Inventory Control Lead

Reports to: Warehouse Manager | Employment type: Full-time | Work environment: Food production and distribution facility (refrigerated and freezer areas)

About the Role

The Inventory Control Lead is responsible for maintaining accurate, real-time inventory records across raw materials, fresh-finished, and frozen-finished products. The role requires strict First-In-First-Out (FIFO) rotation to protect product quality, food safety, and customer satisfaction. Key performance indicators include reduction in rework and scrap (improving overall yield) and cycle-count accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Maintain inventory accuracy for materials and products through cycle counts, physical counts, and system reconciliation.
• Enforce and monitor FIFO rotation across all product categories to minimize spoilage, expiration, and waste, ensuring the oldest eligible stock is used or shipped first.
• Use inventory systems to track material and product movement, ensuring adherence to scanning expectations from receiving through production and shipment.
• Manage and verify product locations, ensuring items are stored in the correct locations and that physical warehouse data matches the system.
• Monitor lot codes, production dates, and expiration/code dates, flagging aging or at-risk inventory for prompt action, including collaboration with Quality and Planning to assign aging product codes to current orders.
• Work with Operations and Warehouse teams to investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies, identifying root causes and recommending corrective actions.
• Uphold cold-chain integrity and temperature-controlled handling standards for frozen and fresh product.
• Follow all food safety, sanitation, and quality requirements (e.g., HACCP, GMPs, and applicable FDA/USDA guidelines) and maintain accurate related records.
• Communicate inventory status, validate shortages, and provide feedback to Scheduling and Operations.
• Assist with periodic reporting on dry inventory levels and reconcile with usage to identify shrinkage or waste.
• Collaborate with other departments and influence (without authority) the behaviors of those making inventory moves.