Inventory Control specialist

Top Job

Located in North Hollywood, CA

Salary: $25-$28/hr

• Take full ownership of inventory accuracy across:
• Raw materials
• Packaging components
• Work-in-process
• Finished goods
• Samples and miscellaneous inventory
• Maintain accurate inventory records within the ERP/WMS system.
• Ensure all inventory movements, transfers, adjustments, and transactions are completed accurately and timely.
• Maintain accurate inventory locations and storage assignments.
• Ensure inventory is properly labeled, identified, and organized.
• Track lot numbers, batch numbers, expiration dates, and other required product information.
• Investigate inventory discrepancies and determine root causes.
• Make appropriate inventory adjustments with proper authorization and documentation.
• Establish and maintain inventory control procedures.

• Develop and maintain a structured cycle-count program.
• Perform regular cycle counts across all inventory categories.
• Conduct full physical inventories as required.
• Reconcile physical counts to system inventory.
• Investigate significant variances rather than simply adjusting quantities.
• Identify recurring inventory discrepancies and implement corrective actions.
• Track inventory accuracy and report trends to management.

• Generate and maintain regular inventory aging reports.
• Identify slow-moving, excess, obsolete, expired, damaged, or questionable inventory.
• Review inventory that has not moved within established timeframes.
• Identify inventory that is sitting in the system but is no longer physically available.
• Identify physical inventory that is not properly reflected in the ERP.
• Work with Purchasing, Manufacturing, Planning, Quality, Finance, and Operations to determine appropriate disposition.
• Create and maintain action lists for aged inventory.
• Drive inventory cleanup projects through completion.
• Research and resolve old inventory balances and unexplained quantities.
• Identify duplicate, inactive, obsolete, or incorrectly set-up inventory items.
• Ensure inventory adjustments and write-offs are properly documented and approved.
• Track inventory disposition, including:
• Return to vendor
• Rework
• Scrap
• Use in production
• Transfer
• Customer-specific disposition
• Other approved disposition
• Provide management with visibility into inventory that is tying up cash or warehouse space.

• Inventory aging reports
• Inventory accuracy reports
• Cycle count results
• Slow-moving inventory
• Excess inventory
• Obsolete inventory
• Expired inventory
• Inventory discrepancies
• Inventory adjustments
• Inventory by location
• Inventory by customer/product
• Inventory value
• Inventory that has had no movement for defined periods
• Other reports needed by Operations and Finance

• Move raw materials, packaging, WIP, and finished goods between locations as required.
• Maintain accurate inventory locations within the facility.
• Ensure materials are stored in logical and accessible locations.
• Maintain FIFO/FEFO practices where applicable.
• Stage materials for production when required.
• Move finished goods into appropriate storage locations.
• Assist with staging materials for shipment.
• Optimize warehouse space and inventory locations.
• Identify opportunities to improve material flow and storage efficiency.

• Safely operate forklifts and other warehouse equipment.
• Move pallets and materials throughout the facility.
• Assist with loading and unloading activities when required.
• Maintain awareness of warehouse safety requirements.
• Perform daily equipment inspections as required.

• Ensure materials issued to Production are properly recorded.
• Track material transfers to and from Production.
• Ensure unused materials are properly returned to inventory.
• Investigate material variances associated with production.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing and Scheduling regarding material availability.
• Identify inventory issues that could impact production schedules.
• Help maintain accurate WIP inventory.
• Assist with reconciliation of production-related inventory transactions.

• Maintain accurate finished-goods inventory.
• Ensure completed production is accurately transferred into finished goods inventory.
• Maintain proper storage locations.
• Investigate discrepancies between physical finished goods and system quantities.
• Coordinate with Customer Service and Shipping regarding inventory availability.
• Identify aged finished goods and bring them to management's attention.
• Assist with inventory cleanup related to customer-specific or discontinued products.

• Maintain accurate ERP/WMS inventory data.
• Identify system issues that contribute to inventory inaccuracies.
• Recommend improvements to inventory processes and controls.
• Help improve barcode/scanning processes.
• Support future implementation of RFID or other inventory technologies.
• Develop standardized inventory procedures and work instructions.
• Build processes that can eventually support additional inventory personnel.
• Continuously look for ways to improve inventory accuracy, efficiency, and visibility.

• Manufacturing
• Production Planning / Scheduling
• Purchasing
• Receiving
• Customer Service
• Shipping
• Quality
• Finance / Accounting
• Operations Management

• 5+ years of inventory control, materials management, warehouse, or manufacturing inventory experience.
• Manufacturing inventory experience strongly preferred.
• Proven experience managing inventory accuracy.
• Experience with cycle counting and physical inventories.
• Experience creating and analyzing inventory reports.
• Experience with inventory aging and inventory cleanup.
• Experience investigating inventory discrepancies and determining root causes.
• Forklift experience required.
• Ability to safely operate a forklift.
• Experience with an ERP, WMS, or inventory management system.
• Strong Excel skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of the inventory function.

• Experience in CPG, cosmetics, personal care, chemical, food, pharmaceutical, or other batch manufacturing environments.
• Experience with lot-controlled inventory.
• Experience with expiration-date-controlled inventory.
• Experience with FIFO/FEFO.
• Experience with BOMs and production inventory.
• Experience with inventory valuation.
• Experience working with Finance/Accounting on inventory reconciliation.
• Experience with barcode or RFID systems.
• Experience with ERP/WMS implementation or process improvement.
• Previous warehouse or inventory leadership experience.

• Takes ownership of inventory accuracy.
• Is comfortable being the go-to person for inventory.
• Can work independently and prioritize competing issues.
• Is analytical and understands inventory data.
• Doesn't just report problems—they find the cause and drive the solution.
• Is comfortable cleaning up years of inventory discrepancies and outdated records.
• Can identify aging and obsolete inventory before it becomes a larger financial problem.
• Is disciplined about documentation and system transactions.
• Understands the relationship between physical inventory and ERP inventory.
• Is comfortable working with Finance to reconcile inventory.
• Is willing to get on a forklift and physically move material when necessary.
• Can build structure and processes from the ground up.
• Has the mindset to eventually help build and lead a larger inventory organization.

• Inventory accuracy
• Cycle-count accuracy
• Reduction in inventory discrepancies
• Timeliness of inventory transactions
• Completion of inventory aging reviews
• Reduction of aged/obsolete inventory
• Completion of inventory cleanup projects
• Reduction in unexplained inventory adjustments
• Accurate inventory locations
• Reduction in production interruptions caused by inventory issues
• Accurate WIP and finished-goods inventory
• Improved inventory visibility for management
• Improved warehouse utilization
• Development and implementation of scalable inventory-control processes