What are the responsibilities and job description for the Commissary Inventory Manager position at Buff City Soap Franchising LLC?
Role Summary
The Inventory Manager owns raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods accuracy for the commissary. This role ensures ingredients and packaging are available when needed, inventory is accurate and traceable, and fulfillment execution meets shipping and accuracy standards.
In a plant-based soap operation, this role is critical to maintaining ingredient integrity, batch traceability, and uninterrupted production flow.
Key Responsibilities
Inventory Strategy & Accuracy
- Own inventory strategy, turn targets, and stocking levels
- Maintain accurate inventory counts across raw materials, WIP, and finished goods
- Lead cycle counts and physical inventory processes
Forecasting & Vendor Coordination
- Forecast raw material needs based on production plans and lead times
- Coordinate purchasing and vendor ordering for oils, butters, fragrances, and packaging
- Mitigate supply risks and shortages
Fulfillment Execution
- Own pick/pack/ship execution through hourly staff
- Ensure shipping accuracy, timeliness, and SLA adherence
- Manage returns processing and inventory reconciliation
Traceability & Compliance
- Maintain ingredient traceability by batch and lot
- Support QC audits and documentation requirements
- Partner with Production on defect containment and rework tracking
Cost & Waste Control
- Monitor shrink, waste, and inventory variances
- Support COGS monitoring and waste reduction initiatives
Success Measures
- Inventory accuracy and variance rates
- Raw material availability and stockouts
- Fulfillment accuracy and on-time shipment rates
- Shrink and waste reduction
- Audit and traceability performance
Qualifications & Experience
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Operations, or Business preferred
- Equivalent inventory or warehouse management experience considered
Experience
- 3–6 years of inventory, supply chain, or fulfillment leadership experience
- Experience managing raw materials, WIP, and finished goods inventories
- Hands-on responsibility for inventory accuracy, counts, and reconciliation
- Experience coordinating purchasing and vendor ordering
- Direct exposure to pick/pack/ship operations and carrier coordination
Industry & Technical Knowledge
- Experience with inventory forecasting and demand planning
- Background in traceability, lot control, or regulated inventory environments
- Familiarity with inventory systems (WMS, ERP, or spreadsheets at minimum)
- Understanding of shrink, waste, and variance root causes
Leadership & Skills
- Highly detail-oriented with strong organizational skills
- Ability to balance accuracy with operational speed
- Strong cross-functional partner to Production and Fulfillment
- Comfortable holding teams accountable to process and standards
- Analytical mindset with ability to spot trends and risks early