Demand Planning Manager (Hybrid - Markham, ON, CANADA)

Demand Planning Manager (Hybrid - Markham, ON, CANADA)

Job Description

The Canada Market Operations team is responsible for developing risk-balanced demand plans and customer inventory plans that support the commercial objectives of the Canada business unit.

Within Canada Market Operations, the Demand Planning team is responsible for forecasting consumer sales and retailer shipment volumes for the Canada market. Our goal is to provide the most accurate forecast to our supply chain partners, and to leverage these forecasts to provide quality service to The LEGO Group’s retail partners.

The Demand Planning Manager works as part of the team to develop accurate and timely forecasts to support consumer sales, maximize in-stocks, and optimize retail inventory.

Core Responsibilities

• Building upon a statistical forecast and using the LEGO demand planning system and tools, deliver an accurate monthly demand plan for consumer sales and shipments for the 4 to 8-month short term demand planning horizon.
• For the assigned portfolio of themes, plan consumer sales and shipments at item level, with a focus on monthly theme topline and item error (MAPE) accuracy.
• Add value to baseline statistical model forecast through independent analyses and select item-level overrides.
• Ensure demand planning system accurately reflects known customer/marketing activities, product launches and promotional activities.
• Support effective product life cycle management in the demand plan by ensuring that accurate product launch, exiting and limited production items are accurately reflected in the demand planning system.
• Review market and key account item inventory levels and inputs from Customer Planners and incorporate these insights into the demand plan forecasts to maintain retail in-stocks while avoiding excess inventory.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Sales to align on monthly topline and theme level forecasts based on review of performance trends and forecast assumptions. Reflect the joint consensus outlook in the demand plan.
• Lead team Continuous Improvement initiatives, new system and tool implementation, and creation of automated dashboards and analytical tools in PowerBI and Excel to improve team forecasting effectiveness and productivity.
• Support Monthly S&OP deliverables including consolidation of customer and theme forecasts, evaluation of forecast accuracy, and analysis and presentation of key theme performance trends and recommendations to senior stakeholders.

Do you have what it takes?

• Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field with demonstrated experience in demand planning or business analytics.
• Minimum 5 years Demand Planning, Replenishment or Inventory Planning, Category Management, Business Analytics or related experience in consumer goods, pharmaceutical goods or related industry.
• High proficiency with Excel, SAP, APO, SAP BW, demand planning systems, Power BI.
• Experienced creator of automated tools and dashboards in PowerBI and Microsoft Excel using SQL, Power Query, VBA and other automation methods.
• Demonstrates exceptional analytical skills, ability to proactively identify and root-cause issues and deliver compelling insights and fact-based recommendations.
• Exhibits very strong business sense, communication and presentation skills.
• Prior experience leading new system implementation an asset.
• Deadline driven and results orientation.
• Demonstrates a passion and experience leading continuous improvement initiatives.
• English Fluent level.

Our workplace enables our LEGO colleagues to be and do their best at work. Introducing a flexible way of working through a hybrid working model is a great example of how we live up to our ambition. This 3 day in the office hybrid working model will exemplify our People Promise by embracing the different life situations of our colleagues.

What are you waiting for? Apply now!

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. However, please note we do amend or withdraw our jobs and reserve the right to do so at any time, including prior to any advertised closing date. So, if you're interested in this role we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

What’s in it for you?

Here is what you can expect:

• Family Care Leave - We offer enhanced paid leave options for those important times.
• Insurances – All colleagues are covered by our life and disability insurance which provides protection and peace of mind.
• Wellbeing - We want our people to feel well and thrive. We offer resources and benefits to nurture physical and mental wellbeing along with opportunities to build community and inspire creativity.
• Colleague Discount – We know you'll love to build, so from day 1 you will qualify for our generous colleague discount.
• Bonus - We do our best work to succeed together. When goals are reached and if eligible, you'll be rewarded through our bonus scheme.
• Workplace - When you join the team you'll be assigned a primary workplace location i.e. one of our Offices, stores or factories. Our hybrid work policy means an average of 3 days per week in the office. The hiring team will discuss the policy and role eligibility with you during the recruitment process.

Children are our role models. Their curiosity, creativity and imagination inspire everything we do. We strive to create a diverse, dynamic and inclusive culture of play at the LEGO Group, where everyone feels safe, valued and they belong.

The LEGO Group is highly committed to equal employment opportunity and equal pay and seeks to encourage applicants from all backgrounds (eg. sex, gender identity or expression, race/ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, age and religion) to apply for roles in our team.

Research shows that women and people from different underrepresented backgrounds often only apply for a job if they meet 100% of the listed qualifications. For all candidates, if you dream of being a part of our team and you meet many, but not all of our listed qualifications for this role, please apply.

The LEGO Group is fully committed to Children’s Rights and Child Wellbeing across the globe. Candidates offered positions with high engagement with children are required to take part in Child Safeguarding Background Screening, as a condition of the offer.

Thank you for sharing our global commitment to Children’s Rights.

Just imagine building your dream career. Then make it real.

Join the LEGO team today.

About Us

Children are our role models. Their curiosity, creativity and imagination inspire everything we do. Our founder Ole Kirk Kristiansen made his first wooden toy in 1932. He persevered against the odds until his business was a success. Constantly innovating, never compromising. Building, rebuilding, and striving for the best. It is this resilience and permanent sense of renewal that drives us forward. We are never still. We will always be creating, inventing, and having fun. Build your career brick by brick and play your part in continuing our mission to “inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow.”