Title: Commercial Program Manager
Country: USA
Location: Raleigh, NC
Professional Area: Marketing & Sales
Role: Permanent
Reporting to: Commercial Planning Lead Manager
Talent Attraction Expert: Vivaldo Alves
Commercial Program ManagerThis position develops, coordinates, and continuously improves strategic sales initiatives, trade programs, and contract-related processes that support retail and wholesale execution across JTI Liggett.
The Manager works across Sales, Trade Marketing, Pricing, Supply Chain, Finance, and other key stakeholders to translate commercial priorities, pricing direction, customer needs, and approved trade strategies into clear and executable programs.
The role is responsible for managing key commercial programs, including Value-Added Promotions (VAP), retail and wholesale trade initiatives, and customer contract support. This includes store targeting, quantity allocation, pricing alignment, supply chain coordination, execution readiness, and sales communication.
In addition, the Manager develops and maintains an understanding of the competitive retail and wholesale contract landscape, providing insights that support Sales Team awareness, commercial planning, and decision-making.
The role also uses sales data, KPIs, operational analytics, and post-program learnings to evaluate program effectiveness, identify opportunities for improvement, and strengthen future commercial initiatives.
Requirements:- A minimum of a BA/BS Degree is required
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in sales or commercial planning
- Experience in B2B sales operations, commercial planning, or trade program management
- Experience developing, launching, and improving sales initiatives, trade programs, or promotions
- Familiarity with retail and wholesale trade programs, including customer contracts, promotional planning, store targeting, and execution readiness
- Strong analytical skills, with experience using sales data, KPIs, and operational analytics to evaluate performance and inform decisions
- Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives, timelines, and stakeholders
- Experience with process improvement and the ability to identify opportunities to increase program effectiveness and operational efficiency
- Experience with budget tracking and understanding of commercial financial considerations
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate and influence across functions
- Strong ability to translate complex commercial information into clear, actionable recommendations
- Ability to work effectively across Sales, Trade Marketing, Pricing, Supply Chain, Finance, and other business functions
- Fluent in English
Areas of Responsibilities:Value-Added Promotion Planning & Execution:- Develops and manages Value-Added Promotion (VAP) execution plans from planning through field deployment
- Coordinates program requirements across Sales, Trade Marketing, Pricing, Supply Chain, Finance, and other relevant stakeholders
- Develops store-targeting approaches aligned with program objectives and commercial priorities
- Coordinates store-level quantity allocation to support effective program deployment
- Ensures pricing considerations and supply chain inputs are incorporated into program planning
- Develops clear sales communication and execution guidance to support field readiness
- Monitors the VAP process and identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and program effectiveness
- Uses performance insights and post-program learnings to continuously improve future VAP planning and execution
Trade Program & Contract Development:- Partners with Trade Marketing, Sales Management, Pricing, and other stakeholders to develop retail, wholesale, and chain trade programs
- Supports the development and implementation of commercial initiatives aligned with business priorities and customer needs
- Contributes to the development and maintenance of customer contract frameworks
- Evaluates program requirements, commercial considerations, and execution implications when developing initiatives
- Coordinates cross-functional inputs to ensure programs are practical, aligned, and ready for execution
- Supports Sales teams with clear program guidance, requirements, and relevant commercial information
- Identifies opportunities to improve trade program processes and strengthen consistency across initiatives
Competitive Contract Intelligence:- Develops and maintains knowledge of competitive retail and wholesale contract structures
- Monitors relevant competitive trade and contract activity to maintain an up-to-date view of the commercial landscape
- Establishes and maintains a current contract landscape library
- Organizes competitive contract information in a clear and accessible format
- Develops concise summaries of competitive contract structures and key commercial considerations
- Shares relevant insights with the Sales Team to support awareness, planning, and commercial decision-making
- Identifies emerging competitive trends and developments that may have implications for future trade programs and customer negotiations
Program Analytics & Performance Improvement:- Analyzes sales programs, trade initiatives, and execution results to evaluate program effectiveness
- Uses sales data, KPIs, and operational analytics to identify trends, opportunities, and areas requiring improvement
- Measures program performance against established objectives and expectations
- Translates analytical findings into clear, actionable recommendations
- Incorporates post-program learnings into future program design and planning
- Identifies opportunities to improve program processes, execution, and commercial outcomes
- Supports informed decision-making through accurate and relevant performance insights
- Continuously evaluates and improves commercial program processes and ways of working
Cross-Functional Planning & Stakeholder Management:- Coordinates activities and deliverables across Sales, Trade Marketing, Pricing, Supply Chain, Finance, and other stakeholders
- Establishes clear timelines, responsibilities, and required inputs for commercial programs
- Manages project dependencies and follows up on outstanding actions to maintain program readiness
- Builds strong working relationships across functions to facilitate alignment and effective execution
- Communicates program requirements, updates, risks, and recommendations clearly to relevant stakeholders
- Supports effective implementation of approved programs within established commercial strategies, trade guidelines, pricing direction, contract frameworks, and budget parameters
- Identifies operational challenges and facilitates resolution with appropriate stakeholders
Other:- Manages various tasks and projects as they arise and as requested by the manager
- Supports broader commercial planning and sales organization priorities and initiatives as required
