Demand Planner

Wolf Steel Ltd; Barrie; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturing company in Ontario is seeking a Demand Planner to manage demand forecasts and lead S&OP processes. This role requires 3-5 years of experience, strong analytical skills, and proficiency in tools like Power BI and IBM Planning Analytics. You will be responsible for analyzing market trends, collaborating across departments, and ensuring accuracy in forecasts. The company offers comprehensive benefits, including health insurance and a retirement savings plan, promoting a supportive and growth-oriented work environment.

Benefits

Comprehensive health insurance

Career growth opportunities

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of work experience in demand planning or related fields.
• Must demonstrate proficiency in statistics and data management.
• Experience with S&OP software preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead S&OP monthly cadence for the organization.
• Measure forecast accuracy across all business lines.
• Manage demand forecasts from 7-18 months ahead.

Skills

Forecast accuracy

Statistical analysis

Collaboration

Proficiency in Power BI

Project management

Education

College degree or equivalent

Certified Professional Forecaster designation

Tools

Microsoft Office

IBM Planning Analytics

D365

Job description

Overview

Napoleon leads the way with innovative engineering, advanced manufacturing techniques, unsurpassed customer service and remarkable product quality. Our award-winning products offer a best-in-class experience for all customers’ home comfort needs. While we are proudly Canadian, Napoleon operates on a world-wide scale. The warmth and experience that Napoleon product brings to the homes of our customers transcends borders, language, and cultures to elevate everyday experiences, so you love being home. Throughout North America, Europe, South America and Asia, Napoleon creates memorable moments through our stunning designs and innovative technologies.

This posting is for an existing permanent vacancy and is actively being recruited for.

Position

Title: Demand Planner
Reports to: Sr Manager, Inventory & Demand Planning

Responsibilities and accountabilities

• S&OP - Lead the management of all S&OP monthly cadence for the organization for new and existing products. Achieve consensus for operational demand forecasts by facilitating a collaborative planning process with Sales, Marketing R&D, Supply Chain, Executive Team and Finance.
• Identifying Risks and Opportunities - Through various phases of forecast analysis, identify financial risks and opportunities for the company as it relates to demand forecasts and inventory. Facilitate alignment on the organizations decisions/direction with the SMT and ELT.
• Forecast Accuracy - Measure forecast accuracy at multiple levels of granularity across all lines of business. Collaborate with Sales Leaders, PMO, and PM Leaders to identify actions to drive improved accuracy. Coordinate the execution of these actions to have a positive financial impact through inventory.
• Qualitative Forecast Inputs - Coordinate cross-functional research activities to understand drivers in the market to support demand forecasts, reconcile significant variances and refine the forecast models to reflect updated sales and marketing qualitative data/assumptions from customers.
• Forecast Management - Manage the demand forecasts for all sales channels and lines of business from 7-18 months to ensure clear data for internal and supplier capacity planning, internal labour planning, supplier negotiations/contracts, cash flow projections, inventory forecasts, storage capacity projections and support the SMT and ELT in making data driven decisions for the company.
• Analysis Tools - Develop and manage tools in Power BI, IBM Planning Analytics, D365 and Excel to support improved analysis and scenario building for demand forecasts, sales orders, financial comparisons, forecast accuracy, changing customer demand trends, changing tariffs, market competitiveness, etc. This includes the creation of comparative data models such as time series, linear regression, decomposition, exponential smoothing etc. to best suit the SKU in specific sales channels.
• Forecast Data Analysis - Complete detailed analysis for various levels of demand forecasts, sales channels and regions to identify recommended amendments based on current sales and customer buying patterns, historical sales, planned promotions, rebates, delta's between financial forecasts and demand forecasts, changes to customer relationships, supply constraints, etc. Challenge Sales and SMT with the recommended changes and negotiate consensus.
• Supply Plan - Provide input to the Supply Planning organization in developing inventory strategies on existing items, new products, and product phase-outs.
• New Product Launch - Complete analysis of new products being launched and provide forecast estimates to support the business plans at various levels of the stage gate process to review with SMT. Track the forecast accuracy of each new SKU by region and sales channel. This information will then be presented to the ELT monthly to communicate the achieved ROI of new products.
• Annual Sales Budget - Complete data scrubs to ensure data integrity in Q2. Provide data to sales leaders and finance to support assumptions for the next rolling 18 months that will be the baseline for the next years sales budget. Analyze the recommendations made by Sales Leaders and make recommendations/amendments.
• Presentations - Create various presentations monthly to support Sales Leaders, SMT and ELT to elevate concerns through to consensus, communicate the financial plans relating to demand forecasts, describe economic situations, standings in marketplace, facilitate CFT discussions, changing strategies, etc.
• Systems - Utilize, maintain and recommend upgrades the Demand Planning software as the primary forecasting system tool for the organization.

Education and experience

• College degree or its equivalent required / University degree an asset
• 3-5 years of work experience
• Certified Professional Forecaster designation required / SCM Degrees or Designations would be an asset, with preference for Data Science Certificate or APICS
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Power BI, IBM Planning Analytics and knowledge of ERP's, S&OP software's.
• Demonstrated proficiency in statistics, data management, forecasting and forecasting methods with an understanding of their financial and operational impacts.

Benefits, health, well-being & support

• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage – 100% of premiums paid by the Company!
• Long Term Disability Protection
• Well-being support programs and virtual medical visits
• Employee & Family Assistance Program for mental health and well-being (EAP)

Career growth & development

• Training Allowance and continuous learning opportunities and programs
• Leadership development and mentorship programs
• Clear pathways for advancement

Culture & community

• Appreciation events, raffles, and team building activities
• Napoleon Cares – A fund sponsored by Associates to help Associates in times of need

Financial security

• Competitive total compensation package, inclusive of bonus opportunity
• Retirement savings plan with matching Company contributions (RRSP/DPSP)
• Exclusive Associate discounts on our award-winning products

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure: As part of our commitment to transparency and fairness in hiring, we disclose that automated tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), may be used to support parts of the recruitment process. This may include functions such as resume parsing, candidate ranking, or initial screening. These tools do not make final hiring decisions but may assist Talent Acquisition in evaluating applications. AI tools used may include systems based on algorithms, statistical models, or machine learning.

The Napoleon Group of Companies is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain Associates with disabilities. This includes providing accessibility across all stages of the employment cycle. Accommodation is available upon request.

We thank you for your interest in The Napoleon Group of Companies and for participating in our competition. Only those candidates selected for consideration will be contacted.