Senior Manager, Commercial Strategy & Operations

0101 Coca-Cola North America; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 119,000 - 146,000; Full time

Job summary

The Coca-Cola Company is seeking a Senior Manager, Commercial Strategy & Operations in Chicago to lead category-focused commercial strategies and drive operational excellence from strategy through execution. You will partner with Brand, RGM, Channel Strategy, and Supply Chain teams to align priorities and translate them into actionable market plans.

With 5+ years in commercial strategy and strong analytical skills, you will optimize visibility, pricing, and merchandising across channels,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years in commercial strategy, category management, sales, or brand marketing within beverage/CPG industries.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with data-driven decision making.
• Knowledge of pricing strategies, promotions, category management, and shopper marketing activation.
• Familiarity with AMPS metrics and impact on distribution, merchandising, and visibility.
• Experience with SKU productivity initiatives and portfolio profitability analyses.
• Collaborative, influential communication across cross-functional teams.
• Comfort with digital tools and forecasting platforms; openness to AI-enabled analytics.

Responsibilities

• Drive development and support execution of commercial strategies aligned with category needs and shopper insights.
• Collaborate with Brand, RGM, Channel Strategy, and Supply Chain teams to translate priorities into actionable plans.
• Support AMPS strategy to optimize product visibility, pricing structures, and merchandising programs.
• Analyze SKU productivity, profitability, and order-of-entry planning for portfolio optimization.
• Leverage syndicated data and dashboards to identify trends, activity, and insights.
• Oversee commercialization planning for innovation launches and cross-functional coordination from concept to deployment.
• Manage annual innovation sample process for timely allocation and readiness of new products.
• Facilitate performance reviews and scorecards to align stakeholders on market execution.
• Identify operational gaps and opportunities for process improvements across growth platforms.
• Build trusted internal/external relationships to deliver against business objectives.

Skills

Commercial Strategy

Category Management

Sales

Brand Marketing

Analytical Skills

Power BI

Data Analysis

Forecasting

AI-enabled Analytics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Marketing/related field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Power BI

IRI/Nielsen data

Forecasting platforms

Job description

Job Description Summary:

At The Coca‑Cola Company, we create beverages that inspire moments of refreshment and connection while shaping a future built on sustainability and innovation. Our U.S. Juice and Warehouse Route-to-Market portfolio, which includes beloved brands like Simply and Minute Maid, plays a critical role in the company’s growth strategy.

We are seeking a Senior Manager, Commercial Strategy & Operations who will help drive category leadership and operational excellence from strategy through execution. This role combines strategic thinking with action orientation, serving as a key partner in developing commercial strategies aligned with consumer, category, and customer priorities. You will influence how our products gain availability, visibility, and performance in market—while supporting innovation commercialization and SKU productivity across one of Coca‑Cola’s most competitive categories. If you bring analytical rigor, operational discipline, and a collaborative mindset, this role offers the opportunity to enhance executional performance and accelerate growth within a high-impact business segment.

What You’ll Do for Us:

• Drive development and support execution of commercial strategies tailored to category needs, shopper insights, and customer expectations to strengthen portfolio growth.
• Collaborate with Brand, RGM, Channel Strategy, and Supply Chain teams to align strategic priorities and translate them into actionable market and customer plans.
• Support AMPS (Availability, Merchandising, Pricing, Space) strategy to optimize product visibility, pricing structures, and merchandising programs across channels.
• Conduct analysis on SKU productivity, profitability, and order-of-entry planning to enable informed decision-making and portfolio optimization.
• Leverage syndicated data (IRI/Nielsen), shopper studies, and internal performance dashboards to identify trends, competitive activity, and actionable insights.
• Serve as a key partner in commercialization planning for innovation launches, overseeing executional timelines and cross-functional coordination from concept through deployment.
• Manage annual innovation sample process, ensuring timely allocation, delivery, and customer readiness for new product introductions.
• Facilitate recurring performance review routines and share scorecards to align stakeholders on progress and next steps for market execution.
• Identify operational gaps and opportunities for process improvement, channel efficiency, and execution enhancement across key growth platforms.
• Build trusted relationships with internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure collaborative delivery against established business objectives.

Requirements & Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field required; advanced degree preferred. 5+ years of experience in commercial strategy, category management, sales, or brand marketing within beverage or CPG industries. Demonstrated expertise connecting strategic objectives to operational execution while managing multiple priorities under fast-paced conditions. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills anchored in ability to use data resources (IRI/Nielsen, Power BI) for actionable insights and performance recommendations. Knowledge of pricing strategies, promotional frameworks, category management principles, and shopper marketing activation. Working familiarity with AMPS metrics and their role in driving distribution, merchandising, and visibility across retail environments. Proven experience in supporting SKU productivity initiatives and portfolio profitability analyses. Collaborative approach with effective communication skills to influence and align cross‑functional stakeholders. Comfortable using digital tools and forecasting platforms; openness to leveraging AI‑enabled capabilities for advanced analytics and automation.

What We’ll Do for You:

Provide the opportunity to shape commercial strategies for a high‑growth portfolio driving significant business impact in the U.S. market. Equip you with advanced tools, insights, and strategic frameworks to connect innovation with executional excellence. Offer exposure to cross‑functional teams and key retail partners, accelerating your knowledge across sales, brand, and operational planning. Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development in a dynamic, performance‑oriented environment.

The Coca-Cola Company will not offer sponsorship for employment status (including, but not limited to, H1‑B visa status and other employment-based nonimmigrant visas) for this position. Accordingly, all applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis and must not require The Coca‑Cola Company’s sponsorship to continue to work legally in the United States.

Skills: Category Insights, Commercial Innovation, Commercial Strategies, Cross‑Functional Collaboration, Data Analysis, Digital Fluency, Insight Generation, Operational Business Planning, Performance Measurement, Profitability Analysis, Shopper Analytics.

Pay Range:

United States: 119,000 - 145,800 USD. Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.

Annual Incentive Reference Value Percentage: 15. Annual Incentive reference value is a market‑based competitive value for your role. It falls in the middle of the range for your role, indicating performance at target.

Location(s):

United States of America. City/Cities: Chicago. Travel Required: 00% - 25%. Relocation Provided: No.

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves.

We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca‑Cola.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.

When we collect your personal information as part of a job application or offer of employment, we do so in accordance with industry standards and best practices and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.

The Coca‑Cola Company is a global community of passionate employees who are refreshing the world and making a difference every day. Innovation has been at the heart of our story since 1886. It goes beyond new flavors and brands. Learn more about our system and how we’re making an impact. As a global organization, we seek opportunities to embrace and champion progress. Our careers span across functions and are globally connected to give you an unmatched career experience. We’re glad you’ve chosen to explore your next career opportunity with The Coca‑Cola Company. Learn more about our hiring process and pick up tips on how to showcase your experience and skills so you can stand out and thrive. The Coca‑Cola global business system is composed of The Coca‑Cola Company (TCCC), its subsidiaries and 225 bottling partners around the world. Search jobs throughout our system.