WHAT DOES AN INVENTORY CONTROL SUPERVISOR DO?
Updated: Dec 05, 2025 - The Inventory Control Supervisor oversees multi-shift inventory and customer service operations to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with company standards. This role analyzes inventory transactions, implements system improvements, and maintains control over obsolete and surplus materials. The supervisor also ensures cycle count goals are achieved, reports are accurately maintained, and staff are effectively trained and evaluated on warehouse processes.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Inventory Control Supervisor
1. Inventory Control Supervisor Duties
- Task Management: Plan tasks and deliverables accurately, prioritize tasks and adapt based upon changing priorities
- Accountability: Responsive to requests, accountable for actions
- Problem Solving: Prevent and solve issues, understand and mitigate problems, and recognize cause and effect relationships between functions
- Team Collaboration: Cross-functional collaboration and communication to quickly understand and resolve issues
- Customer Focus: Understand and monitor the needs of internal and external customers of the Warehouse and Distribution functions
- Performance Monitoring: Develop key metrics and monitor the performance of warehouses in terms of inventory accuracy
- Leadership Ability: Provide the necessary leadership that is associated with building as well as maintaining a strong inventory management workforce
- Staff Coordination: Manage and coordinate the activities of all the staff members engaged in inventory control and inventory record accuracy
- Inventory Planning: Execute the strategic inventory plan, physical inventories and daily cycle counts to manage and supervise the processes developed to align with the corporate objectives
- Team Development: Lead the organization's inventory-related teams and provide leadership for training and development of departmental personnel
2. Inventory Control Supervisor Details
- Inventory Analysis: Review the current inventory positions for the raw materials, packaging materials, and finished goods and provide a monthly summary of the same and present it during the meeting
- Performance Improvement: Drive performance improvement through the use and interpretation of Continuous Improvement Tools
- Corrective Action: Address the root causes of issues, create corrective action plans and implement long-term solutions
- Quality Assurance: Identify and report any quality or compliance concerns and take immediate corrective action with internal and cross-functional teams
- Lean Implementation: Deploy Lean methods to simplify processes, eliminate waste/non-value adding activities and improve workflow
- Process Evaluation: Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of warehouse layouts, processes, procedures, and daily workflow
- Process Documentation: Develop, implement and maintain work instructions and process documentation
- Customer Focus: Challenge the team to be Customer Centric, including developing strategies to enhance customer service and growth, focusing on deliveries that are on-time, in-full and defect-free to influence positive customer feedback results, and responsiveness to internal and external customers
- Safety Compliance: Follow EHS guidance provided by the EHS/Compliance department for a safe work environment, driving safety and compliance
- Space Management: Oversee the coordination of warehouse/building space allocation and layout expansion
3. Inventory Control Supervisor Responsibilities
- Procedure Development: Develops and implements inventory control procedures to include cycle counting and reporting guidelines, problem identification and resolution, and inventory control process improvements
- Inventory Reconciliation: Count and reconcile the physical inventory daily
- System Adjustment: Make system adjustments, including daily cycle counts and full weekly inventory
- FIFO Management: Ensure that the product is rotated on a FIFO basis, including establishing procedures for incoming/outgoing product, so that proper rotation is followed
- Record Maintenance: Maintain accurate records to facilitate shortage detection
- Report Preparation: Prepare reports, including inventory analysis and shrinkage
- Inventory Optimization: Serve as a key contributor in the area of inventory optimization
- Data Evaluation: Independently evaluates data on production needs and inventory to ensure adequate inventory in accordance with inventory cycles and organizational needs
- Warehouse Organization: Prepare and implement logical organization (slotting) of warehouse products to ensure successful operations
- Procurement Collaboration: Work with procurement to improve the total supply chain process
4. Inventory Control Supervisor Job Summary
- Workload Management: Planning, prioritizing, and organizing daily workloads
- Shift Oversight: Reviews and follows notes and directions for the shift and ensures that work is performed efficiently and on a timely basis
- Inventory Supervision: Oversees warehouse inventory and unit measure of products (cases or eaches)
- Discrepancy Reporting: Reports any major discrepancies to the immediate supervisor and inventory control
- Restocking Process: Processes reports for restocking of products
- Customer Satisfaction: Ensures quality customer satisfaction is met (timely deliveries, accurate order processing and quality of completed work prepared by warehouse workers meets Company standards)
- System Improvement: Works closely with Warehouse Manager to improve execution of internal systems/controls and procedures, as well as warehouse efficiencies
- Labor Monitoring: Monitors employee work schedules, overtime, and labor hours
- Freight Scheduling: Schedules incoming freight/vendor deliveries
- Driver Compliance: Ensures delivery drivers are following DOT guidelines and makes certain that the drivers receive all applicable paperwork
- Forklift Supervision: Oversees forklift drivers, ensures forklift certification requirements are met, and forklift safety rules are adhered to
- Truck Operation: Operates incoming VSI trucks, backing the trucks into the docking area in preparation for merchandise loading/unloading
- Equipment Reporting: Notifies immediate supervisor and IT if any warehouse equipment, i.e., printers, computers, monitors, access points, RF guns, etc., is not working efficiently
- Record Maintenance: Maintains accurate and necessary department records and documentation
- Facility Security: Ensures that warehouse lights are off, exit doors are shut, and the building alarm is set before leaving the premises at the end of the work shift
5. Inventory Control Supervisor Accountabilities
- Incident Investigation: Assists the human resources department with workplace injury/accident investigations and with the preparation of employee injury/accident and near-miss reports and other workers' compensation/OSHA reports
- Safety Inspection: Conduct daily safety walks throughout assigned warehouse areas to ensure that equipment/machinery is working properly, and that good-housing practices are adhered to
- PPE Compliance: Ensures that employees are wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) for their assigned work area, and that employees are complying with OSHA regulations and Company safety rules that apply to warehouse operations
- Manual Handling: Ensure that all lifting and maneuvering of products and materials is carried out in accordance with manual handling procedures
- Safety Compliance: Learns and complies with the Company's protocols for handling work-related injuries/accidents and near-misses, as well as emergency evacuation procedures, and other safety procedures
- Report Preparation: Daily, prepares specialized reports, including Dock, Order Picking, Replenishment, and Product Reports and submits and/or files appropriately
- Process Improvement: Assist in the improvements regarding warehouse operations, such as capacity requirements, ways to reduce waste, systems improvements, etc. and make recommendations for change
- Employee Feedback: Provides feedback and recommendations to the Warehouse Manager and the Human Resources Department in the areas of coaching, training, employee disciplinary action, staffing requirements, etc.
- Performance Evaluation: Prepares employee performance evaluations (at completion of 90 days of employment and annually thereafter)
- Evaluation Meeting: Conducts one-on-one performance evaluation meetings with employees
- Housekeeping Maintenance: Responsible for maintaining good housekeeping habits by keeping work areas clean and organized during work shift
- Relationship Building: Establishes and maintains positive work relationships with co-workers, management, customers, and vendors/suppliers to create value and opportunity for VSI growth
- Professional Conduct: Maintain a professional demeanor, appearance and conduct at all times
- Meeting Participation: Attends mandatory staff meetings and participates in group discussions
6. Inventory Control Supervisor Functions
- Cycle Count Management: Oversee all cycle count programs to ensure consistency and accuracy with the company standards and operational excellence
- Performance Management: Identify and manage performance through all people, processes and technology categories
- Record Maintenance: Maintain records of all variances according to established procedures and financial compliance
- Root Cause Analysis: Track performance by area, determine problems and root causes, communicate results and recommend appropriate action
- Product Inspection: Ensure that hazardous and date-sensitive products are checked for expiration, quantities are correct, and exceptions are handled for the timely movement of goods
- SKU Management: Set up and/or change the stock keeping unit (SKU) in the strategic pick location(s)
- Counting Compliance: Ensure that all cycle counts are scheduled and counting is completed timely, accurately, and in compliance with standard operating procedures
- Returns Administration: Administer all return shipments of customers in case of any shortages and damages and communicate the same to the manufacturer and/or shipping facility
- Personnel Supervision: Monitor the work of all inventory control personnel and ensure the achievement of all objectives and provide improvements to the same
- Staff Training: Provide training to direct reports on all inventory processes and procedures
- Transaction Accuracy: Monitor and ensure the accuracy of all inventory transactions and maintain records of all bin locations
- Data Integrity: Maintain system data integrity
- Communication Management: Manage all communication with inventory controllers and make recommendations to the same
- Inventory Feedback: Manage all inventory transactions and provide required feedback to the team
7. Inventory Control Supervisor Job Description
- SKU Management: Maintains the integrity of the product identifier or SKU program within the store
- Shipment Verification: Receives and verifies shipments of merchandise received as stated on purchase orders, invoices, and other documents
- Inventory Adjustment: Makes inventory adjustments
- Defective Processing: Processes defective merchandise and vendor charge-backs
- Transfer Management: Sets up and processes Merchandise Delivery Transfers
- Physical Counting: Conducts Partial Physical Counts
- Data Entry: Inputs information from purchase orders from vendors, store/distribution center to store/distribution center transfers, and receives data
- Data Verification: Reviews, verifies and corrects computer printouts to check for accuracy, completion and conformance with company-wide standards
- Discrepancy Resolution: Controls and follows up on all receiving discrepancies to their conclusion
- Information Research: Researches and investigates information for the Merchandising Department, vendors, various store personnel and support departments, i.e., accounting, management information systems, etc.
- Barcode Management: Resolves all bar code issues store-wide, i.e., creating bar codes at the point of receiving
8. Inventory Control Supervisor Overview
- Cycle Count Coordination: Coordinates cycle counts, audits and inventory counts with the store manager
- Inventory Planning: Works closely with the manager and department supervisors to maintain the appropriate level of inventory based on the profit plan, actual results, and sales promotions
- Discrepancy Investigation: Investigates and recommends solutions regarding all discrepancies disclosed during audits
- Document Control: Controls all receiving documents and keeps a log of all purchase orders and other documents
- Chargeback Processing: Initiates chargeback paperwork and documents for damaged merchandise
- Merchandise Labeling: Checks to make sure that appropriate merchandise is properly marked with price tags or SKU numbers
- Defect Supervision: Supervises and monitors all defect transactions
- Department Security: Responsible for the opening and lock-up of the Department
- Storage Security: Maintains the security of the storage areas
- Incident Reporting: Immediately notifies the proper authority of any accident or suspicious activities
- Performance Management: Maintains an effective and timely Performance Management and Review program for all store receiving staff
- Staff Supervision: Supervises the Receiving Data Processor and receivers
- Staff Scheduling: Schedules staffing for the Department, counsels and disciplines employees
- Employee Relations: Informs store management of any employee relations issues, seeks guidance from the manager or Human Resources in resolving issues and/or conflicts
9. Inventory Control Supervisor Details and Accountabilities
- Training Management: Assures that all receivers are properly trained, evaluated, and receive proper feedback verbally and in writing, in accordance with company policies and procedures
- Policy Communication: Assures that all team members are kept well informed of company policies and procedures, especially when changes are implemented
- Information Dissemination: Creates and maintains vehicles for communicating information in a timely and effective manner to various user departments, including conducting meetings, setting deadlines, and maintaining user-friendly procedures
- Accident Reporting: Immediately completes and submits proper documentation of all workplace accidents
- Safety Maintenance: Maintains policies and procedures for assuring a safe and healthy environment for all team members
- Equipment Tracking: Maintains equipment maintenance list
- Equipment Maintenance: Assures that all equipment within assigned department(s) is well maintained, including regular cleaning, repairs, and recommendations for replacing or upgrading equipment
- Issue Reporting: Reports all malfunctions and breakages to the proper personnel
- Safety Compliance: Assures that all equipment is operated in accordance with safety standards
- Team Training: Assists with training other team members
- Functional Flexibility: Maintains flexibility in learning other functions throughout the store
- Regulatory Knowledge: Maintains a working knowledge of applicable state and federal laws, regulations, and issues applicable to the retail industry
- Compliance Understanding: Maintains a clear understanding of how each law and regulation applies to the day-to-day responsibilities of this position
- Procedural Knowledge: Maintains a thorough knowledge and understanding of general business, office and departmental procedures, including all Company policies and procedures as they apply to this position
- Technical Development: Improves and maintains technical competencies by reading professional literature, attending seminars and specialized studies
10. Inventory Control Supervisor Tasks
- Staff Supervision: Provides Supervision to multi-shift inventory control and customer service staff
- System Improvement: Plans and implements systems improvements, reports, hardware and software
- Transaction Analysis: Reviews and analyzes inventory transactions affecting distribution budget (scraps, adjustments, errors, etc.)
- Material Disposal: Arranges for the disposal of surplus materials and maintains control over excess and obsolete materials
- Process Improvement: Reviews all Inventory Transfer Discrepancies (ITD’s) and improves processes to reduce and eliminate ITD’s
- Performance Reporting: Supports measurement systems and provides reports to RDC management
- Customer Support: Teams with external and internal customers to answer customer inquiries, returns, order issues, and quality assurance
- Data Analysis: Analyzes key information to compile work volume statistics for accounting purposes and to keep records of customer service requests and complaints
- Cycle Count Management: Ensures cycle count goals and inventory accuracy measurements are met
- Compliance Adherence: Ensures adherence to Sarbanes-Oxley requirements according to Headquarters guidelines
- Employee Development: Coaches, trains and reviews the performance of direct reports on inventory and warehouse processes