Inventory Manager

ImageTek Mfg., Inc.•North Springfield, VT

10d•$65,000 - $90,000

About The Position

The Inventory Manager oversees inventory activities to ensure the accurate, timely, and efficient flow of raw materials, components, work-in-process (WIP), and finished goods throughout the manufacturing operation. The role supports production schedules, maintains inventory accuracy, minimizes material shortages, and controls inventory costs. In a contract manufacturing environment specializing in die cutting, laminating, and injection molding, the Inventory Manager works closely with Production, Purchasing, Quality, Engineering, Customer Service, and Shipping. The position manages inventory records and procedures, supports material planning and production, maintains traceability and customer-specific inventory controls, and oversees inventory-related receiving, storage, handling, and reporting. The manager also develops inventory metrics, identifies opportunities to improve material flow and reduce costs, and collaborates across departments to address inventory issues. Supervision and development of inventory control, warehouse, or material handling personnel may be part of the role, as applicable.

Requirements

Minimum of 3–5 years of inventory control, warehouse management, or materials management experience in a manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated experience managing raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods inventory.
Experience using an ERP or manufacturing inventory management system.
Strong Microsoft Excel skills and the ability to analyze inventory data and prepare reports.
Knowledge of cycle counting, physical inventory processes, inventory reconciliation, lot traceability, and root-cause analysis.
Understanding of production work orders, bills of materials (BOMs), material requirements planning (MRP), and manufacturing workflows.
Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a deadline-driven manufacturing environment.

Nice To Haves

Associate's or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
Prior experience in contract manufacturing, plastics manufacturing, die cutting, laminating, injection molding, or a related industrial environment.
Experience supervising warehouse or inventory personnel.

Responsibilities

Manage accurate inventory records for raw materials, purchased components, work-in-process, finished goods, tooling-related inventory, and packaging supplies.
Establish and maintain inventory control procedures for cycle counts, physical inventories, adjustments, and discrepancy investigations.
Monitor and ensure timely, accurate recording of receipts, production issues, transfers, scrap, returns, and finished goods transactions.
Maintain inventory accuracy within company targets and implement corrective actions for recurring discrepancies.
Investigate inventory variances and identify root causes related to receiving, production reporting, material handling, scrap, or transaction errors.
Establish appropriate inventory locations, labeling, identification, and storage practices.
Coordinate with Production Planning and Purchasing to ensure materials are available for production schedules and customer delivery commitments.
Monitor material requirements for die cutting, laminating, and injection molding, identifying potential shortages or excess inventory.
Track work-in-process and material movement across production departments, outside processors, warehouses, and finished goods locations.
Ensure materials are issued to the correct jobs, work orders, customers, and production processes.
Communicate inventory risks, shortages, and material availability concerns to relevant departments, and support production scheduling with accurate inventory information.
Manage applicable manufacturing materials, including plastics, resins, films, foams, adhesives, tapes, metals, molded components, and customer-specified materials.
Maintain lot, batch, and material traceability in accordance with customer requirements and quality system procedures.
Monitor shelf life, expiration dates, storage conditions, and handling requirements for controlled materials.
Ensure customer-owned, consigned, and company-owned materials are identified, segregated, and accounted for.
Monitor slow-moving, obsolete, excess, and at-risk inventory and coordinate disposition plans with Purchasing, Sales, Quality, and Operations.
Support material substitutions and approved changes in coordination with Engineering and Quality.
Maintain accurate inventory data in the ERP or inventory management system and ensure transactions follow established procedures.
Review inventory reports and develop and maintain metrics for inventory accuracy, cycle counting, shortages, interruptions, turns, days on hand, excess and obsolete stock, scrap, and write-offs.
Provide regular inventory status reports to Operations and executive management.
Recommend system improvements, transaction controls, and process changes to improve inventory visibility and accuracy.
Oversee inventory-related receiving, inspection coordination, labeling, put-away, storage, picking, staging, and material transfers.
Coordinate with Receiving and Quality to ensure incoming materials are identified and placed on hold when inspection or approval is required.
Ensure materials are handled and stored according to manufacturer recommendations, safety requirements, and customer specifications.
Coordinate material staging and replenishment, and ensure finished goods and customer shipments are accurately recorded and reconciled with inventory records.
Identify opportunities to reduce inventory carrying costs, improve inventory turns, reduce scrap, and minimize obsolete materials.
Develop and implement standardized inventory procedures and best practices.
Participate in root-cause analysis and corrective actions related to inventory discrepancies, production shortages, and material waste.
Collaborate across teams to improve material flow, warehouse organization, and inventory planning processes, and support lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
Help establish minimum and maximum inventory levels, safety stock, and reorder points based on demand, lead times, and customer requirements.
Supervise, train, and develop inventory control, warehouse, or material handling personnel, as applicable.
Establish expectations for inventory accuracy, transaction discipline, housekeeping, and material accountability.
Promote accountability, teamwork, safety, and continuous improvement.