Position Summary:This position establishes disciplined inventory practices, investigates and resolves discrepancies, strengthens system and physical controls, and partners with Operations, Purchasing, Production, Finance, Sales, and warehouse teams to support product availability while minimizing excess, obsolete, and inaccurate inventory.
Key Responsibilities:- Lead inventory control activities across all locations, warehouses, and 3PL partners, ensuring accurate and timely inventory records.
- Develop, implement, and maintain inventory control policies, standard operating procedures, and internal controls.
- Plan and oversee physical inventories, cycle-count programs, recounts, and root-cause investigations; ensure discrepancies are resolved, and corrective actions are completed.
- Review and approve daily production inventory rolls for meats, cheese, raw materials, packaging, work in process, and finished goods, as applicable.
- Reconcile open purchase orders against receipts and inventory records; partner with Purchasing and Accounts Payable to resolve receiving or quantity discrepancies.
- Monitor yield by item, production run, customer, or program; identify unfavorable variances and coordinate corrective action with Production and Operations.
- Oversee inventory transactions in ERP and WMS platforms, including receipts, transfers, adjustments, production consumption, returns, and disposition activity.
- Establish approval and documentation requirements for inventory adjustments and ensure adjustments are properly supported.
- Partner with Plant Management to develop and implement processes and procedures that minimize inventory risk and improve inventory accuracy.
- Identify and report slow-moving, excess, expired, at-risk, and obsolete inventory; coordinate disposition plans and reserve recommendations with relevant departments.
- Flag raw materials with no usage for 30 or more days and lead follow-up with Purchasing, Production, Sales, and Finance.
- Analyze inventory trends and key performance indicators, including inventory accuracy, shrink, cycle-count results, aging, turns, stockouts, excess inventory, and yield variances.
- Prepare recurring inventory reports and management summaries with clear findings, risks, and recommended actions.
- Partner with Purchasing, Sales, Production, Finance, Quality, and warehouse teams to prevent stockouts, overstock, duplication, and material shortages.
- Support month-end and year-end close activities, external audits, customer audits, and other inventory-related compliance requirements.
- Train employees on inventory procedures, system transactions, count methods, and control requirements; reinforce accountability for inventory accuracy.
- Lead cross-functional inventory meetings, document decisions and action items, and follow through on commitments.
- Use automation, analytics, and AI tools to improve reporting, identify anomalies, reduce manual work, and strengthen inventory controls.
Ideal Candidate Profile/Technical Skills:- Strong ERP experience (Aptean, Business Central, SAP, NetSuite, Oracle, etc.)
- Advanced Excel skills including Pivot Tables, Power Query, and data analysis
- Inventory reconciliation and root-cause analysis
- KPI reporting and dashboard development
- Manufacturing experience preferred
- Experience in multi-site inventory environments
