Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Inventory Control Clerk

🎯 Role Definition

An Inventory Control Clerk is responsible for maintaining accurate stock levels, performing cycle counts and physical inventories, reconciling discrepancies, and ensuring inventory data integrity across ERP/WMS systems. This role supports procurement, production, and distribution by managing SKU master data, coordinating stock transfers, monitoring inventory KPIs, and implementing process improvements to reduce shrinkage and obsolescence. Ideal candidates combine strong systems experience (ERP/WMS/Excel) with excellent attention to detail and communication skills.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Warehouse Associate with responsibility for receiving and put-away
Stock Clerk or Inventory Assistant performing cycle counts
Logistics Coordinator handling shipping/receiving documentation

Advancement To:

Inventory Control Supervisor / Team Lead
Inventory Manager or Stockroom Manager
Supply Chain Analyst or Logistics Manager

Lateral Moves:

Purchasing Coordinator / Buyer
Quality Control Inspector or Materials Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct systematic cycle counts and full physical inventories across multiple locations and product families, schedule counting by priority, and reconcile variances to maintain >99% inventory accuracy.
Investigate inventory discrepancies by tracing transactions in the ERP/WMS (receipts, putaways, transfers, shipments) and prepare root-cause analyses with corrective action recommendations to prevent recurrence.
Maintain and update SKU master data including part numbers, descriptions, units of measure, bin locations, lot/serial tracking, and reorder points in the enterprise system to ensure accurate pick/put-away and reporting.
Process receiving documentation, inspect inbound shipments for quantity and quality, verify packing lists and supplier invoices, create receipts in the ERP, and coordinate exceptions and vendor returns (RMA) when necessary.
Execute daily inventory adjustments and journal entries for shrinkage, damage, scrap, and cycle-count corrections, ensuring proper documentation and management approvals for audit trails.
Reconcile month-end inventory balances with general ledger accounts, prepare variance reports for finance, and support external and internal auditors during inventory audits and SOX compliance testing.
Monitor and report on key inventory KPIs (inventory accuracy, days of inventory on hand, turnover, obsolete stock levels, fill rate) and provide actionable insights to reduce carrying costs and stockouts.
Coordinate inter-warehouse and intra-warehouse transfers, generate transfer documentation, update system locations, and track movement to ensure inventory continuity and minimize disruptions to production or shipping.
Oversee labeling and bin location management, implement barcode or RFID labeling standards, and maintain location maps within WMS to optimize put-away and retrieval efficiency.
Collaborate with procurement and planning teams to validate on-hand quantities against open purchase orders and planned receipts, identifying potential shortages or overstock situations and recommending adjustments.
Support returns processing for customer returns (RMA) and supplier returns, inspect returned goods, quarantine defective items, update inventory records, and coordinate disposition (repair, reship, scrap).
Execute FIFO/LIFO or other inventory valuation processes at the bin/lot level and ensure stored goods adhere to shelf-life requirements, expiration date tracking, and first-expiry-first-out (FEFO) procedures.
Prepare and distribute daily/weekly inventory reports and dashboards for operations, procurement, and leadership, combining ERP data and manual observations to support decision-making.
Improve inventory processes by documenting standard operating procedures (SOPs), training warehouse staff on counting and handling practices, and piloting continuous improvement projects to reduce errors.
Utilize handheld scanning devices and warehouse mobility tools to perform cycle counts, receiving, and put-away, ensuring scanning protocols are followed and devices are maintained/calibrated.
Lead or participate in physical inventory planning including cutover schedules, resource allocation, pre-count staging, and post-count reconciliation to minimize downtime and operational impact.
Maintain tracking and disposition of non-conforming material, coordinate quarantines, coordinate with quality control on inspection results, and update inventory status codes in the ERP.
Assist with demand forecasting input by providing historical consumption, seasonality, and slow-moving stock feedback to supply planners to optimize reorder points and safety stock.
Support continuous stock optimization initiatives such as ABC analysis, slow-moving/obsolete (SLOB) reduction programs, and inventory reduction targets while ensuring service levels remain acceptable.
Enforce and promote compliance with company policies, safety procedures, and regulatory requirements relevant to storage and handling (e.g., hazardous materials handling, temperature-controlled products).
Train and mentor junior inventory staff, create training materials for cycle counting best practices, and perform quality checks of counting work to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Coordinate with carriers, warehouse teams, and customs/brokerage (if applicable) on inbound/outbound shipment discrepancies and ensure inventory records reflect transit/consigned stock accurately.
Maintain documentation for lot/serial traceability, support recall readiness activities, and provide inventory trace reports for product safety, warranty, or regulatory investigations.
Drive system data integrity initiatives by performing periodic audits of SKU attributes, unit conversions, and BOM/inventory relationships to reduce transactional errors and mis-picks.

Secondary Functions

Assist with ad-hoc reporting requests from operations, procurement, and finance to support budgeting and inventory forecasting.
Support ERP/WMS testing and configuration activities by validating inventory workflows and providing user acceptance testing (UAT) feedback during system upgrades.
Participate in continuous improvement projects focused on warehouse layout optimization, slotting strategies, and cycle count frequency adjustments.
Provide backup support for shipping/receiving or pick-pack operations during peak periods or staffing shortages.
Maintain inventory-related training materials and contribute to cross-functional knowledge sharing on inventory best practices.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient with ERP and inventory management systems (examples: SAP MM, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Infor, Epicor) and comfortable executing transactions for receipts, adjustments, transfers, and cycle counts.
Experience with warehouse management systems (WMS) and handheld barcode/RFID scanners, including scanning workflows for receiving, put-away, picking, and cycle counting.
Advanced Excel skills including VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, PivotTables, conditional formatting, INDEX/MATCH, and basic macros for data reconciliation and reporting.
Inventory reconciliation and variance analysis experience with the ability to research and correct discrepancies between physical counts and system records.
Knowledge of inventory control methodologies: cycle counting strategies, ABC/XYZ classification, FIFO/FEFO/LIFO principles, and SLOB management.
Familiarity with shipping/receiving processes, packing lists, bills of lading, carrier documentation, and RMA/returns processing workflows.
Ability to generate and maintain inventory reports and dashboards; experience with basic SQL queries or report-building tools is a plus.
Understanding of lot and serial number traceability, expiry date management, and recall procedures when applicable to the product set.
Basic understanding of accounting impacts of inventory transactions (COGS, adjustments, month-end close procedures).
Experience with continuous improvement tools (Lean, 5S) and process documentation for standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail and high degree of accuracy when performing counts and data entry.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to investigate root causes and implement corrective actions.
Effective verbal and written communication to collaborate with procurement, operations, finance, and suppliers.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance recurring counting schedules with ad-hoc investigations and cycle tasks.
Team player who can train others, promote best practices, and contribute positively to a fast-paced warehouse environment.
Adaptability to changing priorities, seasonal workload spikes, and system/process changes.
Customer-service orientation when resolving supplier or internal stakeholder inventory issues.
Integrity and accountability to maintain accurate records and follow audit requirements.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while escalating critical issues appropriately.
Attention to safety, compliance, and regulatory requirements in handling and storing materials.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Education:

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Accounting, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics and Transportation
Business Administration
Accounting or Finance
Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–5 years of progressive experience in inventory control, warehouse operations, or related roles.

Preferred:

3+ years in inventory control or warehouse inventory roles with hands-on ERP/WMS experience and a demonstrated track record of improving inventory accuracy and reducing variances.