Inventory Manager

Automatic Data Processing, Inc.; Springfield (VT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

ImageTek North Springfield, VT seeks an Inventory Manager to oversee all inventory activities, ensuring accurate and timely flow of materials through a fast-paced manufacturing operation.

The ideal candidate has 3–5 years of inventory control experience in contract manufacturing environments, with strong Excel and ERP skills, and the ability to collaborate across Production, Purchasing, Quality and Engineering.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of inventory control experience in manufacturing.
• Experience with ERP systems and inventory management.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
• Knowledge of cycle counting and BOM/MRP concepts.
• Ability to coordinate with Production, Purchasing, Quality, and Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Oversee inventory records for raw materials, WIP, finished goods.
• Maintain cycle counting and target inventory accuracy.
• Coordinate with Production and Purchasing to meet schedules.
• Track material movements across departments and locations.
• Ensure traceability and proper material storage.
• Generate regular inventory reports for management.
• Support cost control and continuous improvement.

Skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management / Business / Operations Management

Tools

Microsoft Excel

ERP system

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Inventory Manager

North Springfield, VT, US

3 days ago Requisition ID: 1037

Salary Range: $65,000.00 To $90,000.00 Annually

The Inventory Manager is responsible for overseeing all 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. This role is critical to supporting production schedules, maintaining inventory accuracy, minimizing material shortages, and controlling inventory costs.

Working in a contract manufacturing environment specializing in die cutting, laminating, and injection molding, the Inventory Manager will coordinate closely with Production, Purchasing, Quality, Engineering, Customer Service, and Shipping to ensure materials are available when needed and inventory records accurately reflect physical stock.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, analytical, and experienced in managing inventory within a fast-paced manufacturing environment with multiple customers, product configurations, and production requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Inventory Control and Accuracy

• Manage and maintain accurate inventory records for raw materials, purchased components, work-in-process, finished goods, tooling-related inventory, and packaging supplies.
• Establish and maintain effective inventory control procedures, including cycle counting, physical inventories, inventory adjustments, and discrepancy investigations.
• Monitor inventory transactions to ensure timely and accurate recording of material receipts, production issues, transfers, scrap, returns, and finished goods.
• Maintain inventory accuracy within established company targets and implement corrective actions to address 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.

2. Production and Material Planning Support

• Coordinate with Production Planning and Purchasing to ensure raw materials and components are available to support production schedules and customer delivery commitments.
• Monitor material requirements for die cutting, laminating, and injection molding processes, identifying potential shortages or excess inventory before they affect production.
• Track work-in-process and material movement between 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 the appropriate departments.
• Support production scheduling by providing accurate inventory balances and material availability information.

3. Raw Material and Customer-Specific Inventory Management

• Manage inventory of materials commonly used in manufacturing operations, including plastics, resins, films, foams, adhesives, tapes, metals, molded components, and other customer-specified materials, as applicable.
• Maintain lot, batch, and material traceability in accordance with customer requirements and quality system procedures.
• Monitor shelf-life, expiration dates, storage conditions, and material handling requirements for applicable adhesives, resins, films, and other controlled materials.
• Ensure customer-owned inventory, consigned materials, and company-owned materials are properly 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 to prevent unauthorized material use.

4. ERP System and Inventory Reporting

• Maintain accurate inventory data within the company's ERP or inventory management system.
• Ensure inventory transactions are completed in a timely manner and follow established procedures.
• Review inventory reports to identify discrepancies, shortages, excess stock, and trends affecting operational performance.
• Develop and maintain key inventory performance metrics, including:
  • Inventory accuracy
  • Cycle count completion and variance rates
  • Material shortages and production interruptions
  • Inventory turns and days on hand
  • Excess and obsolete inventory
  • Scrap and inventory 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.

5. Receiving, Warehousing, and Material Handling

• Oversee inventory-related receiving, inspection coordination, labeling, put-away, storage, picking, staging, and material transfers.
• Work with Receiving and Quality to ensure incoming materials are properly identified and placed on hold when inspection or approval is required.
• Establish organized storage locations and material identification standards to support efficient material retrieval and prevent mix-ups.
• Ensure proper handling and storage of materials in accordance with manufacturer recommendations, safety requirements, and customer specifications.
• Coordinate material staging and replenishment to support production requirements.
• Ensure finished goods and customer shipments are accurately recorded and reconciled with inventory records.

6. Continuous Improvement and Cost Control

• 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 action activities related to inventory discrepancies, production shortages, and material waste.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve material flow, warehouse organization, and inventory planning processes.
• Support lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Help establish appropriate minimum and maximum inventory levels, safety stock, and reorder points based on demand, lead times, and customer requirements.

7. Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Supervise, train, and develop inventory control, warehouse, or material handling personnel, as applicable.
• Establish clear expectations for inventory accuracy, transaction discipline, housekeeping, and material accountability.
• Work closely with Purchasing, Production, Quality, Engineering, Customer Service, and Shipping to resolve inventory-related issues.
• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, safety, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Associate's or bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of inventory control, warehouse management, or materials management experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Prior experience in contract manufacturing, plastics manufacturing, die cutting, laminating, injection molding, or a related industrial environment preferred.
• 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.
• Experience supervising warehouse or inventory personnel preferred.

The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the associate a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of his/her position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of the position.

ImageTek provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind, regardless of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.