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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Item Supervisor

💰 $ - $

OperationsWarehouseInventory ManagementSupply ChainLogisticsRetail

🎯 Role Definition

The Item Supervisor is responsible for supervising all activities related to the receipt, storage, handling, replenishment and dispatch of items. This includes ensuring inventory accuracy through cycle counting and reconciliation, directing warehouse associates and clerks, optimizing bin and shelf locations, enforcing safety and quality standards, and using WMS/ERP tools to monitor KPIs (inventory accuracy, on-time shipping, stock turns, shrinkage). The Item Supervisor acts as the operational point person between purchasing, distribution, and store or customer fulfillment teams to ensure product availability and efficient flow of goods.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Inventory Clerk / Inventory Control Specialist
  • Receiving Clerk / Warehouse Associate
  • Stockroom Associate / Retail Stock Supervisor

Advancement To:

  • Inventory Manager / Stock Control Manager
  • Warehouse Manager / Distribution Supervisor
  • Supply Chain or Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Control Supervisor
  • Purchasing / Procurement Coordinator
  • Logistics Coordinator / Distribution Planner

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead and supervise daily item-handling operations including receiving, put-away, replenishment, picking, packing and shipping to meet SLA and KPI targets for accuracy and on-time fulfillment.
  • Maintain and improve inventory accuracy by developing and executing regular cycle count programs, investigating count discrepancies, reconciling variances, and implementing corrective actions.
  • Manage stock rotation policies (FIFO, LIFO, FEFO) and ensure expired, damaged, or obsolete goods are identified, segregated and processed according to company policy and regulatory requirements.
  • Oversee the operation and configuration of warehouse management systems (WMS) and ERP inventory modules to ensure records reflect physical locations, quantities, lot numbers and serial numbers accurately.
  • Coordinate inbound freight receipt processes: inspect shipments, verify packing lists against purchase orders, report shortages/damages, and initiate claims or vendor reconciliations when necessary.
  • Plan, assign and supervise the work of item-handling staff including scheduling shifts, assigning tasks, coaching, conducting performance reviews and maintaining high team morale and productivity.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce item handling time, minimize errors, optimize picking routes, and increase storage density while maintaining safe working conditions.
  • Monitor inventory KPIs—inventory accuracy, shrink rate, stockouts, days on hand, and turnover—and generate daily/weekly/monthly reports for leadership and cross-functional partners.
  • Partner with procurement and demand planning teams to trigger replenishment, manage safety stock levels, and support seasonal and promotional inventory planning to prevent stockouts or overstock.
  • Implement and enforce health, safety and compliance standards (OSHA, local regulations and company policies) including PPE use, safe lifting practices, hazardous materials handling and emergency procedures.
  • Supervise and perform root-cause analysis on stock discrepancies, damage claims and shrinkage incidents; lead corrective action plans and document process changes to prevent recurrence.
  • Maintain bin and slotting strategies by analyzing item velocity and dimensional data, conducting slotting projects, and reassigning storage locations to improve picking efficiency.
  • Manage returns processing and disposition of returned items, including quality inspection, restock, return-to-vendor (RTV) workflows, and credit documentation.
  • Train staff on operational procedures, WMS transactions, barcode/RFID scanning, quality checks and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to maintain consistency and reduce errors.
  • Support cycle count and full physical inventory events by coordinating resources, preparing count instructions, locking inventory where required, and validating reconciliation results.
  • Control inventory-related documentation—received goods records, packing lists, quality inspection reports, and inventory adjustment logs—to ensure traceability and audit readiness.
  • Collaborate with customer service teams to research and resolve customer inventory or order issues, identify root causes, and implement preventive measures to improve satisfaction.
  • Work with vendors and carriers to coordinate delivery schedules, expedite critical shipments, manage partial shipments and ensure accurate freight and receiving documentation.
  • Manage and maintain warehouse equipment and supplies (forklifts, pallet jacks, scanners, labels), schedule maintenance and ensure only qualified staff operate powered industrial equipment.
  • Lead or participate in supplier audits, regulatory inspections and internal inventory audits; prepare necessary documentation and follow through on audit findings to close gaps.
  • Analyze inventory trends and seasonal patterns to recommend SKU rationalization, markdown strategies, or redistribution across stores and warehouses to improve overall inventory health.
  • Create and update SOPs, training materials and process maps to formalize best practices and improve consistency across shifts and locations.
  • Support technology rollouts and WMS/ERP upgrades by participating in testing, training and cutover activities to ensure minimal disruption to inventory operations.
  • Manage small budgets for supplies and operational needs, report variances and make recommendations to optimize spending while maintaining service levels.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist with ad-hoc inventory and operational data requests, producing analysis and dashboards that inform replenishment and performance decisions.
  • Support cross-functional projects—e.g., facility expansions, seasonal readiness, promotions and product launches—by providing item-level operational expertise.
  • Contribute to the organization’s inventory strategy by recommending automation, layout and process improvements that scale with growth.
  • Participate in safety committees and lead toolbox talks to reinforce safe material handling and ergonomics.
  • Coach and mentor junior staff with career development plans and skills training to build bench strength within the team.
  • Help evaluate and onboard third-party logistics (3PL) partners or contract carriers for specialized handling and warehousing needs.
  • Maintain continuous improvement logs and Kaizen boards; help prioritize and pilot small-scale experiments to validate process changes.
  • Coordinate with IT to troubleshoot barcode scanning, label printing and handheld device issues that impact inventory transaction flow.
  • Support budget forecasting by providing consumption patterns, labor needs, and equipment replacement schedules.
  • Facilitate vendor-managed inventory (VMI) or consignment processes where applicable, ensuring accurate reconciliation and documentation.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Inventory Management: Proven experience managing end-to-end inventory processes including cycle counts, physical inventory and reconciliations.
  • Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): Hands-on expertise with WMS platforms (e.g., Oracle WMS, SAP EWM, Manhattan, Blue Yonder) to execute receiving, put-away, pick/pack and ship transactions.
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Familiarity with ERP systems (SAP, NetSuite, Oracle) for purchase order matching, goods receipts and inventory ledger reconciliation.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel: Strong skills with pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, conditional formatting and data validation to analyze inventory datasets.
  • Barcode / RFID Systems: Experience implementing and using barcode scanners, label printers and RFID for accurate item identification and traceability.
  • Cycle Count and Physical Inventory Techniques: Deep knowledge of cycle count planning, blind counts, recount rules and inventory reconciliation workflows.
  • Shipping & Receiving Processes: Practical knowledge of freight inspection, ASN matching, LTL/FTL processes, carrier coordination and damage claims handling.
  • Slotting and Space Optimization: Ability to perform slotting analysis and layout planning to improve pick rates and reduce travel time.
  • Quality Control & Inspection: Experience conducting quality checks, handling non-conforming items, and coordinating RTM/RTV processes.
  • Safety & Compliance: Knowledge of OSHA standards, hazardous materials handling procedures and safe equipment operation requirements.
  • Data Reporting & KPI Tracking: Ability to create and maintain dashboards and reports for inventory accuracy, shrinkage, stockouts and turnover metrics.
  • Forklift / Equipment Certification: Familiarity with material handling equipment and relevant certification requirements (if operating or managing operators).
  • Purchase Order & Vendor Reconciliation: Skills reconciling POs with receipts and working with procurement on short pays, credits and claims.
  • Continuous Improvement Tools: Familiarity with Lean, Kaizen, 5S or Six Sigma principles applied within warehouse processes.

Soft Skills

  • Leadership & Team Supervision: Strong ability to coach, motivate and develop front-line warehouse staff while managing performance and labor deployment.
  • Communication: Clear written and verbal communication for cross-functional collaboration with procurement, customer service and operations leadership.
  • Problem Solving & Analytical Thinking: Comfortable investigating root causes of discrepancies and driving corrective and preventive actions.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to counts, documentation, labeling and transaction accuracy to minimize inventory variance.
  • Time Management & Prioritization: Able to balance urgent inbound/outbound needs with scheduled cycle counts and process improvement work.
  • Customer Focus: Orientation toward internal and external customer satisfaction, resolving order issues and minimizing stockouts.
  • Adaptability & Resilience: Ability to operate in fast-paced, changing environments such as peak seasons or promotional events.
  • Coaching & Training: Skilled at developing SOPs and delivering on-the-floor training to raise team capabilities.
  • Conflict Resolution: Capable of mediating operational disputes, vendor issues or resource constraints to maintain workflow continuity.
  • Decision-Making: Comfortable making operational trade-offs and escalating appropriately when decisions impact service or compliance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED required.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Operations Management or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics & Transportation
  • Business Administration
  • Operations Management
  • Industrial Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5 years of progressive experience in inventory control, warehouse operations or item management; 1–2 years in a supervisory or lead role preferred.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years supervising inventory or warehouse teams, experience with WMS/ERP systems, demonstrated track record reducing variance and improving on-time fulfillment metrics.
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