What are the responsibilities and job description for the Inventory Manager position at Prospance Inc?
Job Description:
Department: Operations / Supply Chain
Position Summary
The Production Inventory Manager is responsible for overseeing, controlling, and optimizing raw material, WIP, and finished goods inventory within a frozen food manufacturing environment, with a strong focus on meat products. This role ensures inventory accuracy, regulatory compliance, product traceability, and alignment between production, warehousing, and distribution. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience in food manufacturing, understands cold-chain and meat handling requirements, and excels at inventory control within ERP-driven operations.
Key Responsibilities
Inventory Control & Accuracy
Manage inventory for raw materials, packaging, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods in frozen and refrigerated environments.
Ensure accurate inventory records through cycle counts, physical inventories, and system reconciliation.
Maintain FIFO/FEFO practices to manage shelf life, lot integrity, and product quality.
Monitor inventory adjustments, variances, and root causes; implement corrective actions.
Production & Operations Support
Collaborate with Production and Planning teams to align inventory availability with production schedules.
Ensure timely staging and issuance of materials to support uninterrupted production.
Monitor yields, shrink, waste, and rework specific to meat processing and frozen operations.
Support labor and space planning within cold storage and production areas.
Compliance & Traceability
Maintain lot tracking and full traceability for meat products in compliance with USDA, FDA, FSMA, and HACCP requirements.
Support audits (internal, customer, regulatory) by providing accurate inventory and traceability documentation.
Ensure proper handling and storage of frozen and refrigerated meat products to meet food safety and quality standards.
Systems & Reporting
Utilize ERP/MRP and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) to manage inventory transactions and reporting.
Develop and track KPIs such as inventory accuracy, turns, aging, shrink, yield loss, and service levels.
Prepare regular inventory reports for leadership, highlighting risks, trends, and improvement opportunities.
Continuous Improvement & Leadership
Identify opportunities to improve inventory processes, controls, and system utilization.
Implement best practices for cold-chain inventory management and meat product handling.
Train and support inventory control staff, warehouse personnel, and production teams on inventory procedures and compliance.
Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Operations, Procurement, and Logistics to drive efficiency and accountability.
Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, Food Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
Minimum of 5 years of inventory management experience in food manufacturing, preferably frozen foods or meat processing.
Strong knowledge of meat yields, shrink, shelf life, and cold-chain inventory control.
Hands-on experience with ERP/MRP systems and inventory modules; WMS experience strongly preferred.
Understanding of USDA, FDA, FSMA, HACCP, and food safety regulations related to meat products.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work in cold storage and production environments as required.
Excellent communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally