Senior Manager, Strategy & Planning

About Liquid I.V.

At Liquid I.V., our purpose is to elevate the vitality of people and the planet. An ambitious goal? Yes! But by playing to win, holding the bar higher, championing wellbeing, and always thinking with a pioneering mindset we can go further together to leave a lasting mark. 

Our products are stocked in over 80,000 retail doors, including the world’s leading specialty, big box, and online retailers such as Costco, Walmart, Target, Amazon, and many more. In just over 10 years, our growth has been exponential. And as part of Unilever, we’re continuing the expansion of Liquid I.V. into a global brand. 

We’re also passionate about cultivating solutions for equitable clean water access, a healthier planet, and thriving communities. We contribute over 1% of our company revenue to our Impact Program through which we provide partnerships and grants to organizations that expand access to clean and abundant water locally and globally. By 2026, our goal is to help ensure access to clean water for 2 million people around the world. 

About our Team:

We are a world-class team of innovators and passionate changemakers, looking to develop transformative hydration solutions and make a meaningful impact on the world around us.  

At Liquid I.V., we are committed to building an inclusive culture of belonging that not only embraces the diversity of our people but also reflects the diversity of the communities in which we work and the customers we serve.    

Our team members enjoy a flexible and inclusive working environment, a highly collaborative and innovation-forward culture, generous benefits and perks that empower employees to champion their wellbeing every day, as well as an infinite supply of Liquid I.V. for extraordinary hydration. 

About the Role:

The Strategy & Planning leader drives clarity, alignment, and execution across the enterprise by leading long-term strategy development, annual planning cycles, and major cross-functional initiatives. This role partners closely with senior leadership to translate business priorities into actionable plans while building the organizational systems, processes, and operating rhythms needed for disciplined execution. 
They bring strong strategic thinking, operational rigor, and exceptional communication skills, acting as the connective tissue that ensures the company runs with focus and cohesion. 

Functions and duties of this role include, but not limited to:

Strategic Planning & Enterprise Alignment 

• Lead annual and long-term strategic planning, ensuring insights, external trends, and functional inputs are integrated into a cohesive enterprise strategy.  Design and oversee processes including project management and detailed execution plans. 

• Partner with senior leadership to pressure-test and refine strategic priorities and define clear roadmaps for activation. 

• Develop strategic narratives and materials that communicate direction, performance, and priorities to executive teams and cross-functional partners. 

• Build materials required for business reporting and stakeholder updates including but not limited to Unilever, Beauty and Wellbeing Business Group, Wellbeing Collective and functional stakeholders and new joiners.  

Operational Excellence & Program Execution 

• Drive execution of high-impact strategic initiatives, including scoping, structured problem solving, milestone tracking, and risk management. 

• Lead business process improvement efforts to streamline workflows, simplify operations, and strengthen cross-functional coordination. 

• Build and oversee the Objectives and Key Results (OKR) program, including training, communication, performance tracking, and maturity of the system. 

Leadership Forums, Communication & Stakeholder Enablement 

• Design and facilitate leadership meetings, planning workshops, and performance reviews that support effective decision-making and enterprise alignment. 

• Act as a thought partner to the CFO, VP Strategy and Executive Leadership team, providing insights, synthesis, and structured recommendations. 

• Cascade strategies, decisions, and priorities through clear communication and structured cross-functional engagement. 

Analytics, Insights & Business Performance 

• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to translate operational and financial data into insights that guide strategic decision-making. 

• Maintain performance dashboards, scorecards, and progress trackers to monitor organizational health. 

• Conduct scenario analysis, root-cause assessments, and forecasting to support resourcing, prioritization, and decision quality.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred. 

• 7–10 years of experience in strategy, business planning, operational excellence, or consulting (CPG or high-growth consumer preferred). 

• Proven experience leading cross-functional strategic initiatives, change programs, and planning cycles. 

• Demonstrated success establishing or maturing Objectives and Key results (OKR) frameworks or enterprise performance systems. 

Skills & Competencies 

• Strong strategic thinker with the ability to simplify complex information and chart clear paths forward. 

• Strong executor able to translate strategy into concrete, detailed cross-functional plans.  Demonstrated ability to be hands-on and actively support cross functional partners to high impact execution.  

• Skilled at driving alignment and influencing across senior and cross-functional stakeholders. 

• Analytical and data-driven; able to interpret trends, model scenarios, and construct recommendations. 

• Exceptional communication abilities—storytelling, executive presentations, and concise synthesis. 

• Strong program/project management skills, including risk management, prioritization, and milestone tracking. 

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, shifting priorities, and fast-moving environments. 

• Proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, and project management tools. 

What We Give:

• 100% company-paid medical, dental and vision insurance for employees (PPO, HMO and Kaiser options).
• A 401k plan with company match, short and long-term disability coverage. 
• A generous PTO and sick policy that includes 13+ paid annual holidays. 
• Wellness classes (fitness, mental health, nutrition, finance, etc.). 
• An Employee Assistance Program, including membership for guided meditation for all employees. 
• Monthly tech and wellness reimbursement. 
• An infinite supply of Liquid I.V. for endless hydration!  

Work Environment:

• Hybrid office environment with flexibility for industry events.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

The expected salary range for this position is $123,000 annually - $175,000 annually and is bonus eligible. The exact salary is determined by various factors including experience, skills, education, geographic location, internal company equity, and budget.  The listed range is applicable only to the annual base salary and does not include additional perks, benefits, or applicable bonus eligibility comprising the total compensation package.

This job description indicates in general the nature and levels of work, knowledge, skills, abilities and other essential functions expected of the role. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his/her supervision. Ability to competently perform all the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, demonstrated commitment to the company’s mission, and the ability to work productively as a member of a team or work group are basic requirements of all positions at Liquid I.V.

We are committed to building an inclusive culture of belonging that not only embraces the diversity of our people but also reflects the diversity of the communities in which we work and the customers we serve. We know that the happiest and highest performing teams include people with diverse perspectives that encourage new ways of solving problems, so we strive to attract and develop talent from all backgrounds and create workplaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

Liquid I.V. is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.