POSITION DESCRIPTION
Ministry of Justice
BC Liquor Distribution Branch
POSITION TITLE:
Wholesale Demand Planner
DIVISION:
(e.g., Division, Region, Department)
Wholesale Supply Chain
UNIT:
(e.g., Branch, Area, District)
Wholesale
APPROVED CLASSIFICATION
SUPERVISOR’S TITLE:
SUPERVISOR’S CLASSIFICATION:
AO R14
Senior Manager Wholesale Supply Chain
Applied Leader
POSITION
NUMBER(S):
LOCATION:
SO5310,
SO5410, SO5510
Vancouver
CLASS CODE
POSITION
NUMBER
PHONE NUMBER:
New
PROGRAM
The Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) is one of the largest distributors and retailers of beverage alcohol in Canada,
generating a net income of approximately $935 million on annual sales of approximately $3.1 billion. The Branch operates
approximately 200 retail stores across the province, oversees the operations of Rural Agency Stores and has the role of
wholesaler to approximately 700 private liquor retail outlets and 8,000 licensed establishments. The LDB is a unique
government entity that operates with similar independence to a Crown Corporation under the direction of a General
Manager and CEO.
PURPOSE OF POSITION
The Wholesale Demand Planner (WDP) is a key member of the Wholesale Supply Chain team, responsible for all
inventory forecasting activities to effectively maximize sales and optimize costs associated with vendors’ supply and
customers’ demands. The Demand Planner creates and maintains forecast models incorporating business intelligence
and forecast information gathered from marketing, historic sales, retail replenishment analysts, vendor forecast analysts.
In addition, the Demand Planner leads and contributes to the development and implementation of inventory strategies
which have a direct impact on the LDB's wholesale revenue strategies. The WDP has full signing authority for liquor
purchase orders and/or release purchase orders generated for general, conditional and specialty listed products for a
portfolio of approximately 4,500 products. Current annual values of acquisitions of the WDP are approximately $700
million for liquor products.
NATURE OF WORK AND POSITION LINKS
The LDB carries over 30,000 skus of beverage alcohol products which are supplied by over 1,000 vendor/supplier/agents.
The Demand Planner strives to execute a collaborative process with vendors and customers as well as using business
intelligence to maximize sales by satisfying customer demand whilst minimizing costs. The Demand Planner is required to
gather, analyze and validate data in order to recommend operational forecasts. This is done with insight into vendor
promotional plans, current trend analysis, and input from customers, social media trends and use of statistical modeling
tools. The position applies judgment in the interpretation of analytical results (including variances between demand
forecasts and actual demands) to ensure the appropriate application of analytical and modeling outcomes.
To accomplish its objectives, the position develops and maintains effective working relationships with:
LDB Vendors: collaborates on inventory management and forecast modeling, develops merchandise strategies for
promotions, special buys, limited products.
LDB Customers: collaborates on supply forecasting, gathers information on marketing and promotional events, trouble
shooting.
Wholesale Customer Service: liaises on inventory issues, collaborates on strategic initiatives to enhance customer
service.
Internal Business Units: exchanges information, collaborates on initiatives to achieve department/corporate objectives.
20150604 Wholesale Demand Planner
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SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES / DELIVERABLES
1. Collaborates with both vendors and customers and uses available business intelligence and software modelling to
recommend operational forecasts that will satisfy customer demand whilst minimizing costs.
a. Maintains a high level of continuous liaison with suppliers, customers, the distribution centre and third
party partners to identify information and analytical requirements.
b. Sources accurate, timely and relevant data (e.g. from suppliers/agents, Retail, Marketing and Finance)
and others (e.g. Statistics Canada, BC Stats, Environment Canada, other provincial liquor boards, etc.).
c. Reviews daily reports for exceptions on inventory status and product requirement. Seeks additional
information or adjusts parameters in the event data does not meet requirements. Follows up on significant
variances, investigates, and recommends appropriate measures to remedy anomalies.
d. Negotiates and/or recommends the implementation of data acquisition/sharing/exchange agreements to
ensure the regular flow of relevant data.
e. Develops information management databases and systems.
f. Performs a variety of qualitative and quantitative analyses (e.g. computer modeling, statistical analysis,
etc.) to analyze current/historical/forecast data and trends/variances, for forecasting, planning and
decision-making purposes.
g. Produces regular and ad hoc reports (e.g. including tables, graphs, statistics, written summaries, etc) and
forecasts to support decision-making and inventory management. E.g. Creates reports to analyze sales,
margins and inventory, and conducts SKU maintenance to support store-level category initiatives.
Forecasts, analyzes and reviews promotional products by store.
h. Conducts regular forecast error assessments to monitor trends or bias.
i. Prepares presentations to interpret results (e.g. explain the reliability of data, assumptions and
uncertainties, etc.).
j. Develops strategies on promotional, seasonal, limited product activity, etc. and understands its impact on
inventory requirement.
2. Leads or contributes to the development, implementation and evaluation of wholesaling strategies to optimize
sales, inventory turns, and return-on-investment through the supply chain process.
a. Collaborates with retail customers on the development and implementation of product forecasts and
replenishment strategies for core, seasonal, promotional, limited time, and exclusive merchandise.
b. Collaborates with the warehouse to develop and implement order and allocation/replenishment strategies
that generate sales, profit and inventory turnover.
c. Collaborates with vendors to achieve a realistic demand sales curve as well as back up plans for
variances.
d. Identifies unproductive inventories in the warehouse and work with vendors to facilitate the timely sale of
those inventories.
e. Forecasts to support decision-making and inventory management. E.g. Creates reports to analyze sales,
margins and inventory, and conducts SKU maintenance to support store-level category initiatives.
Forecasts, analyzes and reviews promotional products by store.
f. Conducts regular forecast error assessments to monitor trends or bias.
g. Prepares presentations to interpret results (e.g. explain the reliability of data, assumptions and
uncertainties, etc.).
3. Manages warehouse product inventories.
a. Recommends the development and implementation of inventory management/replenishment frameworks
to maximize productivity, avoid stock-outs and contribute to the achievement of revenue targets.
b. Issues, reviews, and signs all purchase orders and release purchase orders from suppliers and agents to
initiate delivery of product into the Branch Distribution Centers or into the agents' warehouses.
c. Coordinates and monitors the transfer of responsibility of a supplier's product between agents as
authorized by the supplier.
d. Conducts the monthly financial close as it pertains to Purchasing (i.e. reconciliations, sign off on monthly
close prior to other Finance activities that take place in the Finance department).
e. Monitors RAC inventory daily.
f. Updates the system for new suppliers to ensure the system allows them to purchase (i.e. template set up
for all new suppliers).
g. Facilitates/initiates in-bond, duty paid transfers, product destruction, and other transfers of goods on behalf
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of supplier/agent and the LDB.
4. Assists in developing and implementing Branch policies and procedures, which may have a significant impact with
respect to the beverage alcohol industry working with special project groups on a wide and varied range of
projects.
5. Trains and assists staff in department by:
a. Training relief employees in all aspects of the Wholesale Demand Planner job.
b. Demonstrating the functions of the product data and stock-master system.
c. Acting in advisory capacities in the creation and development of new Branch programs and procedures (new
buying systems, forecasting system and E.D.I. system, etc.) and testing new updated systems to ensure they
meet requirements, standards, and objectives.
6. Maintains knowledge of best practices in forecasting and inventory management, including a variety of analytical
methods (e.g. including: comparative analysis, cost/benefit analysis, quantitative methods, etc.).
7. Performs other related duties as required.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The Wholesale Demand Planner purchases approximately $700 million of product inventory for wholesale customers per
annum.
The forecasting and inventory management accountabilities have a direct impact on LDB wholesale sales revenues by
ensuring products are in the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantities, to maximize sales and minimize
stock-outs.
DIRECT SUPERVISION (i.e., responsibility for signing the employee appraisal form)
# of Regular FTE’s
# of Auxiliary FTE’s
Directly supervises staff
0
0
Supervises staff through subordinate supervisors
0
0
Role
PROJECT /TEAM LEADERSHIP OR TRAINING (Check the appropriate boxes)
Role
# of FTE’s
Role
# of FTE’s
Supervises students or volunteers
0
Provides formal training to other staff
0
Lead project teams
0
Assigns, monitors and examines the work of staff
0
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Criminal record check required
TOOLS / EQUIPMENT
Computer hardware and software programs relevant to the job function.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Office environment.
PREPARED BY
NAME:
DATE:
Sairose Fisher
20150604 Wholesale Demand Planner
June 1, 2015
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EXCLUDED MANAGER AUTHORIZATION
I confirm that:
1. the accountabilities / deliverables were assigned to this position effective: June 2015
2. the information in this position description reflects the actual work performed.
3. a copy has / will be provided to the incumbent(s).
NAME:
SIGNATURE:
DATE:
Sairose Fisher
June 4, 2015
ORGANIZATION CHART
(SO8000)
Dir Wholesale
Supply Chain
Business Leader
(New)
Sr Mgr Wholesale
Supply Chain
Applied Leader
(Under review)
(SO5130)
Special Orders
Manager
AO R18
(SO5510)
Wholesale Demand
Planner
AO R14
(SO5133)
Special Order
Quotation
OA R7
(SO5520)
Portfolio Assistant
Clerk R9
(SO5122)
Release/Receipt
Clerk
OA R7
(SO5140)
Product Services
Coordinator
Clerk R14
20150604 Wholesale Demand Planner
(S10001)
Sr Mgr Wholesale
Business
Applied Leader
(SO5410)
Wholesale Demand
Planner
AO R14
(SO8010)
Web Editor/
Business Analyst
AO R18
(SO5310)
Wholesale Demand
Planner
AO R14
Page 4 of 6
STAFFING CRITERIA
Education and Experience:
Degree or diploma in operations management, business management, purchasing and inventory control or similar
discipline and a minimum of two years of recent, related work experience* or an equivalent combination of education,
training and experience.
*Recent, related work experience must include experience:
 Preparing, reconciling and updating product demand forecasts
 Conducting data analysis and modelling and interpreting results
 Managing inventory
 Collaborating with a variety of internal and external partners (e.g. marketing, vendors/suppliers, etc.)
Preference may be given to candidates with experience or training in:
 Retail/Merchandising/Wholesale/Distribution business environment;
 Forecasting and inventory management; and/or
 Planning and supply chain management
Knowledge of:
 Inventory management, merchandising, purchasing, forecasting
 Quantitative methods for sourcing, manipulating and analyzing data; and creating models and forecasts
 Statistics and statistical analysis software programs
 Database creation and manipulation software
 Theories, principles and best practices of merchandise planning and supply chain management
 Current external business environment conditions which have an impact on Branch business: wholesale trends,
supply chains, competitive factors, pricing, logistics, planning
Skills/Abilities:
 Superior written and oral communication skills and attention to detail when communicating
 Superior interpersonal/organizational/analytical skills
 Ability to achieve deadlines within tight timelines while managing multiple priorities
 Ability to communicate complex information in a manner than can be understood by the audience
 Ability to plan and conduct quantitative analysis
 Ability to create, access, analyse and manipulate large databases using a variety of software programs
 Ability to analyze data and create accurate forecasts and interpretations based on results
COMPETENCIES
Service Orientation implies a desire to identify and serve customers/clients, who may include the public, co-workers, other
branches/divisions, other ministries/agencies, other government organizations, and non-government organizations. It
means focusing one’s efforts on discovering and meeting the needs of the customer/client.
Results Orientation is a concern for surpassing a standard of excellence. The standard may be one’s own past
performance (striving for improvement); an objective measure (achievement orientation); challenging goals that one has
set; or even improving or surpassing what has already been done (continuous improvement). Thus, a unique
accomplishment also indicates a Results Orientation
Teamwork and Co-operation is the ability to work co-operatively within diverse teams, work groups and across the
organization to achieve group and organizational goals. It includes the desire and ability to understand and respond
effectively to other people from diverse backgrounds with diverse views.
Planning, Organizing and Co-ordinating involves proactively planning, establishing priorities and allocating resources. It is
expressed by developing and implementing increasingly complex plans. It also involves monitoring and adjusting work to
accomplish goals and deliver to the organization's mandate.
Problem Solving/Judgement is the ability to analyze problems systematically, organize information, identify key factors,
identify underlying causes and generate solutions.
Analytical Thinking is the ability to comprehend a situation by breaking it down into its components and identifying key or
underlying complex issues. It implies the ability to systematically organize and compare the various aspects of a problem
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or situation, and determine cause-and-effect relationships ("if...then…") to resolve problems in a sound, decisive manner.
Checks to ensure the validity or accuracy of all information.
Listening, Understanding and Responding is the desire and ability to understand and respond effectively to other people
from diverse backgrounds. It includes the ability to understand accurately and respond effectively to both spoken and
unspoken or partly expressed thoughts, feelings and concerns of others. People who demonstrate high levels of this
competency show a deep and complex understanding of others, including cross-cultural sensitivity.
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