Position Overview

In an industry that is rapidly changing, this role will be critical to build strategy, analytics and flexibility to adapt to short-term changes while still achieving full market potential on a monthly and annual basis.
The Planning & Allocation Consultant is an integral part of the sales planning and distribution team. This position is responsible for ensuring that Audi Canada and its dealers are properly supplied with the correct product to meet market demands while maintaining optimal inventory levels and high turn rates on all vehicle lines.  
Working with many stakeholders across the organization, this role consults on short term (2 year) planning for new car volumes and the associated allocation and production filling. This person will work closely with order management, long term planning, AUDI AG sales and production, product planning & marketing, finance, as well as field operations and dealer partners and on a daily basis. 

As a Sales Employee, you are responsible for providing excellent customer service and driving the sale of automotive products. You support customers in selecting suitable products, provide information, conduct demonstrations, and handle sales transactions. Additionally, you maintain product displays, organize inventory, and manage complaints. The role requires solid knowledge of automotive products and the ability to understand customer needs and exceed sales targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for monthly dealer allocation utilizing product forecasting and short-term planning
• Determine, publish and monitor monthly dealer production allocations based on Budget Planning Objectives (BPO), sales history and stocking levels.
• Monitor national, area, and dealer inventory levels against sales results and make recommendations to the for solutions to identified problems or plans to capitalize upon identified opportunities
• Support of the long-term planning process (LAP), carbon and ZEV legislation planning. Provide market and segment analysis and consult on opportunity based on annual and quarterly forecasts.
• Work with product planning, government relations and AUDI AG on compliance topics related to short term planning.  
• Depaetment leader for dealer objective (BPO) planning. Manage methodology and recommendation of annual dealer objective setting as well as adjustments for any monthly deviations.
• Vehicle forecasting for Audi Canada as it pertains to model mix, engine, drive-train, and equipment installation rates.
• Monthly collaboration with AUDI AG to ensure that required order submissions are completed and received.
• Monitor and analyze dealer orders, generate production allocation reports to identify shortfalls, imbalances and capacity constraints.
• Construct and automate reports in relation to inventory pipeline, allocation and turn rates. Provide insights and opportunities in coordination with the sales steering analyst.
• Administer and publish monthly Sales Planning Document (SPD) in accordance with required timelines. Consult stakeholders on deviations and rationale.
• Actively participate in monthly sales planning process as it pertains to supply chain management.
• Act as department lead for new vehicle launches in support of the launch team.
• Resolve supply/demand and order imbalances with Area Sales Managers.
• Create solutions for area shortfalls or oversupply and proactively consult on solutions.
• Support monthly shared tasks with Order Management Specialist (OMS) as follows:
  • Represent Audi Canada regarding all issues relative to production and factory activities
  • Fill weekly production  by engine/transmission groups according to requirements/forecasts
  • Reconcile order content errors to ensure continuous order flow
• Attend weekly conference call with AUDI AG to troubleshoot and strategize, handling short-term variables (market requirements, restrictions, production changes)
• Ad-hoc reports and projects for management as needed.
• This position works closely with the Sales Analyst role for short and long-term planning, as well as Order Management Specialist  which has primary responsibility for order configuration validity and vehicle logistics. Some primary functions of each role will be cross-trained for flexibility and redundancy.

Qualification requirements

Formal Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Finance or related field preferred.
• 3-5 years of relevent experience including but not limited to:
  • Experience in corporate operations for or related to sales, distribution, product or marketing.
  • Extensive experience and knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
  • Dealer/franchise operations experience in retail, field or corporate level.

Required Skills

• Critical thinking with the ability to identify, consult and influence business results.
• Championing of culture and equal opportunity
• Entrepreneurial business approach and competitive mentality.
• Ability to work with both speed and accuracy.
• Knowledge of automotive production and ordering operations.
• Advanced analytics skills and an understanding of inventory, turn rates and production flow.
• Composition, presentation and report construction skills.
• Demonstrated high level of initiative and planning.
• Ability to communicate complicated concepts and process to dealers, area teams and management. 

Additional asset requirements

• Experience with Tableau and other data tools
• Working knowledge of French language  
• Working knowledge of German language