Sr. Manager, Marketing Operations & Planning

Marketing brings our brand to life through deep expertise and an authentic love for pets. The team is dedicated to delivering personalized experiences for our consumers, supported by best-in-class, data-driven marketing capabilities.

The work spans key areas including Loyalty, Customer Analytics & Research, Brand Experience & Creative, and Omni-Channel Marketing. Each team member brings a unique perspective, working together to create meaningful and engaging experiences for both pets and pet parents.

Collaborative Work Environment:
At PetSmart, teamwork and connection are core to how we thrive. This role is based at our Phoenix Home Office, with an expectation of working a minimum of four days in the office each week. In a standard work week, associates may work up to one remote “flex day” (with leader approval). Our hybrid approach is designed to foster strong collaboration while also supporting flexibility and individual success.

The Sr. Manager, Marketing Operations & Planning leads the orchestration of Marketing’s role within PetSmart’s Commercial Calendar, an enterprise planning process integrating Merchandising, Merchandise Planning & Allocation, Digital, and Marketing.

This role sits at the center of PetSmart’s Marketing organization, which includes Loyalty, Customer Analytics & Research, Brand Experience & Creative, and Omni-Channel Marketing. It is accountable for ensuring cross-functional alignment, planning rigor, and execution readiness across key commercial milestones, with a strong emphasis on planning, effective recapping, and communication.

Operating within a highly matrixed environment, this leader drives enterprise integration, informs strategic decision-making, and ensures Marketing plans are cohesive, insight-driven, and aligned with business priorities.

Core Responsibilities

Enterprise Commercial Calendar Coordination

• Lead coordination of Commercial Calendar milestones within Marketing, in strong partnership across teams 
• Ensure Marketing presentations & inputs for Commercial Calendar milestones are complete & high-quality, with an active role in developing and consolidating content for later milestones, in partnership across Marketing & Digital team partners
• Represent Marketing in Commercial Calendar forums, gaining clarity as needed and then synthesizing key takeaways to effectively cascade to cross-functional partners & Marketing teams
• Proactively & effectively lead coordination across Marketing teams to ensure adherence to the Commercial Calendar timelines

Lead Marketing Hindsight Processes

• Lead the quarterly hindsight process across Marketing, working with all cross-functional Marketing partners to gather and effectively summarize results and learnings 
• Synthesize cross-channel performance, customer insights, and campaign outcomes into clear, actionable insights
• Translate learnings into recommendations that can inform future Commercial Calendar planning and marketing strategies
• Own the Weekly Business Recap for Marketing that pulls together key customer insights & marketing insights for each week

Campaign Planning & Strategic Briefing

• Lead development of strategic briefs for quick-turn and category-level campaigns aligned to commercial priorities
• Partner across channel & creative teams to pull together effective marketing plans & recap performance for these campaigns
• Effectively gather inputs from cross-functional Merchandising & Digital teams to drive briefs & plans

Ongoing Improvement & Opportunity Identification

• Contribute to the evolution of team scope and capabilities over time, proactively identifying gaps and opportunities across operations & planning processes within Marketing
• Recommend solutions and team growth needs to address additional opportunities, with scope expected to expand to include direct people management as function grows

 Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of experience in marketing operations, strategic planning, or related roles within complex, matrixed organizations
• Proven experience leading integrated planning processes across multiple marketing disciplines
• Strong strategic mindset paired with disciplined operational execution
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with an ability to collaborate across levels
• Highly organized with strong project management skills; able to manage multiple priorities on varied timelines
• Ability to synthesize complex inputs into clear, actionable strategies and plans
• Experience developing strategic briefs and leading integrated campaign planning
• Strong analytical capabilities with experience translating performance data into insights and recommendations  
• Experience in retail, consumer, or omnichannel environments preferred

Key Capabilities

• Enterprise mindset and strong business acumen
• Cross-functional leadership and influence
• Structured problem-solving and decision-making
• Operational excellence and process design
• Executive communication and storytelling
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive clarity

• This role requires collaboration, teamwork, and face-to-face interaction with colleagues, leaders, and/or clients.
• Being in the office ensures access to leaders, cross-functional partners, and resources necessary to make timely decisions and drive results.
• On-site presence in accordance with our FlexSmart policy supports our culture of innovation, mentorship, and engagement, which is integral to our success in developing the best team.

* This is not intended to be an all-inclusive, exhaustive list of all essential job functions for this position. PetSmart retains the right to change or assign other required job duties to this position.

At PetSmart, Anything for Pets begins with our people. Every associate plays a vital role in creating meaningful experiences for pets and their families, and we empower our teams with the tools, resources, and opportunities to grow and succeed. 

We’re more than a workplace, we’re Team PetSmart. Together, we grow, collaborate, and challenge ourselves to be the best in all we do. Our culture is built on belonging and shared purpose, where every voice and experience matters. Guided by our values, we strive to do what’s right, lead responsibly, and bring our passion for pets to life every day. Not sure if you meet 100% of the position requirements and whether you should apply? We’d still like to hear from you and encourage you to apply with us! You might be the right fit for this role or another opportunity across Team PetSmart.

Our home office offers outstanding amenities in a fun and rewarding workplace including:

• Pet-friendly environment, bring your pets to work and enjoy the on-site dog park!
• On-Site Events & Adoptions, enjoy community-building opportunities, including pet adoption days, seasonal celebrations, family events, art events, & holiday festivals
• “Top Dog” gym with equipment, fitness classes, massage therapists, personal trainers, and wellness spaces
• “Sit & Stay” Café serving fresh breakfast and lunch options, snacks, & more
• “Lil Paws” NAEYC-accredited onsite childcare facility providing high-quality early education
• Paid Volunteer Opportunities to spend time doing good for causes close to heart
• Print Center and Business Services, Dry Cleaning, Mother's Rooms, Sustainable Infrastructure & more

PetSmart provides an equal opportunity for all associates and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics.