Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Inventory Controller

🎯 Role Definition

The Inventory Controller is responsible for end-to-end stock governance across warehouses and distribution centers. This role focuses on maintaining accurate inventory records, minimizing shrinkage and obsolescence, coordinating cycle counts and physical inventories, reconciling system-to-physical variances, optimizing safety stock, and partnering with procurement, planning and operations to ensure on-time availability while controlling working capital. The ideal candidate combines strong ERP/WMS experience (SAP/NetSuite/Oracle/Microsoft Dynamics), advanced Excel and data-analysis capabilities, and practical warehouse operations knowledge to drive continuous improvement in inventory accuracy and supply chain efficiency.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Inventory Analyst / Stock Analyst
Warehouse Coordinator / Receiving Clerk
Junior Supply Chain Analyst

Advancement To:

Senior Inventory Controller
Inventory Manager / Stock Control Manager
Supply Chain Manager / Logistics Manager

Lateral Moves:

Demand Planner
Procurement / Purchasing Analyst
Warehouse Operations Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, own and continuously improve the end-to-end cycle counting program, including frequency planning, scheduling, variance investigation and documented corrective actions to maintain target inventory accuracy levels.
Lead monthly, quarterly and annual physical inventories (full and partial), coordinate cross-functional teams, prepare inventory reconciliation reports and drive timely resolution of system-to-physical discrepancies.
Reconcile inventory balances between ERP/WMS records and physical stock, identify root causes of variances, and implement process or system changes to prevent recurrence.
Manage SKU master data hygiene—ensuring accurate product descriptions, unit of measure, bin locations, lot and serial tracking data, expiration dates, and ABC classification in the ERP/WMS.
Oversee inbound receiving and outbound shipping reconciliations to ensure receipts and shipments are recorded correctly, including matching purchase orders, packing slips and ASN data in the ERP system.
Monitor inventory KPIs such as inventory accuracy, days of inventory on hand (DOH), stockouts, service level, shrinkage and obsolete stock, and present monthly performance dashboards to stakeholders.
Collaborate with demand planning and procurement teams to optimize safety stock levels, reorder points and lead time assumptions to balance service levels and working capital.
Lead root cause investigations for recurring inventory issues (e.g., high variances, frequent stockouts or excess stock) and coordinate corrective action plans, process documentation updates and training.
Implement and manage inventory control procedures including FIFO/FEFO rotation, lot control, expiry date handling, quarantine processes and returns to vendor (RTV) workflows.
Execute inventory adjustments, stock transfers, and intercompany transfers in ERP with appropriate approvals and audit trails while ensuring cost and GL impacts are recorded accurately.
Manage cycle count teams or third-party counting vendors, provide coaching, validate counting methods and ensure quality control and compliance with company counting standards.
Support warehouse layout and slotting initiatives by providing inventory velocity analysis and SKU profiling to reduce travel times, improve picking accuracy and increase storage density.
Drive continuous improvement projects using Lean/Six Sigma principles to reduce shrinkage, shorten count cycles, improve accuracy and streamline replenishment processes.
Maintain accurate lot, serial number and traceability records for regulated or high-value products and support recall readiness and audit requests.
Partner with inventory valuation, finance and accounting teams to support month-end and year-end inventory close activities, including reconciliations, impairment/obsolescence calculations and COGS adjustments.
Validate inbound inspection, quality hold and inspection release processes to ensure non-conforming product does not get consumed into active inventory without proper disposition.
Manage vendor returns, scrap disposals and obsolete item disposition processes, ensuring compliance with company policy and minimizing financial loss.
Configure and test inventory-related system changes, participate in ERP/WMS upgrades, and translate operational requirements into technical specifications with IT.
Prepare and present inventory analysis, trend reports and scenario modeling to senior leadership to support strategic decisions such as product rationalization and safety stock policy changes.
Coordinate with customer service and sales teams to prioritize order fulfillment for high-value or time-sensitive SKUs and to resolve backorder-related inventory issues.
Implement and maintain barcode, RFID and mobile scanning technologies to improve data capture accuracy and reduce manual errors in receiving, picking and counting operations.
Ensure compliance with regulatory, safety and internal audit requirements related to inventory handling, storage (e.g., hazardous materials, controlled substances), and recordkeeping.

Secondary Functions

Provide ad-hoc inventory data analysis to support cross-functional initiatives such as promotions, new product introductions and seasonal ramp-ups.
Mentor and train warehouse and inventory staff on control processes, standard operating procedures and system best practices.
Support procurement with lead time and supplier performance insights derived from inventory trends and supplier receipt variance analysis.
Assist in forecasting demand for slow- and non-moving items to proactively manage obsolescence and plan for disposition or rework.
Collaborate with logistics and transportation teams to coordinate transfers, inbound scheduling and receiving optimization.
Participate in risk assessments and business continuity planning to safeguard stock availability for critical SKUs.
Engage with external auditors during inventory audits and provide required documentation, explanations and corrective action plans.
Maintain and update SOPs, policy documents and training materials related to stock control, counting procedures and inventory transactions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Inventory Management and Stock Control (cycle counting, physical inventory, SKU management)
ERP Systems: SAP (MM/WM), Oracle, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and barcode/RFID technology
Advanced Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, power query, macros) for inventory modeling and analysis
Data analysis and SQL querying to extract and reconcile inventory datasets from transactional systems
Experience with inventory valuation methods and accounting impacts (FIFO, LIFO, weighted average)
KPI development and dashboarding using Power BI, Tableau or Excel
Demand planning basics and safety stock/reorder point optimization
Experience with lot/serial tracking, expiration management and traceability processes
Familiarity with Lean manufacturing / Six Sigma methods for process improvement

Soft Skills

Excellent attention to detail with a strong focus on data accuracy and auditability
Strong problem-solving and root-cause investigation skills
Effective cross-functional communication and stakeholder management
Ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, high-volume operations environment
Leadership and coaching skills to manage counting teams and drive change
Analytical mindset with ability to turn data into actionable recommendations
Adaptability and project management capability to implement system or process changes
Customer-service orientation when supporting internal business partners
Ethical mindset and commitment to compliance and internal controls
Time management and organizational skills for coordinating physical inventories and month-end activities

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent (with strong relevant inventory/warehouse experience)

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management / Logistics
Business Administration / Accounting
Industrial Engineering / Operations Management
Computer Information Systems (ERP/WMS-related)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2 to 5 years in inventory control, warehouse operations, stock management, or related roles

Preferred:

3 to 7+ years of progressive experience managing inventory processes in mid-to-large scale distribution or manufacturing environments, with proven ERP/WMS expertise and responsibility for cycle counts, reconciliations and inventory KPIs.