Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:

Customer Demand Manager

Accountable to:

Planning & Supply Chain Manager

Base Location:

Burnley Head Office - On-Site

Main Responsibilities

We are seeking a highly organised, detail-driven Customer Demand Manager to take ownership of the end-to-end sales order process, ensuring alignment between customer demand, production capacity, and material availability. This is a key role within the Supply Chain team, acting as a critical interface between customers, production, procurement, and commercial functions.

Operating within a small team, the role requires someone who is structured, self-disciplined, and capable of working independently to provide accurate and timely outputs. The ability to manage workload effectively with minimal supervision will be crucial.

The role is responsible for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the order book, managing customer communications, and driving forward planning processes to support on-time delivery and a high standard of customer service. You'll work closely with cross-functional teams to align customer requirements with internal capabilities and protect the business commercially through proactive scheduling, material planning, and risk management. You'll play a critical role in managing customer accounts, aligning forecasts and the end-to-end supply chain, and ensuring internal processes run smoothly to support on-time delivery and high service levels.

The role also requires confident remote account management, with the ability to negotiate with customers to support contractual compliance while maintaining strong professional relationships.

Key Tasks

Manage the full sales order process from order receipt and acknowledgement through to delivery, ensuring accuracy and timely updates.

Act as the main point of contact for key customer accounts, providing clear communication on order status, lead times, and any changes to schedules.

Maintain the order book with up-to-date, reliable information that reflects current demand, supply, and production status.

Align customer forecasts and orders with internal production plans, both short- and long-term.

Monitor customer demand against contractual

tolerances, escalating risks or exceptions as required.

Issue and coordinate works orders in line with production plans and material availability.

Balance production capacity, material constraints, and customer priorities to support accurate planning and realistic delivery dates.

Generate and maintain material demand schedules, working closely with procurement to ensure timely, cost-effective supply, and internal/external alignment at all times.

Communicate changes in demand, material status, or production capacity across relevant teams to ensure alignment and responsiveness, reviewing against customer contractual requirements.

Support the production planning process by contributing data and insight into planning meetings.

Ensure raw material pricing flows correctly through the order book to customer quotations or invoices, where relevant.

Take ownership over order accuracy and customer terms, protecting the business from over commitment or under-recovery where possible, and escalating where required.

Report on key metrics relating to the role, as listed in the Key Success Measures below.

Continuously seek improvements to processes, systems, and communication channels that enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Alongside any further tasks requested by the manager.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential:

Proven experience in a similar role within manufacturing, supply chain, or production planning environments.

Solid understanding of sales order processing, production scheduling, and customer account management.

Experience in remote customer account management and negotiation to resolve issues and support contractual adherence.

Commercially aware, with a proactive approach to risk management and escalation.

Strong communication skills, with confidence in dealing directly with customers, suppliers, and internal teams.

Comfortable working with ERP/MRP systems and able to maintain accurate, structured data.

Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel and other business applications for data handling and reporting.

Excellent organisational and analytical skills, with strong attention to detail.

Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Self-discipline and the ability to work independently in a small team environment, delivering results to management with minimal oversight.

Desirable:

Experience with production scheduling and works order management in a manufacturing environment.

Familiarity with demand forecasting, capacity planning, and material requirements planning.

Knowledge of ERP systems such as Odoo, SAP, Oracle, or Sage.

Previous experience working with inbound supply chains or procurement teams.

Exposure to S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) or similar cross-functional planning frameworks.

Key Success Measures

Order Book Accuracy and Currency

OTIF Delivery Performance

Forecast vs. Actual Demand Variance

Production Plan Adherence

Material Availability to Schedule

Additional information

Some customers are supporting military programs that may require security clearance.

NB. This job description is intended for use as a guide only and is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: 30,000.00-40,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Bereavement leave Company events Company pension Free parking On-site parking Sick pay
Work Location: In person