Materials Inventory Manager

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Oversee daily materials inventory management, including inventory accuracy, cycle counts, physical inventory, variance research, and reconciliation.
• Manage warehouse and receiving operations to ensure materials are properly received, inspected, labeled, stored, rotated, issued, transferred, and documented.

• Maintain a strong focus on material flow to support production schedules, avoid material shortages, reduce delays, and ensure timely movement of raw materials, packaging, supplies, and finished goods.
• Develop, implement, and enforce inventory control procedures, warehouse standards, receiving practices, and material handling processes.

• Monitor inventory levels, material usage, aging inventory, and replenishment needs to support operational demand while minimizing excess, obsolete, or slow-moving inventory.
• Ensure ERP system accuracy by overseeing timely receiving, transfers, adjustments, consumption, reconciliation, and data entry.

• Investigate inventory discrepancies, receiving issues, warehouse variances, and material movement errors; identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Prepare and review inventory, receiving, warehouse, and material flow reports for leadership and cross-functional business partners.

• Partner with Procurement, Production, Quality, Finance, Logistics, and Operations to align inventory availability, storage capacity, receiving priorities, and material flow requirements.
• Provide direct oversight, coaching, training, and performance guidance to warehouse, receiving, and inventory control personnel.

• Support audit readiness, food safety, GMP, safety, traceability, and internal control requirements related to inventory, warehouse, and receiving activities.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities to improve inventory accuracy, warehouse organization, receiving efficiency, labor utilization, and material flow.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage, coach, and hold warehouse, receiving, and inventory personnel accountable.
• Advanced knowledge of inventory control, material flow, warehouse operations, receiving processes, cycle counting, reconciliation, and physical inventory practices.

• Strong understanding of FIFO/FEFO, lot traceability, inventory adjustments, material transfers, and warehouse organization standards.
• Proficient with ERP systems, inventory management software, warehouse reporting, and Microsoft Excel, including filters, lookups, pivot tables, and data analysis.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to investigate discrepancies, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize receiving, inventory, warehouse, and production support needs in a fast-paced environment.

• Clear and professional communication skills with the ability to work cross-functionally with Procurement, Production, Quality, Finance, Logistics, and Operations.
• Ability to enforce warehouse, inventory, safety, food safety, GMP, and audit readiness standards.

• Forklift certification preferred or willingness to obtain, as business needs require.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Logistics, or related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in inventory management, warehouse operations, receiving, materials control, supply chain, or distribution within a manufacturing, food production, or similar environment.

• Minimum of 2 years of supervisory or management experience leading inventory, warehouse, receiving, or materials teams.
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems, inventory transactions, cycle counts, inventory reconciliation, receiving processes, and warehouse reporting required.

• Experience in food manufacturing, cold storage, GMP-regulated, or audit-driven environments preferred.

Working Conditions:

• Work is performed in both office and warehouse environments.
• Regular exposure to cold storage (average 40°F, occasionally -4°F).

• Requires standing, walking, lifting up to 50 lbs, and operating material handling equipment.
• May require extended hours during inventory counts or audits.