Trade Planning Lead: Data-Driven Growth

ARI (Axcel Recruiting Inc.); Morristown (NJ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

401(k) matching

Comprehensive health benefits

Generous paid time off

Exciting career growth opportunities

Job summary

A leading company in the CPG Food sector seeks a Trade Planning Manager to enhance trade spend optimization. This role involves developing data-driven trade strategies, collaborating with sales and marketing teams, and ensuring ROI through effective trade marketing plans and pricing strategies.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in CPG, retail, or trade marketing.
• Deep understanding of sales, pricing, and promotional strategies.
• Ability to analyze complex data and make insight-driven decisions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic trade marketing plans.
• Optimize pricing strategies to maximize revenue and profitability.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with sales, operations, and marketing.

Skills

Analytical skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Communication

Financial acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or related field

Tools

Advanced Excel

Trade Promotion Management (TPM) tools

Circana (IRI)

Nielsen panel data

Job description

Are you a strategic, results-driven Trade Planning expert ready to take trade spend optimization to the next level? Our CPG Food client is looking for a highly analytical and proactive Trade Planning Manager to develop and execute data-driven trade strategies that maximize ROI, sales growth, and profitability across our national retail channels.

In this role, you will own the strategic deployment of our annual trade budget across branded segments and retail markets, ensuring alignment with corporate goals and market opportunities. You’ll partner closely with field sales managers and cross-functional teams to drive execution, optimize promotional effectiveness, and shape the future of our trade marketing initiatives.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop and implement strategic trade marketing plans based on corporate objectives, market trends, competitive insights, and promotional effectiveness.
• Establish and refine processes to support field sales and retail teams, ensuring the right trade strategies are in place for both short- and long-term success.
• Optimize pricing strategies to maximize revenue, profitability, and market share, leveraging deep analysis of price elasticity, competitive pricing, and customer segmentation.
• Drive brand priorities through continuous evaluation and enhancement of pricing, promotions, distribution, and merchandising tactics.
• Analyze post-promotional performance to ensure trade programs deliver target ROI and generate incremental sales growth.
• Provide strategic pricing and promotional guidelines to field sales, track compliance, and address any competitive market challenges.
• Enforce trade promotion policies, including net cost minimums, pricing thresholds, and promotional duration limits, ensuring disciplined execution.
• Evaluate and manage incremental trade spend proposals, ensuring smart investment decisions that drive business growth.
• Forecast trade spend liability for key financial milestones (budget planning, latest estimates) and provide critical updates for variable marketing P&L inputs.
• Influence annual volume planning and trade budget allocation, ensuring a data-backed approach from a category, customer, channel, and competitive perspective.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with sales, operations, marketing, and finance to execute key strategic initiatives and optimize trade processes.
• Monitor commodity pricing trends and assess gross margin reports to identify profitability risks and inform trade investment decisions.
• Manage national price list changes for existing and new product launches.
• Prepare key materials for Sales Meetings, strategic planning sessions, and executive reporting.

What You Bring to the Table:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in CPG, retail, or trade marketing, with expertise in trade spend management, revenue growth, category management, or sales strategy.
• Deep understanding of sales, pricing, and promotional strategies, with a track record of driving results.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to analyze complex data, interpret trends, and make insight-driven decisions.
• Advanced Excel proficiency and experience with Trade Promotion Management (TPM) tools.
• Familiarity with Circana (IRI) and/or Nielsen panel data for competitive insights and trend analysis.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and project management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across teams.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Leadership mindset—ability to create a vision, challenge the status quo, and inspire change within the sales organization.

What They Offer:

• Competitive compensation
• 401(k) matching
• Generous paid time off
• Exciting career growth opportunities in a dynamic, fast-paced industry

If you’re passionate about trade strategy, data-driven decision-making, and driving sales growth, we want to hear from you! Apply today and make an impact.