Inventory Manager

Kitchen Food Company; Hopkinsville (KY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kitchen Food Company in Hopkinsville, KY is seeking an Inventory Manager to lead inbound inventory, warehousing, and stock control at the Hopkinsville site. You will ensure accurate receipt, storage, and timely availability of raw materials and packaging while upholding food safety standards.

You will coach the Warehouse Team, supervise daily activities, and optimize processes using NetSuite and WMS. Strong inventory reporting, cycle counts, and FIFO/FEFO practices are essential to maintain

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a warehouse leadership or warehouse management role.
• Experience with forklift operation and safety practices.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and safety culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, coach, and develop the Warehouse Team to achieve operational, safety, quality, and performance objectives.
• Oversee day-to-day warehouse operations: receiving, storage, inventory control, and dispatch.
• Supervise activities to ensure safety, efficiency, and compliance with policies and regulations.
• Coordinate relationships with suppliers, carriers, and transport providers for timely deliveries.
• Ensure inbound materials are received, inspected, documented, and rotated per FIFO/FEFO.
• Maintain temperature-controlled storage for chilled and frozen goods.
• Verify incoming materials against COAs and quality requirements with FSQA.
• Manage inventory transactions in NetSuite ERP and WMS, ensuring accuracy.
• Generate reports to support performance, food safety, regulatory and audit needs.
• Review and submit receiving docs and invoices to Finance.
• Support inventory reconciliations including cycle counts and discrepancy investigations.
• Implement and improve warehouse processes to boost accuracy and productivity.
• Optimize warehouse layout to maximize space and workflow.
• Maintain housekeeping and safety culture across the site.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, OSHA, FDA, USDA requirements.
• Monitor warehouse metrics and drive continuous improvement.

Tools

NetSuite ERP

Warehouse Management System (WMS)

Job description

About the role

The Inventory Manager is responsible for the effective management of all inbound inventory and warehouse stock control activities at the Hopkinsville site. This role ensures accurate receipt, storage, inventory integrity, and timely availability of all raw materials and packaging while maintaining compliance with company policies, food safety standards, and inventory control procedures.

What you’ll do

• Lead, manage, coach, and develop the Warehouse Team to achieve operational, safety, quality, and performance objectives.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the warehouse, ensuring efficient receiving, storage, inventory control, and dispatch activities.
• Supervise daily warehouse activities to ensure work is performed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with company policies, regulatory requirements, food safety standards, and workplace safety procedures
• Coordinate and maintain effective relationships with suppliers, carriers, and transportation providers to ensure timely and accurate deliveries.
• Ensure all inbound materials are accurately received, inspected, documented, and rotated in accordance with FIFO/FEFO inventory management principles.
• Maintain the integrity of the chilled and frozen food supply chain by ensuring temperature-controlled storage and handling requirements are consistently met.
• Verify incoming raw materials and packaging against specifications, Certificates of Analysis (COAs), and quality requirements in consultation with site FSQA team.
• Manage inventory transactions and stock control activities within NetSuite ERP and the Warehouse Management System (WMS), ensuring inventory accuracy and data integrity.
• Generate accurate and timely routine and ad hoc reports to support operational performance, inventory management, food safety compliance, regulatory requirements, and audit activities.
• Review, reconcile, and submit receiving documentation, delivery records, and invoicing digital records to the Finance team in a timely manner.
• Support inventory reconciliation activities, including digital stock receipts, cycle counts, physical inventory counts, investigation of discrepancies, and corrective actions.
• Implement, maintain, and continuously improve warehouse management processes, systems, and standard operating procedures to increase inventory accuracy, traceability, productivity, and operational efficiency.
• Optimize warehouse layout and storage utilization to maximize space, improve workflow, and support business growth.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping and facility presentation throughout the warehouse, surrounding property, and external perimeter areas.
• Champion workplace safety initiatives and serve as a role model for safe work practices, actively identifying hazards, implementing corrective actions, and fostering a strong safety culture.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable food safety, quality, OSHA, FDA, USDA, and company requirements.
• Monitor warehouse performance metrics and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service levels, inventory accuracy, productivity, and cost control.

Occupational Safety, Health and Environment

Champion a culture of safe working

• Ensure all company safety, wellness and environmental policies and procedures are adhered to in accordance with OHSA (Occupational Safety and Health) and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) requirements
• Ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers while they are at work
• Ensure consultation with employees on safety and health issues

Food Safety

• Ensure operations are according to our food safety policies and processes including FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and USDA (US Department of Agriculture) compliance plus our HACCP and GMP programs.
• Ensure control of any food safety risks.

Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a warehouse leadership or warehouse management role, preferably within a manufacturing or distribution environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, coach, and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience managing labor scheduling and warehouse labor costs.
• Experience and proficiency in Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) is critical, ERP systems (preferably NetSuite), and inventory reporting and analysis.
• Current forklift operator certification/license and experience operating material handling equipment safely.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and demonstrated experience promoting and maintaining a safety-first culture.
• Working knowledge of inventory control principles, stock receiving, cycle counting, stocktakes, and inventory movement controls.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate inventory, warehouse, and compliance records.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and time management skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel.

Desirable

• Experience within the food manufacturing, FMCG, cold-chain, or distribution industry.
• Knowledge of FDA and USDA requirements applicable to food manufacturing and warehousing.
• Experience implementing Lean Warehousing or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of HACCP, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and food safety regulations.
• Experience working within chilled and frozen storage environments.
• Experience supporting internal, customer, regulatory, or third-party audits.

Physical Requirements:

• Site-based role within a food manufacturing environment working in both warehouse and office areas.
• Ability to work in warehouse environment, including chilled and frozen storage areas.
• Ability to operate forklift truck and pallet truck in warehouse and outside of warehouse on site
• Ability to walk warehouse floor, stand for extended periods, and access manufacturing areas.
• Ability to occasionally lift and move items weighing up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• May require flexibility to support off-shift operations, weekends, or emergency situations.

This statement of duties is intended to give an indication of the scope and nature of work that an employee at this level may be expected to perform. However, the statement does not restrict the employer’s right to require the employee to perform any task that is within the employee’s competency and skill which is reasonably incidental to or associated with the position held.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal or Kentucky state law.