Market Demand Planner

Description:

Unilever Canada is seeking a skilled Market Demand Planner (S&OP) to support and influence the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process by building accurate, unconstrained volume and value forecasts that enable effective supply chain planning and resource allocation. The role focuses on Unilever’s Personal Care business and is critical in enabling various departments — including Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, and Sales — to develop production schedules, logistics budgets, inventory plans, and strategic growth initiatives.

The Market Demand Planner will lead the monthly forecasting process by SKU for new and existing products, incorporating statistical trends, market insights, competitive dynamics, and internal sales assumptions. This role requires close collaboration across departments and with field/customer insights to achieve forecast accuracy targets.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the creation of annual statistically trended base forecasts integrating sales assumptions, historical data, pricing changes, product cannibalization, competitive activity, and product discontinuances.

• Translate business insights into demand and financial forecasts.

• Collaborate with Customer Business Development (CBD), Customer Service & Planning (CS&P), and Customer Experience (CE) teams to gather customer/field insights impacting forecasts.

• Support and contribute to Customer Activity Reviews and lead Demand Review meetings.

• Analyze historical sales, Point of Sale (POS), and shipment trends to support forecast assumptions.

• Develop new product projections using knowledge of product life cycles.

• Continuously improve forecast accuracy by evaluating promotional impacts, inventory changes, consumption trends, category trends, media and advertising plans, and service levels.

• Provide deep market understanding to support Business Unit discussions.

• Ensure volume forecasts are updated, agreed upon, and aligned with financial planning.

• Monitor and evaluate forecast building blocks and support portfolio management and segmentation.

Skills and Knowledge Required:

• Strong expertise in Supply Chain Planning, Demand Planning, and S&OP processes (minimum 3 years).

• Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, Power BI, and MS Project; knowledge of Anaplan, FEU, and Rapid Response systems is preferred.

• Agile, analytical, and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail.

• Excellent collaboration skills with ability to work across organizational boundaries and influence senior stakeholders without authority.

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills with comfort in presenting to senior business leaders.

• Ability to translate complex problems into actionable plans and work collaboratively to execute integration plans.

Education:
Not explicitly mentioned, but relevant experience and skills in supply chain and demand planning expected.

Benefits and Culture:

• Unilever offers a culture for growth, excellent health and well-being benefits, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• The company embraces diversity and ensures all qualified applicants receive consideration without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ethnic origin, disability, or other protected grounds.

• Support for candidates with disabilities is available via the accommodation email below.