000 depending on experience Benefits: 27 days annual leave + bank holidays, up to 20% annual bonus, Car allowance, Flexible Buy in Benefits such as Private Medical, Healthcare, Vison & Dental schemes, Green Car Scheme and more, Share Scheme (50% Company Matched), Contributory Pension Scheme (Contribution double by Company up to 10%), Free Car Parking, Caterpillar Advantage website Location : Desford, Leicestershire- office based Contract : Permanent Travel: 10% Domestic & Global What We Offer: From day one, you’re set up to thrive at Caterpillar: helpful training, relatable mentors, global experience, competitive salary package, work-life balance, and the growth opportunities you expect with a Fortune 100 company. You power our success, and we are committed to empowering yours. After all, when your work can impact the entire world, it’s important to do work that matters. About Caterpillar Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For the past 100 years, we’ve been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Just a quick heads-up: We start reviewing applications as soon as they come in, so if you’re interested, don’t wait too long! We may close the advert early if we feel we’ve got a strong pool of potentially suitable applicants. Don’t miss out, get your application in soon! Please frequently check the email associated with your application, including the junk/spam folder, as this is the primary correspondence method. If you wish to know the status of your application – please use the candidate log-in on our career website as it will reflect any updates to your status. We value authenticity and encourage candidates to submit original, personally crafted responses throughout our hiring process. Use of AI-generated content may disadvantage your application Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Posting Dates: October 30, 2026 - November 13, 2026 Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community .