Demand Planner

Company Description

Kovatera Inc. is a privately-owned Canadian corporation. We specialize in the engineering, design, manufacture, and sales of fit-for-purpose, small-footprint utility vehicles. Kovatera provides aftermarket product support both directly and through its authorized worldwide dealership network. We are ISO9001:2008 registered and adhere to a comprehensive health and safety program. Our on-site engineering philosophy is to design vehicles with the lowest Total Cost of Ownership for our customers, given the harsh environments in which our vehicles operate.

Location - Lively, ON

Salary Range - 65K to 75K

Role Overview

The Demand Planner is a full-time, on-site position based in Lively, ON. This role is responsible for demand planning, production scheduling, inventory management, and supply chain coordination to ensure on-time delivery and efficient operations.

Working cross-functionally with Sales, Production, Service, Engineering, Purchasing, and Supply Chain, the planner develops demand and inventory plans, balances material and production capacity, monitors planning performance, and drives continuous improvement to optimize service levels and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Demand Planning

• Develop and maintain demand forecasts for production units, aftermarket parts, and service requirements by analyzing historical sales, customer forecasts, market trends, and business intelligence to improve forecast accuracy.
• Collaborate with Sales, Service, Parts, Purchasing, and Supply Chain teams to align demand drivers, lead monthly demand reviews, and facilitate consensus forecasting while identifying risks and opportunities from customer orders and forecast changes.
• Manage forecasting models, ERP/MRP planning parameters, and reporting tools to monitor forecast performance, demand trends, and key planning metrics.
• Establish and maintain inventory policies, including safety stock, reorder points, and planning parameters to support service levels and procurement planning.
• Analyze inventory performance (turns, aging, excess, and obsolete stock) and recommend actions to improve working capital efficiency and inventory optimization.
• Support inventory accuracy and optimization through cycle counts, system reconciliation, and close collaboration with Purchasing to balance inventory investment and service levels.
• Develop reports and dashboards to monitor forecast performance and demand trends.
• Develop inventory strategies for existing products, new product launches, and end-of-life products.

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and maintain daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules based on customer demand, inventory levels, and manufacturing capacity.
• Develop and maintain production schedules (daily, weekly, monthly) based on customer demand, inventory levels, and manufacturing capacity to ensure on-time delivery.
• Release, monitor, and manage production work orders while coordinating with Production, Aftermarket, and Service teams to optimize labor, equipment utilization, and workflow.
• Adjust schedules based on material availability, engineering changes, capacity constraints, and shifting priorities, while collaborating with Purchasing to ensure timely material supply.
• Identify and resolve production bottlenecks by implementing recovery plans and minimizing operational disruptions.
• Support inventory management and product lifecycle activities, including new product introductions, engineering changes, and phase-outs, while optimizing finished goods, WIP, and raw material levels.
• Support Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives by identifying process inefficiencies and recommending improvements in planning, scheduling, inventory management, and material flow.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, plan KPIs, and performance dashboards to monitor operational effectiveness and drive decision-making.
• Participate in ERP/MRP system enhancements and process optimization projects to improve planning accuracy, efficiency, and overall supply chain performance.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of forecasting techniques and inventory planning methodologies.
• Understanding of production scheduling and capacity planning.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Excellent organizational and decision-making abilities.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
• APICS/ASCM Certification (CPIM, CSCP) preferred.

Experience

• 3–5 years of experience in production planning, demand planning, inventory management, supply chain, or manufacturing operations.
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with forecasting methodologies and inventory management principles.
• Strong knowledge of integrated supply chain planning processes, including demand forecasting, inventory optimization, MRP, MPS, S&OP, service parts planning, and capacity planning within a manufacturing environment.
• Relevant experience in manufacturing, mining, industrial equipment, or supply chain operations is beneficial.
• Proficiency with planning tools and ERP/MRP systems, along with strong Excel or data analysis software skills, is an asset.
• Experience with Global Shop ERP or similar systems is considered an asset.

If you are interested in being a part of our dynamic team and would be proud to work for a Canadian company, please submit your cover letter and resume to: ***email_hidden***

We thank all applicants for their interest in joining our team. However, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.