Operations Planning Analyst

What you'll do

Are you curious about how businesses forecast demand, manage inventory, and make supply chain decisions?

Mark's Commercial is looking for an Operations Planning Analyst to join our Commercial Planning & Allocation team. This role is ideal for a recent graduate or early-career professional looking to build practical experience in forecasting, inventory planning, business analytics, and supply chain operations.

You will work alongside experienced Planning, Sales, Supply Chain, and Fulfillment professionals to help forecast demand, analyze inventory trends, support customer programs, and develop recommendations that influence purchasing and replenishment decisions across Canada.

This is a unique opportunity to gain exposure to forecasting, inventory management, supplier collaboration, reporting, automation, and continuous improvement while developing skills that can accelerate a career in Planning, Supply Chain, or Operations Leadership.

We're not looking for someone who knows everything already. We're looking for someone who is curious, analytical, eager to learn, and excited to solve problems.

• Forecast demand for ongoing programs as well as new programs.
• Meet with vendors and provide Mark's Commercial order projections.
• Provide Mark's Commercial order projections to Retail PODs for shared products.
• Analyze core inventory requirements for Fulfillment Centres.
• Review seasonal Fulfillment Centre inventory and take action on stranded inventory.
• Work with IT and business partners to test and implement planning tools.
• Balance inventory between Fulfillment Centres.
• Contact PODs for product recommendations supporting customer opportunities.
• Lead recurring forecast cycles using approved planning assumptions, size curves, inventory holds, safety stock settings, allocation logic, and quarterly planning processes.
• Perform scenario analysis and recommend actions to mitigate supply, inventory, and service-level risks.
• Support the development and maintenance of forecasting tools, templates, and planning models.
• Calculate demand and place import purchase orders.
• Implement item coverage and floor values based on demand forecasts.
• Analyze demand and place purchase orders ahead of cost increases when appropriate.
• Analyze inventory positions, open sales orders, and fulfillment constraints to identify risks and opportunities.
• Coordinate inventory transfers, inbound shipments, vendor supply commitments, and replenishment activities.
• Review seasonal inventory strategies and recommend actions to mitigate excess and stranded inventory.
• Monitor and manage critical purchase order activity throughout the procurement lifecycle.
• Own material purchase order exceptions and ensure timely resolution through established workflows.
• Analyze open purchase orders, vendor confirmations, and supply constraints to recommend buy, expedite, transfer, substitute, future-date, hold, or cancellation actions.
• Work closely with suppliers, sourcing teams, and supply chain partners to proactively manage supply disruptions.
• Escalate critical risks impacting customer fulfillment, inventory availability, or service levels.
• Complete quarterly accrual markdown activities.
• Prepare monthly reporting for the Finance team.
• Review and submit Cat50 ISF activities within ANAPLAN as required.
• Develop ad hoc reports related to inventory, sales, forecasting, and operational performance using various reporting tools.
• Write SQL queries required by the business.
• Develop and maintain KNIME workflows and reporting files as required.
• Maintain planning data quality, reporting controls, and forecasting integrity.
• Produce concise operational insights, recommendations, risks, and opportunities for stakeholders and leadership teams.
• Support business decision-making through data-driven analysis and forecasting expertise.
• Work with business and technical partners to test, improve, and implement planning tools and processes.
• Maintain and support forecasting templates, Power Query transformations, reporting automation, and associated controls.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort through automation and workflow improvements.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives that enhance planning accuracy, operational efficiency, and customer service performance.
• Support implementation of new planning capabilities, reporting tools, and operational processes.

What you bring

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications, specifically Excel, to perform data analysis including formulas, Pivot Tables, and advanced data manipulation.
• Experience with SQL or other database querying languages and tools.
• Knowledge and experience in data preparation and data analysis.
• Working knowledge of enterprise systems including Microsoft D365, PMM, PeopleSoft, or similar ERP platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to translate analytical insights into clear recommendations and effectively communicate with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience with inventory replenishment and planning toolsets.
• Experience in retail, wholesale, contract, or B2B environments with the ability to understand product category impacts across the broader business.
• Ability to model processes and determine financial implications of alternatives.
• Goal-driven individual who continuously seeks improvement opportunities.
• Flexible and adaptable individual who can effectively prioritize to meet changing business demands.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think critically.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Experience managing inventory, forecasting, purchase order, replenishment, and fulfillment-related activities.
• Strong analytical, planning, and problem-solving capabilities within an exception-driven environment.
• Experience documenting business processes and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ability to prioritize multiple activities while balancing customer service, inventory, and financial objectives.

We’re always looking for great talent! In addition to competitive pay, we offer:

• Comprehensive benefits and retirement programs
• Performance incentives, Continuing Education Programs
• Other perks to support your well-being
• Career growth opportunities and product discounts

Broadband Salary Range:  $44,000 – $73,000.

Our typical hiring range is between $44,000 and $58,000. Salary decisions are also dependent on other factors such as your experience, industry benchmarks, internal equity and other role-specific requirements. For critical roles, the compensation offering will be reviewed to ensure alignment with market rate and conditions and the unique value you bring to the role. 

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We may use artificial intelligence tools as part of our recruitment process to assist in the initial screening of resumes. All hiring decisions, including candidate evaluation, selection, and disposition, are made by human recruiters.

About Us

At Marks, we want you to experience an extraordinary career in helping to lead our brand's evolution to be Canada’s number one destination for industrial and casual apparel and footwear. As one of Canada’s leading apparel retailers, and a valued part of the Canadian Tire family of companies, Mark’s stands out for its commitment to comfort, quality and style. Mark’s is a leader in product development, innovation and quality through its assortment of industrial apparel, footwear and accessories, with strong private and exclusive brands. Join us, where there's a place for you here.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging 

We are committed to fostering an environment where belonging thrives, and diversity, inclusion and equity are infused into everything we do. We believe in building an organizational culture where people are consistently treated with dignity while respecting individual religion, nationality, gender, race, age, perceived ability, spoken language, sexual orientation, and identification. We are united in our purpose of being here to help make life in Canada better.

Accommodations  

We stand firm in our Core Value that inclusion is a must. We welcome and encourage candidates from equity-seeking groups such as people who identify as racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, and beyond. Should you require any accommodation in applying for this role, or throughout the interview process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to help meet your needs.