Overview

This is a maternity leave replacement - 12 months contract At RONA, our employees let their passion blossom every day. Our teams are driven by the desire to help people bring their projects to life and are committed to making a difference in the communities we serve. We operate or service corporate and affiliated dealer stores. With a distinctive product and service offering and complementary store formats ranging from neighbourhood hardware stores to big box stores, our RONA+, RONA and Dick's Lumber banners are well equipped to help meet the needs of all DIYers and contractors. You've got the talent? We've got the tools! Here, your work and ideas will contribute to building a flourishing organization. Your voice will always be heard and valued. You'll find career opportunities that live up to your ambitions and be able to further develop your unique set of skills. So, if you're looking to do what you love, we could be a perfect match. Reporting to the Senior Director, Brand Strategy & Marketing, the Strategic Planning & Insights Manager plays a pivotal role in supporting the organization's growth and transformation agenda. This individual will lead the development of strategic marketing plans, champion the consistent activation of the brand strategy across the business, and elevate the organization's insights and research capabilities. This is a highly visible role that partners closely with senior marketing leaders and key cross-functional stakeholders, helping shape business decisions through strategic thinking, customer understanding, and actionable recommendations. Key Responsibilities Strategic Marketing Planning Lead strategic marketing planning for large-scale marketing initiatives and cross-functional growth projects, including customer experience (in-store and online), new products and services, private brands, and other strategic priorities. Serve as the steward of the brand strategy, ensuring its consistent integration across key business functions, including merchandising, operations, digital, customer experience, human resources, and other critical touchpoints. Establish and lead the annual enterprise marketing planning process, aligning stakeholders, defining priorities, and driving a cohesive strategic roadmap. Translate commercial objectives into marketing strategies by identifying priorities, investment opportunities, growth drivers, and strategic focus areas. Proactively identify growth opportunities, emerging trends, and potential market threats, influencing business and marketing plans accordingly. Provide strategic marketing guidance and advisory support to a broad range of initiatives and business projects. Contribute to the development of a stronger strategic planning culture across the marketing function. Collaborate with external agency partners as required. Insights, Research & Decision Support Design and oversee qualitative and quantitative research programs supporting marketing, digital, operations, and merchandising teams, including segmentation, brand tracking, customer satisfaction, NPS, consumer journey mapping, trend analysis, campaign evaluation, and related initiatives. Synthesize complex data and research findings into clear, actionable recommendations that inform strategic decisions. Develop compelling executive presentations, insights reports, and business recommendations for senior stakeholders. Leverage emerging technologies and AI-powered solutions to improve the speed, accuracy, and impact of insights generation, including predictive analytics, process automation, and trend identification. Manage relationships with external research partners and ensure the quality and relevance of deliverables. Lead and coach an Insights & Research Specialist. What We're Looking For Minimum of 8 years of experience in strategic planning, preferably within a marketing agency, consulting environment, or complex organization. Demonstrated expertise in marketing strategy development, business planning, an