Category Business Planner

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail chain in Toronto is looking for a Merchandise Business Planner to optimize financial performance and drive growth. The role requires 3-5 years in merchandising or planning, strong analytical skills, and cross-functional collaboration ability. You will manage forecasts, provide strategic recommendations, and build actionable reporting solutions. This position offers an opportunity to influence decision-making and contribute to the department's growth.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years in a retail organization focusing on merchandising, sourcing, or planning.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to convey recommendations clearly.

Responsibilities

• Drive financial performance by achieving KPI goals.
• Manage weekly forecasts and annual planning.
• Build data solutions for merchandise teams.

Skills

Financial analysis

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Retail math

Education

Post-secondary education in business or finance

Job description

What you’ll do

Reporting directly to the Manager of Merchandise Planning (MMP), you will play a pivotal role in driving our business's financial success. With accountability for setting annual plans, weekly financial forecasts, and optimizing operational targets across our Line of Businesses (LOBs), your expertise will be instrumental in achieving exceptional results. Collaborating closely with the Merchandise Associate Vice President (AVP) and Category Business Managers (CBM), you will leverage planning frameworks and tools to provide strategic recommendations that align with our financial plans and forecasts. In this dynamic role, you will directly support one Merchandise AVP, making a significant impact on our organization's growth and success.

Your analytical skills will be put to the test as you conduct ongoing performance monitoring, analyzing current trends and historical data to identify opportunities for optimizing financial performance within the Canadian Tire operating model. Your insights and recommendations will directly influence the strategic decision-making process, making you an invaluable asset to our organization.

Unleash & drive effective Financial Performance : You will achieve key performance indicator (KPI) goals by delving deep into data analysis, uncovering insights that fuel growth and unlock untapped potential. By understanding current trends and historical data, you will provide actionable recommendations on how to optimize financial performance within the confines of our operating model.

Lead Planning Support : You will be the driving force behind effective planning support, overseeing the management of weekly financial forecasts, annual planning, and monthly operational targets at both LOB and business category levels.

Build Reporting & Data Solutions : You will be the driving force behind building analysis and reporting solutions that empower our merchandise teams. Your ability to transform raw data into meaningful and actionable information will enable our teams to make agile decisions and drive operational excellence.

Collaborative Problem Solver : By translating our Annual Plan and operational metrics into tangible goals for cross-functional stakeholders, including promotional planning, supply chain, forecasting, replenishment, you will effectively collaborate and openly communicate alongside these teams.

Catalyst for Growth : Our commitment to continuous improvement extends beyond the status quo. As a CBP, you will actively contribute to the growth of our department by participating in various process and system improvement initiatives.

What you bring

We are seeking a candidate who excels in building strong relationships and thrives in cross-functional collaboration. In this role,

A minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience in a retail organization. Your experience in merchandising, sourcing, forecasting, demand planning, and replenishment is an asset. Alternatively, 2 years of experience as a Merchandise or Category Business Planner with another retailer, accompanied by a strong foundation in these areas, will also be considered.

Post-secondary education, preferably in business or finance, providing you with a solid foundation to excel in this role.

Your ability to navigate difficult conversations with confidence and professionalism is paramount. Your strong analytical and problem-solving skills will be put to the test as you uncover insights and formulate strategic recommendations.

Communication is key, and you must possess the talent to convey your recommendations clearly and concisely through various mediums.

To thrive in this position, a broad understanding of category management principles is essential, along with a comfort level in dealing with ambiguity. Additionally, a well-developed understanding of the business levers that drive the retail profit and loss (P&L) is crucial. Strong understanding of Retail Math, enabling you to navigate complex financial analyses and contribute to data-driven decision-making.

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