Inventory Control Manager

OverviewGolden State Foods is a distinguished leader in the foodservice industry, offering an extensive array of products and services to a diverse clientele. Rooted in the values of quality service and integrity, we are dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where employees can advance, innovate, and contribute to our ongoing success.The Manager of Inventory Control is responsible for leading all aspects of inventory management of materials (raw, packaging and finished goods), while providing production support in a custom food manufacturing environment. This role ensures the timely and accurate flow of materials through the warehouse and operations floor to meet customer specifications while maintaining compliance with food safety and regulatory standards. This position owns and manages the process for finished goods inventory, cycle counting, product holds, release protocols, and traceability ensuring full alignment with quality assurance and customer expectations.ResponsibilitiesWhat you'll do:Essential functions:Ensures compliance with company inventory accuracy targets, financial reporting and auditing requirements.Maintain inventory control procedures, such as executing daily cycle counting activities, scanning audits and performing periodic physical inventory counts to ensure consistent and predictable inventory accuracy.Owns and manages the materials hold process. Coordinates with QA, Warehouse and Operations to manage product release or disposal decisions, ensures all held products are traceable and dispositioned accurately, and maintains full documentation for audits.Manages timing and execution of finished goods rework and inspection process ensuring finish goods meet customer specific requirements.Develops and executes inventory control strategies tailored to custom food production. Ensure raw materials and packaging inventory support dynamic production schedules, minimize waste, and meet shelf-life requirements through the administration of Allergen Control, FEFO / FIFO adherence and expiration management.Lead daily and weekly reporting of material availability, usage, inventory levels, and production yields. Collaborates with finance and operations to reconcile variances and drive continuous improvement initiatives.Investigate inventory variances, discrepancies, stockouts, and other inventory related issues while driving process failures and material losses to root cause and execution of corrective actions.Partners with Quality Assurance, Production, R&D, and Customer Service teams to align raw material availability with production runs, manage spec changes, and LTO exposure.Leads and develops an inventory team that fosters a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement. Provides training, coaching and guidance to associates whose role impacts inventory management.Ensures full compliance with FDA, HACCP, BRC/SQF, and customer-specific food safety standards. Leads audit preparation related to materials and inventory, including raw material traceability and product recall readiness.Oversee the maintenance and improvement of ERP/MRP systems (e.g. SAP, D365, or similar) to support real-time inventory visibility, lot tracking, and integration with QA and production records.Manages the departmental budget, identifies cost-saving initiatives, and improves material usage efficiency without compromising quality or compliance.Leadership/management responsibility:Directly manages 1-2 supervisors and a team of 5-10 inventory staff. Provides strategic direction, daily oversight, and performance coaching. Reports to the Director of Supply Chain.Performance categories:Raw and packaging material availabilityInventory accuracy and material yieldFinished goods hold duration and resolution rateTraceability and audit readinessVendor on-time delivery and complianceBudget adherence and cost varianceTeam performance and developmentQualificationsMinimum qualifications:Education/certification:Bachelor's degree in: Supply Chain Management, Food Science, Business, or related field required.APICS, CPIM, or HACCP certification preferred.Experience:8–10 years in food manufacturing, with 3+ years in materials or inventory management.Strong experience managing food holds, traceability systems, and regulatory compliance.Knowledge, skills and abilities:Warehousing concepts and techniques (Expert)Inventory, order, financial systems (Expert)Fast food distribution (Journey)Order processing concepts and techniques (Journey)Transportation concepts and techniques (Journey)Food manufacturing (Journey)Management concepts and techniques (Journey)PC word processing/spreadsheet software (Journey)Skill and ability to:Deep understanding of custom food production workflows and ingredient-level traceabilityStrong working knowledge of food safety systems (HACCP, SQF, BRC) and related regulatory frameworks (FDA/USDA).Skilled in ERP systems, lot tracking, and warehouse operations in a food environment.Proven leadership in managing diverse teams and collaborating cross-functionally.Excellent communication, problem-solving, and vendor negotiation skills.Interpret purchasing or inventory anomalies and identify appropriate solutionsCommunicate and coordinate effectively with internal and external customers verbally and in writingRead and process written information with a high degree of accuracyWork effectively in a general business environment, with a focus on high levels of quality and customer serviceAct in accordance with GSF's Values and CreedWhat you'll get:People First: At Golden State Foods, we're not just a company; we're a dynamic community where your talents are celebrated, and your ambitions are nurtured.Values Driven: Our core values drive everything we do, creating a culture of innovation, integrity, and excellence.People Development: At GSF we strive to continually develop our people to prepare us all for the needs of tomorrow.Philanthropy & Sustainability: We're committed to making a difference beyond our walls through philanthropy and sustainability efforts across all our locations around the globe.Extensive Benefits: Golden State Foods believes in a holistic approach to wellness focusing on the whole person with benefits that support those needs.