Inventory Specialist

Actalent; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 34,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Disability coverage

HSA

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

PTO / Vacation / Sick Leave

Job summary

Actalent is seeking an Inventory Specialist to oversee and standardize material handling across North American sites, providing technical leadership for inventory processes and production readiness. You will collaborate with contracted logistics partners, maintain data integrity, and drive continuous improvement to minimize supply chain impacts on manufacturing.

This role requires hands-on experience with inventory analysis, cycle counts, and strong communication across facilities.

Qualifications

• Business-related degree or equivalent in experience.
• 2+ years in inventory management or manufacturing.
• Hands-on inventory analysis and cycle counts.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and standardize material handling across sites.
• Support inventory analysis and data-driven decisions with logistics partners.
• Maintain system accuracy to ensure production readiness.
• Validate department readiness to meet manufacturing goals.
• Review daily inventory and production reports and resolve issues on-site.
• Support production teams with accurate inventory and data.
• Lead and execute project-related activities with on-schedule delivery.
• Capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvement.
• Build networks with other facilities to share best practices.

Skills

Inventory management

Data analysis

Cycle counts

Problem solving

Verbal/written communication

Task prioritization

Organizational skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

Root cause analysis

Production readiness

Parts flow understanding

Education

Business-related degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Title: Inventory Specialist Job Description The Inventory Specialist oversees and standardizes internal material handling operations across North American sites, providing technical leadership to support accurate inventory management and production readiness. This role focuses on inventory analysis, decision-making in collaboration with contracted logistics partners and plant departments, and maintaining data integrity to minimize supply chain impacts on manufacturing. The Inventory Specialist also leads and executes project-related activities, supports continuous improvement, and builds strong communication networks with other facilities to share best practices and streamline operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and standardize internal material handling operations at multiple sites across North America, providing technical leadership for inventory-related processes.
• Support inventory analysis and data-driven decision making in collaboration with contracted logistics companies and various plant departments.
• Maintain accuracy of systems that support production operation standards and parts availability through inventory discrepancy analysis.
• Validate department readiness to ensure manufacturing goals are achieved and production operations run smoothly.
• Review and maintain daily inventory and production-related reports, then visit relevant areas to understand on-site situations and support actions to resolve issues.
• Support production teams by ensuring the quality and accuracy of inventory and supply chain data, minimizing any negative impact on production readiness.
• Manage and execute project-related activities, ensuring project strategies and tasks are completed thoroughly and on schedule.
• Capture project successes and failures and incorporate lessons learned into future operational models and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain professional communication networks with other facilities to share best practices, reduce duplicated work, and promote collaborative activities.
• Perform physical inventory activities, including cycle counts, to verify stock accuracy and reconcile discrepancies.
• Apply root cause analysis to identify, investigate, and resolve inventory and material handling issues.
• Prioritize tasks and projects based on importance and impact on production and supply chain performance.
• Use Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook to analyze data, prepare reports, and communicate findings to stakeholders.
• Ensure alignment between parts flow, logistics, and delivery systems from a production perspective to support smooth manufacturing operations.

Essential Skills

• Business-related degree or equivalent relevant work experience.
• 02 years of related experience in an inventory management or manufacturing role.
• Hands‑on experience with inventory analysis and cycle counts.
• Strong critical problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and projects effectively based on importance and production impact.
• Solid organizational skills to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.
• Ability to perform root cause analysis to identify and resolve inventory and supply chain issues.
• Understanding of parts flow, logistics, and delivery systems from a production standpoint.
• Ability to perform physical inventory activities in a production environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working with contracted logistics companies or third‑party logistics providers.
• Exposure to supply chain operations within a manufacturing environment.
• Comfort with reviewing and interpreting daily operational reports and inventory data.
• Ability to collaborate across departments and facilities to share best practices and improve processes.
• Interest in continuous improvement and applying lessons learned from projects to future models.

Work Environment

This role operates primarily in an open office environment within a manufacturing setting, with frequent interaction with production and material handling areas to perform physical inventory and on‑site issue resolution. Work hours may include overtime based on the manufacturing schedule, and alternate shift times may be required to support production needs and business demands. The environment involves regular use of computer‑based tools such as Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook, as well as engagement with inventory and supply chain systems. The role requires mobility within the facility to review inventory, observe operations, and collaborate with production and logistics teams.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Birmingham, AL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $25.00 - $27.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job‑related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre‑tax and Roth post‑tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long‑term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Birmingham, AL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 23, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Birmingham,AL.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.