Inventory Manager

DK Recruitment; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

DK Recruitment is seeking a Senior Inventory Controller to own stock accuracy, lead on-site teams, and represent the business with clients in a fast-paced environment. This leadership role focuses on end-to-end inventory operations across many SKUs and locations.

You will drive stock-taking programmes, investigate discrepancies, and deliver decisive recommendations while maintaining professional client relationships and operational discipline.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading stock takes or inventory operations.
• Experience managing and motivating a team.
• Strong understanding of stock accuracy and inventory control principles.
• Excellent attention to detail, particularly with large SKU volumes.
• The confidence to speak directly with clients and explain findings clearly.
• The ability to challenge professionally when something doesn't add up.
• Strong numerical and analytical ability.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• The ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure.
• A results-driven approach — you ensure actions are completed.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage full and partial stock takes across client sites.
• Take ownership of inventory accuracy across hundreds of SKUs and multiple product lines.
• Plan, organise and deliver stock-counting activities to agreed timescales and standards.
• Lead and manage inventory teams, ensuring everyone understands their responsibilities and delivers against expectations.
• Allocate workloads, monitor progress and step in where performance or accuracy falls short.
• Investigate stock discrepancies and identify the root cause of variances.
• Communicate stock findings directly to clients with confidence, accuracy and professionalism.
• Be prepared to challenge client assumptions where the data and evidence support doing so.
• Produce clear and accurate reports following stock takes.
• Ensure discrepancies, issues and agreed actions are actually actioned and followed through.
• Maintain high standards of stock control, data accuracy and operational discipline.
• Identify recurring inventory issues and recommend practical improvements.
• Ensure teams work efficiently without compromising accuracy.
• Act as the senior point of contact on site when required.
• Build strong client relationships while maintaining professional authority and independence.
• Escalate significant issues appropriately and ensure they are resolved rather than simply reported.

Skills

Stock takes leadership

Inventory control

Team leadership

Client communication

Analytical ability

Attention to detail

Job description

Senior Inventory Controller - Stock & Inventory Operations Leader

Brand new exciting role !

The Role

We are looking for an exceptional Senior Inventory Controller who can take ownership of stock accuracy, lead teams in demanding environments, and confidently represent the business when working directly with clients.

This is a leadership role, not simply a stock-counting position.

You will be responsible for delivering accurate, controlled and professional inventory operations across environments involving hundreds of SKUs, multiple locations and often complex stock profiles. You will lead stock takes from planning through to completion, manage teams on the ground, investigate discrepancies and communicate findings clearly and confidently to clients.

We need someone with the authority, attention to detail and drive to get things done.

You will be expected to identify issues, challenge inaccuracies, make decisions and, most importantly, ensure that actions are followed through to completion.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage full and partial stock takes across client sites.
• Take ownership of inventory accuracy across hundreds of SKUs and multiple product lines.
• Plan, organise and deliver stock-counting activities to agreed timescales and standards.
• Lead and manage inventory teams, ensuring everyone understands their responsibilities and delivers against expectations.
• Allocate workloads, monitor progress and step in where performance or accuracy falls short.
• Investigate stock discrepancies and identify the root cause of variances.
• Communicate stock findings directly to clients with confidence, accuracy and professionalism.
• Be prepared to challenge client assumptions where the data and evidence support doing so.
• Produce clear and accurate reports following stock takes.
• Ensure discrepancies, issues and agreed actions are actually actioned and followed through.
• Maintain high standards of stock control, data accuracy and operational discipline.
• Identify recurring inventory issues and recommend practical improvements.
• Ensure teams work efficiently without compromising accuracy.
• Act as the senior point of contact on site when required.
• Build strong client relationships while maintaining professional authority and independence.
• Escalate significant issues appropriately and ensure they are resolved rather than simply reported.

What We're Looking For

We need someone who can lead from the front.

You will ideally have significant experience in inventory control, stock taking, warehouse operations, audit, stock management or a similar environment.

More importantly, you will have:

• Proven experience leading stock takes or inventory operations.
• Experience managing and motivating a team.
• Strong understanding of stock accuracy and inventory control principles.
• Excellent attention to detail, particularly when dealing with large SKU volumes.
• The confidence to speak directly with clients and explain findings clearly.
• The ability to challenge professionally when something doesn't add up.
• Strong numerical and analytical ability.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• The ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure.
• A results-driven approach — you don't just identify problems; you make sure they are dealt with.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A high level of personal accountability and ownership.

The Person

We're looking for an absolute leader.

Someone who walks onto a site and takes control of the operation.

Someone who can look at a complex stock position, understand what is happening, identify the risks and make sure the team delivers.

You will be confident enough to have difficult conversations with clients, but professional enough to handle them with facts, evidence and respect.

You won't be someone who simply completes a stock take and hands over a report.

You will own the outcome.

If something is wrong, you'll find out why.

If the team is falling behind, you'll take action.

If the client challenges the findings, you'll be able to confidently explain the evidence.

And if an action is agreed, you'll make sure it gets done.

Work Location: In person