Associate Trade Planning Manager

Ocean Spray is hiring for a(n) Associate Trade Planning Manager! We’re a team of farmers, thinkers, creators, and doers. Whatever your title, whatever your role — it always comes back to this: we’re a farmer-owned co-op where everyone rolls up their sleeves to get the job done. Three maverick farmers started it all — and we’ve been making our own way ever since. 

The Associate Trade Planning Manager plays a critical role in supporting the development, execution, and optimization of trade strategies across assigned customers and channels. This position serves as a key business partner to Sales, Finance, Marketing, Demand Planning, Revenue Growth Management (RGM), Analytics, Supply Planning, and Technology teams to drive profitable growth, improve trade spend effectiveness, and support the achievement of company objectives.
The role is responsible for managing trade investments, supporting demand forecasting, developing business insights, and ensuring the accuracy of trade, volume, revenue, and financial plans. The Associate Trade Planning Manager combines strong analytical and financial capabilities with cross-functional collaboration to deliver data-driven recommendations and business results within a dynamic consumer packaged goods (CPG) environment.

A Day in the Life...

Trade Planning & Financial Management

· Manage and allocate trade expenditures across assigned customers and channels in compliance with applicable laws, accounting principles, and company policies.

· Support annual planning processes, customer business planning, forecast development, and risk/opportunity assessments.

· Advise financial reforecasts and provide visibility into trade spending rates, customer investments, and total spending by channel.

· Reconcile trade spending against approved budgets in partnership with Finance and Marketing teams.

· Review and validate trade plans to ensure accuracy of volume, revenue, margin, and trade spend assumptions.

· Assess customer-level profitability and recommend actions to improve trade efficiency and return on investment (ROI).

· Collaborate with Sales, Demand Planning, Marketing, and Supply Planning to integrate customer and market intelligence into forecasts.

· Support monthly forecasting, business reviews, month-end close activities, and ongoing sales planning processes.

· Monitor and communicate changes to trade, volume, and revenue plans during annual planning and reforecast cycles.

Analytics & Insights

· Analyze trade promotions, customer performance, and market trends to identify opportunities for profitable growth.

· Conduct post-promotion analysis, ROI evaluations, and variance analysis to improve future planning decisions.

· Develop management reporting and dashboards that provide visibility into account, channel, and business performance.

· Gather, model, interpret, and communicate data-driven insights from syndicated, shipment, and customer performance data.

· Recommend solutions and optimization opportunities that improve sales performance, trade effectiveness, and profitability.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Process Improvement

· Serve as a trusted business partner to Sales teams in support of customer strategies, joint business planning, and promotional execution.

· Collaborate with IT and business stakeholders to enhance trade management, forecasting, and reporting systems.

· Support the implementation of marketing and RGM strategies through data analysis, customer insights, and performance tracking.

· Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance trade planning processes, reporting capabilities, and decision-making effectiveness.

· Ensure data integrity, system compliance, and adherence to master data governance standards.

What We Are Looking For:

· 3–5 years of relevant experience in Business Planning, Trade Planning, Sales Planning, Revenue Growth Management, Finance, Marketing, or a related field.

· Experience within the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry preferred.

· Knowledge of trade practices, promotional planning, and customer investment management preferred.

· Strong understanding of trade strategy, customer investment planning, promotional effectiveness, and retailer execution within a CPG environment.

· Strong financial acumen with the ability to analyze P&Ls, budgets, accruals, forecasts, and ROI metrics.

· Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to derive concise insights from large data sets.

· Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with trade management systems preferred.

· Experience working with syndicated and point-of-sale (POS) data such as Circana/Nielsen preferred.

· Excellent communication, presentation, organizational, and project management skills.

· Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

· Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of working independently while managing multiple priorities.

· Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing business conditions and evolving priorities.

· Strong commitment to teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Education:

Bachelor's or University Degree (Required)

Work Experience:

At least 3 Years of Experience

Annual Salary:

$87,400 - $109,300

The base salary range information above serves as a guideline of the position’s typical hiring range.  We value and appreciate what makes you unique and will consider a variety of factors when determining an offer.  These factors include, but are not limited to, your skills and experience, external and internal benchmarks, as well as overall company considerations.  Certain positions may be eligible for short-term and long-term incentive rewards. We also offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits program that supports all aspects of your health and well-being.

Benefits:

• Complete insurance package on Day-1 that includes a plethora of health and wellness programs

• • Health, Dental, and Vision insurance

  • Health savings account

  • Flexible spending account

  • Life and accident insurance

  • Employee assistance program

  • Telehealth services

  • 1:1 health coaching

  • Supportive benefits for all the stages of your life

• 401(k) with up to 6% Company matching; additional potential discretionary match at year-end

• Short-Term Incentive/Performance bonuses

• Flexible scheduling options

• Vacation pay, up to three weeks of time (pro-rated for your first year of employment)

• Holiday pay for 12 holidays

• Career development and growth opportunities

• Tuition/Education assistance programs

• Access to LinkedIn Learning

• Scholarship programs for children of employees

• Parental leave

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions – Back-up care, tutoring, etc.

• Adoption assistance

• Bereavement leave

• Up to $300 fitness reimbursement

• Up to $300 massage reimbursement

• Employee appreciation events

• Employee discounts

• Charitable giving

Who We Are:

You might have our iconic cranberry juice in your fridge or have gotten into heated holiday debate about what’s better - canned or fresh cranberry sauce. But did you know that the hardworking people growing the superfruit in our products are 700 family farmers that own our cooperative? They entrust us with what is most precious to them to create new and innovative products that will delight consumers and grow this beloved brand today and into the future.
Team members, farmers, consumers and communities alike--we value what makes us unique and strive to connect our farms to families for a better life by living our values:

• Grower Mindset – We embrace our grower-owners innovative spirit and heritage through confidence, learning and focus on the future.
• Sustainable Results – Guided by purpose, we are focused on delivering results for our grower-owners.
• Integrity Above All – We are ethical, doing the right thing for our grower-owners, customers, consumers and each other
• Inclusive Teamwork – We build diverse and inclusive teams that strengthen our cooperative.

For MA Applicants – It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. Any employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.