Assistant Manager - Sales Operations

Job Title: Assistant Manager, Sales Operations (PPD & Color WOW)
Division: Professional Products Division (PPD)
Location: Hybrid (2 days in-office) - America/New_York
Reports To: VP Sales Operations

General Description

The Assistant Manager of Sales Operations serves as a critical operational pivot point between the Corporate, Field, and Finance teams. This role is responsible for the end-to-end execution of sales planning, distributor order management, and pricing integrity for the Color WOW and PPD portfolios. The Assistant Manager ensures that promotional calendars are translated into actionable system data, inventory is allocated accurately, and sales performance is tracked with high precision. By managing complex customer hierarchies, international distributors, and pricing master data, this individual directly influences the division's ability to hit revenue targets and maintain seamless retailer and distributor relationships.

Key Responsibilities

1. International Business Support

• Order Processing: Oversee and process purchase orders for Color WOW International and Canada Independent Distributors.
• Administrative & Market Liaison: Serve as the primary operational point of contact for international markets to resolve shipping, order, and supply issues.
• Allocations & Communications: Create and distribute Color WOW allocation and promotional communications based on the Promo & Launch calendars to keep global distributor markets equipped for success.

2. Sales Planning & Order Execution

• Order Management: Process and oversee domestic purchase orders for PPD & Color WOW, ensuring alignment with inventory availability.
• Sample Management: Enter and manage the fulfillment of sales sample orders for Color WOW and PPD Education and Trade events, ensuring timely delivery for brand-building activities.

3. Analytics & Performance Tracking

• Sales Forecasting: Maintain and update the weekly Color WOW tracker with month-to-date sales versus target goals to support accurate sales forecasting and provide critical "sell-in" updates to Sales Leadership.
• Sell-Out Analysis: Maintain, update, and analyze monthly retailer sell-out data for Color WOW to identify trends and provide actionable market insights.
• Commission Processing: Review and prepare monthly commission payouts for PPD "Other Distributors."

4. Pricing & Master Data Integrity

• Price List Management: Maintain and update Trade price lists and manage the communication and implementation of price increases for both PPD and Color WOW.
• System Optimization (NEO/PIM): Support master data pricing maintenance, addressing system attribution issues, and maintaining the active SKU list.
• Promo Setup: Partner with PIM and Pricing teams to upload and set up promotional deals in the NEO system for Customer Service POs and orders.
• Hierarchy Maintenance: Support and update customer hierarchies within the NEO system, particularly focusing on data integrity during and after system "go-live."

5. Financial, Policy & Process Compliance

• Sales Accruals: Collaborate closely with Finance teams to manage and reconcile sales accruals and address financial discrepancies as needed.
• Policy Documentation: Prepare yearly BFA (Business Funding Agreement), GTS, and MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) liter documentation and policy files for key customers.
• BPM Support: Provide key operational support for Business Process Management (BPM) initiatives to ensure division-wide compliance.

Skills and Knowledge

• Operational Excellence: Proven ability to manage high-volume, deadline-driven tasks with extreme attention to detail and a passion for data accuracy.
• Technical Mastery: Advanced proficiency in Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, complex formulas) is required. Hands-on experience with SAP, PIM, NetSuite, or Google Suite is preferred.
• Analytical Rigor: Ability to synthesize raw sales data into structured reports that highlight risks and opportunities for both domestic and international streams.
• Communication: Strong verbal and written skills to act as a bridge between Finance, Supply Chain, International Distributors, and Field Sales.
• Industry Context: Experience in the Beauty or Professional Haircare industry is a significant advantage.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience: 1-2 years of experience in Sales Operations, Sales Analytics, or a related commercial planning role.
• Work Environment: Hybrid (2 days in-office).
• Flexibility: Ability to periodically work weekends to support major Trade events, international meetings, or distributor launches.