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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Issue Clerk

💰 $ - $

OperationsInventory ManagementAdministrativeWarehouseLogistics

🎯 Role Definition

An Issue Clerk is responsible for accurate, timely issuance and documentation of materials, supplies, or items from a central stores or stockroom to internal customers or external contractors. This role ensures inventory integrity through systematic record-keeping, barcode scanning, and reconciliation activities, supports warehouse and production schedules by fulfilling pull orders, and enforces compliance with company procedures and safety standards. Ideal candidates are detail-driven, comfortable with inventory systems (ERP, WMS, or SAP), and skilled at communicating with multiple departments to prioritize and resolve issuance exceptions.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Warehouse Assistant / Material Handler
  • Stockroom Clerk / Receiving Clerk
  • Administrative Support / Office Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Senior Issue Clerk / Lead Stores Clerk
  • Inventory Control Supervisor / Stores Supervisor
  • Logistics Coordinator / Materials Planner
  • Supply Chain Analyst

Lateral Moves:

  • Receiving Clerk / Shipping Clerk
  • Production Support or Production Control
  • Procurement Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Accurately pick, stage, and issue materials, tools, consumables, and components to production, maintenance, or field teams according to pull tickets, work orders, or requisitions while ensuring correct part numbers, quantities, and lot/batch identifiers are issued.
  • Maintain up-to-date inventory records by performing timely data entry into the ERP/WMS/SAP system, scanning barcodes or RFID tags, and updating transaction logs to reflect issued, returned, and transferred stock.
  • Validate and process material requisitions by verifying authorization, budget codes, and approval levels; escalate exceptions or unauthorized requests to supervisors for resolution.
  • Conduct regular cycle counts and participate in physical inventory audits to identify discrepancies, investigate root causes, and prepare variance reports with corrective action recommendations.
  • Reconcile issued quantities with bin balances, production consumption reports, and receiving records; document and report shortages, overstocks, and damaged goods to inventory control.
  • Prepare and maintain clear, auditable documentation for every issuance including packing slips, material issue vouchers, issuance reports, and job ticket confirmations for compliance and traceability.
  • Coordinate with procurement and receiving teams to ensure replenishment lead times are minimized and critical items are flagged for priority restock when minimum inventory levels are reached.
  • Operate material handling equipment safely (e.g., forklifts, pallet jacks, hand trucks) to move issued items from storeroom locations to staging areas or production lines, following OSHA and internal safety policies.
  • Enforce proper labeling, storage, and bin control practices; ensure first-in-first-out (FIFO) or first-expired-first-out (FEFO) rotation policies are followed for perishable or serialized inventory.
  • Process returns and exchange transactions for issued items, inspect returned goods for quality, restock serviceable items, and coordinate disposal or return-to-vendor activities for defective stock.
  • Respond to internal customer inquiries on order status, lead times, and availability; provide proactive communication to production planners and maintenance supervisors about potential material shortages or delays.
  • Monitor and adjust min/max levels, reorder points, and safety stock in collaboration with inventory control or purchasing to align with usage trends and seasonal demand.
  • Maintain clean, organized, and theft-resistant storeroom environments by implementing standard housekeeping, security protocols, and controlled access to high-value or sensitive items.
  • Apply barcode scanning, label printing, and cycle-count technology to improve accuracy and throughput while documenting exceptions and system errors for IT or process teams to resolve.
  • Prepare shipping manifests and handover documentation when issuing materials to third-party contractors, field crews, or customer sites, ensuring correct custody chain and signatures.
  • Execute quality checks during issuance to confirm parts meet specifications, serial numbers match orders, and certificates of conformity or calibration are present when required.
  • Support production changeovers by staging kits and issuing pre-packed component sets to meet tight line schedules and reduce downtime.
  • Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) such as issuance accuracy, pick time per order, stockout incidents, and cycle-count variance to support continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Investigate and clear backlog of outstanding requisitions and reconcile aged issues, notifying stakeholders of corrective actions and timeline to completion.
  • Train and mentor junior stores staff or temporary associates on issuance procedures, inventory systems, safety, and quality expectations to maintain consistent operational performance.
  • Maintain confidentiality and proper handling of controlled materials, proprietary components, or employee property issued from stores in accordance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
  • Follow company policies on hazardous materials handling when issuing regulated supplies, ensuring Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and proper PPE guidelines are communicated to the requestor.
  • Participate in process improvement workshops, Kaizen events, or audits to streamline issuance workflows, reduce touchpoints, and increase first-pass accuracy.
  • Support ad-hoc reporting and data extraction needs for audits, regulatory inspections, or senior management requests related to issued inventory and transaction history.

Secondary Functions

  • Collaborate with accounts payable and purchasing to resolve invoicing or supplier delivery discrepancies that affect issuance timing or stock accuracy.
  • Assist with periodic stock transfers between facilities, ensuring proper transfer documentation and system updates are completed for inter-site reconciliation.
  • Provide cross-functional support during peak periods by assisting receiving, shipping, or packing teams to maintain overall logistics throughput.
  • Maintain training records and SOP documentation for issuance processes, and recommend updates to reflect changes in systems, regulations, or best practices.
  • Aid in implementing new inventory tools or software modules by participating in user acceptance testing and providing end-user feedback.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Inventory management and stock issuance using ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics) or Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).
  • Proficient in barcode/RFID scanning, label generation, and mobile data terminals for accurate transaction capture.
  • Strong data entry skillset with high accuracy in Microsoft Excel (vlookups, pivot tables, basic formulas) and experience with transaction-based database updates.
  • Familiarity with cycle counting methodology, physical inventory audit procedures, and variance analysis.
  • Ability to read and interpret part numbers, bill of materials (BOM), packing lists, and technical drawings to verify correct issuances.
  • Experience operating warehouse equipment safely, including forklifts and pallet jacks; valid certifications where applicable.
  • Knowledge of shipping/receiving processes, packing requirements, and documentation for issuing materials offsite.
  • Basic understanding of quality inspection practices, accept/reject criteria, and disposition workflows for returned or damaged goods.
  • Capability to use computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) or production work order systems to issue parts to maintenance jobs.
  • Hands-on experience with safety and compliance standards (OSHA, hazardous materials handling) as related to storeroom operations.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy for high-integrity inventory transactions.
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple issuance requests under tight deadlines.
  • Effective verbal and written communication for clear coordination with internal customers, supervisors, and vendors.
  • Problem-solving orientation to investigate discrepancies, propose root-cause solutions, and follow through on corrective actions.
  • Customer-service mindset to support production and maintenance teams with timely, courteous issue fulfillment.
  • Dependability and accountability for meeting KPIs, shift start/end responsibilities, and secure custody of issued items.
  • Team player who collaborates across receiving, purchasing, and production to maintain supply continuity.
  • Adaptability to changing priorities, seasonal demand shifts, and technology upgrades while maintaining high performance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or certification in Logistics, Supply Chain, Business Administration, Industrial Technology, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Logistics / Supply Chain Management
  • Business Administration
  • Industrial Technology / Materials Management
  • Library Science (for library-focused Issue Clerk roles)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1 to 3 years of experience in stores, warehouse, or inventory/stock issuance roles.

Preferred:

  • 2+ years working with ERP/WMS systems, demonstrated cycle count experience, and prior exposure to production or maintenance issuance processes.
  • Forklift certification and prior experience in high-volume storeroom or manufacturing-support environments is advantageous.
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