Supply Chain, Demand Planning Analyst

We are looking for a Supply Chain, Demand Planning Analyst who is passionate about food and enjoys working in a fast paced, customer service centric, team environmentDo you have experience as a Demand Planning Analyst?Do you have a passion for Supply Chain?Why not join us?Position: Supply Chain, Demand Planning AnalystJob Overview:Functioning with minimal oversight, this role takes ownership and responsibility for optimizing and implementing forecast models and demand planning models to achieve increased sales and improved inventory productivity. This role is pivotal in optimizing inventory levels, enhancing customer satisfaction, and maximizing profitability for our grocery retail business. As a Demand Planner at Longos, you will play a key role in shaping our supply chain strategy and ensuring that we meet the dynamic demands of our customers efficiently.Accountabilities:Forecasting and Inventory Optimization (70%)historical sales data, market trends, and promotional activities to generate and maintain accurate demand forecasts for various product categories.demand forecast in demand planning software.statistical models and forecasting techniques to predict future demand, considering seasonality, regional differences, and economic factors.evaluate and enhance demand planning processes, methodologies, and tools to increase efficiency and effectiveness.Defines key assumptions to generate, manage, and calibrate a statistical baseline forecast for all SKUs, categories, customers and location hierarchy levels.Analyzes the impact of assortment changes, sales trends, new or discontinued items and external factors such as weather.Determines optimal inventory levels for each SKU to balance between customer service levels and inventory costs.Collaborate with management teams to establish safety stock levels, reorder points, and replenishment strategies to minimize stockouts and excess inventory.Monitor inventory levels regularly and adjust forecasts as needed to prevent overstocking or stock outs.Conduct post-mortem analysis of promotions, new product launches, supply chain disruptions and holidays to capture learnings and improve future forecast accuracy.Track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as forecast accuracy, inventory turnover, and service level metrics.Identifies root causes of forecast errors, demand variability, and inventory discrepancies, and propose corrective actions to improve forecasting accuracy and inventory management efficiency.Generate regular reports and presentations to communicate performance metrics, trends, and actionable insights to management and relevant teams.Stay up to date on industry best practices, emerging technologies, and market trends in demand planning and supply chain management to drive innovation and process optimization.Collaborative Planning (30%)Work closely with cross-functional teams including supply chain, category management, store operations, marketing, finance and suppliers to gather relevant data and insights for demand planning.Communicate forecasted demand and inventory recommendations to stakeholders, highlighting risks and opportunities for proactive-decision making.Exchanges information with the category management team and suppliers on new product launches and product phase outs to select comparable product proxies for increased forecast accuracy.Recommends to category managers, when appropriate, to cancel or delay promotional activity based on inventory position.Prepares assumption-based projections to help the management team understand forecast rationale for vendor and customer negotiations.Liaises with category managers and suppliers to investigate gaps between forecasts, planned commitments and actuals.Coordinate with suppliers and logistics partners to ensure timely delivery of products and align supply with forecasted demand.Participate in cross-functional projects and initiatives related to demand forecasting, inventory management, and supply chain optimization to support company objectives and strategic initiatives.Health and SafetyPromotes and endorses Safety Vision “Safety is our way of life”.Observes and support Longo’s Safe Work guidelines and other safe work practices.Role models the importance of health and safety by always working safely and calls out and addressed and safety issues.Recognizes risks which may pose a danger to Team Members and customers and resolves such issues (where possible) or modifies work, mitigating the risk to Team Member/customer until resolution can be sourced and implemented (i.e. Longo’s Call Center Harassment/Violence Reference Guide)Ensures all pre-use checks (where applicable) are conducted and all equipment is maintained to provide for safe operation by Team Members.Ensures that TMs are trained to safely carry out their work in the department and ensures that all work is safely carried out by Team Members.Knowledge, Skills & Competencies:3-5 years' experience in a demand planning/forecasting, supply chain management, or related roles is required.University degree or College diploma in Business, Supply Chain Management, Statistics, Mathematics or a related field is preferred.in Supply Chain/Inventory Management (ex. APICS CPIM) or Demand Planning (ex. IBF Certified Professional Forecaster) is an asset.knowledge of grocery retail operations, market trends, and consumer behaviour in the food industry is an asset.with ERP/demand planning systems and forecasting models to generate accurate demand forecasts is required.in using analytical tools such as Microsoft Excel, SQL, and statistical software to manipulate data and perform analysis.of inventory management principles, including safety stock levels, lead times, and replenishment strategies.to continuous improvement by monitoring forecast accuracy metrics, identifying areas for enhancement, and implementing process improvements.Ability to analyse large datasets, identify patterns, and derive actionable insights to improve demand forecasts.Excellent communication skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, present findings, and influence decision-making.Proficiency in demand forecasting methodologies, statistical modelling, and understanding market dynamics.Strong problem-solving skills to address challenges related to demand variability, supply chain disruptions, and changing market conditions.Strong customer-service orientation.Meticulous attention to detail to ensure accuracy in forecasting and data analysis.Flexibility to adapt to evolving business needs, technological advancements, and market trends.Ability to prioritize tasks effectively and manage multiple projects simultaneously to meet deadlines.Ability to work with minimal supervision and capable of meeting deadlines.Good sense of ownership, drive, and enthusiasm.High level of integrity, showing ability to challenge opinions.Demonstrated ability to perform in a cross-functional team environment with multiple levels of management and team members.Ability to identify operational and strategic issues and proactively drive solutions.Working Conditions:Work is performed in a standard office environment with participation in meetings.Ability to manage multiple priorities in a changing retail landscape with deadlines.Will require extensive analysis of data on the computer for long periods of time.Longo’s is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities throughout the recruitment process and, upon request, will work with qualified job applicants to provide suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.Note: A qualified job applicant with a disability is one who possesses the required skills, education, experience and training and who can, with reasonable accommodation, perform the essential functions of the position applied for.If you require accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Coordinator at:Email: hrdept@longos.com