Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Inventory Officer

🎯 Role Definition

The Inventory Officer is the frontline specialist responsible for maintaining accurate inventory records, executing cycle counts and physical stocktakes, coordinating inbound and outbound stock activities, and partnering with procurement, warehouse, and finance teams to reduce shrinkage and optimize stock levels. This role combines operational execution with data-driven reconciliation, process improvement, and ERP/WMS system maintenance to ensure inventory integrity and support efficient supply chain operations.

Key SEO keywords: Inventory Officer, inventory control, stock management, cycle counts, ERP inventory, warehouse management, inventory reconciliation, stocktake, inventory accuracy.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Inventory Clerk / Stock Clerk
Warehouse Operative / Goods Receiving Clerk
Procurement Assistant or Junior Logistics Coordinator

Advancement To:

Senior Inventory Officer / Inventory Supervisor
Inventory Manager / Stock Control Manager
Supply Chain Analyst or Logistics Manager

Lateral Moves:

Purchasing Officer / Buyer
Warehouse Manager / Operations Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, coordinate and execute a structured cycle count program and full physical stocktakes across multiple locations to maintain and improve inventory accuracy and integrity.
Perform daily reconciliation of inventory transactions (receipts, issues, returns, transfers) between the warehouse floor and the ERP/WMS (e.g., SAP MM/WM, Oracle, NetSuite, Manhattan) to identify and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
Receive, inspect, and verify incoming goods against purchase orders and delivery documentation, documenting quality or quantity variances and initiating corrective actions with suppliers and procurement.
Process goods receipts, goods issues, inter-warehouse transfers and stock adjustments in the ERP/WMS ensuring correct item codes, lot/batch numbers, serial numbers, and bin locations.
Maintain accurate bin/location management, ensure correct labeling and storage practices (FIFO/FEFO), and optimize warehouse slotting to improve picking efficiency and minimize handling.
Investigate inventory variances, lead root-cause analysis (RCA) for shrinkage or discrepancy trends, and implement corrective and preventive actions to reduce recurring issues.
Monitor and maintain safety stock levels, reorder points, and replenish parameters in collaboration with procurement and planners to balance service levels and working capital.
Prepare and deliver timely inventory reports, KPIs and dashboards (e.g., inventory accuracy, days of inventory, stock turns, obsolete stock) using Excel, Power BI or other reporting tools to support management decisions.
Coordinate with finance for monthly and year-end inventory valuation and accounting reconciliations, ensuring compliance with valuation methods (FIFO, weighted average) and audit requirements.
Manage returns, quarantined stock and disposition workflows, ensuring compliant processing of defective, expired, or returned goods and minimizing financial impact.
Supervise and train warehouse and inventory staff on inventory control procedures, scanning devices, cycle count techniques and change control processes to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Control and maintain item master data, part numbers, descriptions, units of measure, commodity codes, and bin assignments in the ERP to prevent master-data-related transaction errors.
Lead inventory audit activities, prepare documentation for internal and external auditors, and implement audit recommendations to strengthen controls and compliance.
Coordinate daily with purchasing, planning and production teams to communicate stock availability, lead-time issues, and expedite critical replenishments to prevent stockouts.
Implement and manage barcode/RFID scanning processes and equipment for receiving, picking, put-away and cycle counts to increase transaction accuracy and efficiency.
Execute pick/pack verification and random checks to improve order accuracy and reduce customer returns; collaborate with shipping to resolve fulfillment discrepancies.
Analyze slow-moving, obsolete and excess inventory and recommend disposition strategies (return to vendor, write-off, discount, or redistribution) to improve inventory turnover.
Maintain compliance with health, safety and regulatory requirements for storage, handling and transportation of inventory (hazmat, temperature-controlled, perishable goods).
Drive continuous improvement projects to streamline inventory workflows, reduce handling steps, and improve first-time match rates between physical and system inventory.
Support demand forecasting and sales/operations planning by providing historical inventory insights, lead-time variability, and safety stock recommendations.
Oversee vendor-managed inventory (VMI) or consignment stock processes where applicable, managing replenishment agreements and reconciliation cycles.
Manage stock transfers and cross-dock operations, ensuring correct documentation and minimal transit discrepancies.
Liaise with IT on ERP/WMS enhancements, testing inventory-related changes, and validating system updates to ensure accurate transaction behavior post-deployment.
Ensure accurate recording and traceability for lot/batch/serial-managed items, working with quality to support recalls or tracebacks if required.
Monitor and report on KPI targets (inventory accuracy, shrinkage rate, cycle count completion, fill rate) and implement action plans when targets are not met.

Secondary Functions

Provide ad-hoc inventory data analysis and support business units with stock-related reporting and trend analysis.
Contribute to cross-functional projects such as ERP implementations, WMS upgrades or barcode/RFID rollouts by supplying inventory expertise and validating data migration.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Kaizen) to reduce stock handling time, improve throughput and increase picking accuracy.
Assist procurement and planning teams with supplier performance feedback relating to delivery accuracy and packaging issues affecting warehouse operations.
Support emergency stock replenishment and expedite procedures during peak season or stockout scenarios.
Maintain up-to-date Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and training materials for inventory processes and system usage.
Help coordinate logistics carriers and internal transport for inter-site transfers and returns, ensuring proper documentation and cost control.
Act as first responder for inventory-related incidents, coordinating corrective actions and communicating status to stakeholders.
Facilitate onboarding and coaching of temporary staff for cycle counts and physical inventories to ensure consistent execution.
Support sustainability initiatives by recommending excess stock reuse, refurbishment or donation pathways where feasible.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Inventory management and stock control best practices (cycle counting, stocktakes, FIFO/FEFO).
ERP/WMS proficiency — experience with SAP MM/WM, Oracle Inventory, NetSuite, Manhattan WMS or similar systems.
Advanced Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, data validation, and macros/basic VBA).
Experience with barcode/RFID systems, mobile scanners and handheld terminal transactions.
Inventory valuation and accounting basics (FIFO, weighted average, reconciliation for month-end/year-end).
Familiarity with reporting and BI tools (Power BI, Tableau) to create inventory dashboards and KPI reports.
Basic SQL or data-querying skills to extract and reconcile inventory datasets (preferred).
Knowledge of warehouse operations including receiving, put-away, picking, packing, shipping and returns processes.
Understanding of supply chain planning concepts — safety stock, reorder point, lead time variability, and demand patterns.
Experience conducting root-cause analysis and implementing corrective action plans for inventory discrepancies.
Familiarity with regulatory handling for specific product types (hazardous materials, cold chain, pharmaceuticals) as applicable.
Ability to maintain and cleanse master data (item codes, lot/serial control, unit measures) in ERP systems.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity and process compliance.
Analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable program improvements.
Effective communicator — capable of building cross-functional relationships with procurement, finance, warehouse and vendors.
Problem-solver who can lead investigations and implement practical corrective actions under time constraints.
Time management and prioritization skills for balancing daily operational tasks and audit cycles.
Leadership and coaching ability to train warehouse staff and temporary teams for cycle counts and inventory procedures.
Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced environments, especially during peak seasons or system transitions.
Customer-service orientation to support internal stakeholders and maintain service level agreements (SLAs).

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent with demonstrable inventory/warehouse experience.

Preferred Education:

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

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics and Transportation
Business Administration
Operations Management
Industrial Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

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

Preferred:

3+ years of hands-on inventory control experience in medium-to-large distribution or manufacturing environments and demonstrated use of ERP/WMS systems.

Keywords: Inventory Officer, inventory control specialist, stock reconciliation, cycle count program, ERP inventory management, WMS, warehouse operations, stock accuracy, inventory KPI, inventory audit, inventory valuation.