S&OP Manager (Open also to Protected Categories, Law 68/99)

Location: Gorgonzola, Italy

Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar.

Gorgonzola hosts Navigations Air Systems (NAS) domain. The activity of NAS domain: avionics, navigation and radar systems for civil air traffic and technologies supporting the activities of civilian and military pilots, ATC controllers and technicians of several airlines, air traffic control agencies and Air Force around the world. Italy is the Group’s Competence center for the design, production and delivery of Navigation Aids products and Competence Centre for the delivery of non-Radar Surveillance Products.

About the Team 
We are an agile, business intelligence-driven team empowering operational excellence through data, AI, and advanced analytics. To advance our Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process to become a true driver of
strategic value we are seeking an S&OP Business Partner with both digital fluency and the leadership to create robust, business-wide planning and alignment. 

Role Purpose 
Own and elevate the S&OP process, ensuring it becomes the backbone for strategic decision-making, robust demand/supply balancing, and integrated planning. You will transform S&OP into an influential, high-value
business process by championing collaboration, accountability, and measurable results. 

Key Responsibilities 
•  Full S&OP Accountability 
Take complete ownership for S&OP cycles, performance figures, and consistency. Ensure data-driven demand planning, supply alignment, scenario evaluation and gap closure actions reach high accuracy and business impact. 

•  S&OP Objectives Delivery 

• Lead the S&OP process to deliver on its core objectives: 
• Accurate demand forecasting and visibility 
• Optimal supply/capacity planning 
• Support strategic inventory management 
• Risk identification and mitigation 
• Financial and operational alignment across scenarios 
•  Improved service levels and overall business agility 

•  Stakeholder onboarding 
Proactively onboard, engage, and align all internal stakeholders (Sales, Industry, Finance, Executives). Influence and educate them on the value and mechanics of S&OP to foster ownership and cross-functional accountability. 

•  Process development 
Deeply assess and understand S&OP capabilities, identify gaps in data, systems or collaboration and drive digital enhancements for continuous improvement and automation. 

•  Data-to-Action Leadership 
Transform complex data into actionable insights and balanced recommendations. Present with clarity and credibility in both business and technical environments. 

•  Change Ownership 
Address resistance and ensure lasting adoption of S&OP through strong communication, training, and visibility of results. 

•  Strategic Impact 
Ensure the S&OP process is instrumental in business decision-making, supporting scenario planning, top-line growth and long-term strategic goals. 

What You Bring 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Data Science or similar field. 
•  Advanced knowledge of S&OP purpose, process steps and strategic value (ideally with hands-on ownership in a digital or data-driven supply chain context). 
• 3+ years’ relevant experience in S&OP, planning, business analysis or supply chain management, with proven digital or analytics expertise. 
• Exceptional ability to build influence, drive engagement and onboard diverse business stakeholders. 
• Strong experience with business intelligence tools and data analytics techniques; comfort with AIbased forecasting or scenario modeling is a plus. 
• High sense of accountability for outcomes, results, and process improvement. 
• Outstanding communication, facilitation, and problem-solving skills.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Great journeys start here, apply now!