At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead demand and supply planning to ensure materials are available on time.
- Company: Join Solidcor, a fast-growing fire-door manufacturer committed to safety.
- Benefits: Enjoy free lunch, snacks, company events, and a dedicated social budget.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for growth in a rapidly evolving business.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a critical role that supports national fire compliance.
- Qualifications: Experience in demand or supply planning within manufacturing is essential.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 € per year.
Solidcor is a rapidly growing Fire-Door Manufacturer, specialising in the production of certified fire doors and life safety products for residential, commercial and public sector buildings across the UK. Operating with a market-leading 10-day delivery promise, Solidcor plays a critical role in supporting national fire compliance programmes that combine precision manufacturing, accredited processes and supply chain discipline to deliver safety-critical products at scale.
As the business continues to grow, the ability to translate demand into reliable, forward-planned supply decisions is essential to protecting service levels, reducing reactive firefighting and enabling operational scale.
Role Purpose
The Demand & Supply Planning Manager owns the end-to-end planning loop — converting sales demand into approved material, inventory and purchasing plans that ensure the right materials are available at the right time. This is a hands-on, decision-making role operating both strategically and operationally. You will work deep in the detail of planning data while leading cross-functional planning rhythms — making evidence-based trade-offs when demand, supply and service priorities conflict.
Key Accountabilities
- Demand & Supply Planning
- Own the rolling 12–16 week demand and supply plan, integrating sales pipeline data, historical consumption and operational capacity constraints.
- Translate demand forecasts into time-phased material, inventory and purchasing requirements.
- Define and maintain planning assumptions including lead times, safety stock levels, reorder logic and risk buffers.
- Identify forward material constraints and elevate risks with clear options and mitigation recommendations.
- Inventory & Availability Ownership
- Own inventory policy and stock availability strategy, including ABC classification and protection of critical components.
- Declare and manage inventory confidence levels, adjusting plans and buffers where system accuracy is imperfect.
- Prevent stockouts and last-minute expediting through forward visibility and disciplined planning.
- Quantify the impact of demand volatility, forecast error and data inaccuracy on service and cost.
- Physical inventory transactions, stock booking and cycle counting sit with Warehouse Operations. This role owns planning decisions rather than stock movements.
- Approve purchasing priorities in line with the agreed supply plan.
- Place or authorise purchase orders to protect production continuity.
- Work closely with suppliers to confirm delivery schedules, manage lead time risk and improve reliability.
- Monitor supplier performance including OTIF and lead time adherence.
- Provide data-led insight to support annual supplier price negotiations.
- Cross-Functional Planning Leadership
- Lead the weekly planning cadence across Sales, Operations, Production and Warehouse.
- Challenge demand assumptions constructively to ensure planning integrity.
- Align stakeholders around a single, agreed supply plan.
- Act as the planning authority when priorities conflict, escalating where thresholds are breached.
- Provide operational leadership with visibility on risks to the 10-day delivery commitment.
- Use Unleashed as the system of record for planning and purchasing decisions.
- Drive improvements in master data quality including lead times, BOMs and units of measure.
- Identify where system or process breakdowns undermine planning effectiveness.
- Support the transition from reactive, manual workarounds to scalable planning processes.
Experience & Capability
- Proven experience in demand, supply or materials planning within a manufacturing environment.
- Strong understanding of how demand, inventory and lead times interact.
- Experience translating forecasts into purchasing and supply decisions.
- Hands-on use of ERP / MRP systems for planning and procurement.
- Comfortable working with imperfect data and building pragmatic planning models.
- Confident engaging, influencing and constructively challenging Sales, Operations and Production stakeholders.
- Experience operating within a fast-growing or operationally evolving business.
- Familiarity with Unleashed or comparable ERP systems.
- Exposure to BOM-driven manufacturing environments.
Lunch, snacks and refreshments all provided. Company events and dedicated social budget.
Supply Chain Manager in Chesterfield employer: Solidcor
At Solidcor, we pride ourselves on being a dynamic and rapidly growing fire-door manufacturer that values its employees as much as it values safety and compliance. Our collaborative work culture fosters innovation and encourages professional growth, with ample opportunities for career advancement in a supportive environment. Located in the heart of the UK, we offer competitive benefits, including complimentary lunches and a dedicated social budget, making Solidcor an excellent employer for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment in the manufacturing sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Supply Chain Manager in Chesterfield
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Solidcor and understanding their supply chain processes. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs, especially around demand forecasting and inventory management.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your problem-solving skills! During interviews, share specific examples of how you've tackled challenges in demand and supply planning. This will demonstrate your hands-on approach and strategic thinking.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in being part of the Solidcor team.
We think you need these skills to ace Supply Chain Manager in Chesterfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Supply Chain Manager role. Highlight your experience in demand and supply planning, especially within a manufacturing environment. We want to see how your skills align with our needs at Solidcor!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the role and how your background makes you a perfect fit. Don’t forget to mention your hands-on experience with ERP/MRP systems – we love that!
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In your application, give examples of how you've tackled challenges in demand forecasting or inventory management. We’re looking for someone who can make evidence-based decisions and lead cross-functional teams effectively.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, we love seeing applications come in through our own platform!
How to prepare for a job interview at Solidcor
✨Know Your Numbers
Make sure you’re familiar with key metrics related to demand and supply planning. Brush up on concepts like lead times, safety stock levels, and inventory turnover rates. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you understand the core of the role.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples from your past experience where you’ve had to make tough decisions or trade-offs in planning. Solidcor values evidence-based decision-making, so be ready to explain how you approached conflicts between demand, supply, and service priorities.
✨Understand the Business
Research Solidcor’s products and their importance in fire safety compliance. Knowing how their supply chain impacts the delivery promise will help you align your answers with their business goals during the interview.
✨Engage with Cross-Functional Teams
Be prepared to discuss how you’ve collaborated with different departments in previous roles. Highlight your ability to challenge assumptions constructively and align stakeholders around a common plan, as this is crucial for the role at Solidcor.
