Inventory Control Specialist

Inventory Control Specialist

Location: Fall River, MA

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Business / Culinary

Company: Portugalia Marketplace

Portugalia Marketplace stands as the premier Portuguese specialty food grocer in the United States, with a legacy spanning over 30 years since its founding by Fernando Benevides. Now operated by his children, Michael and Jennifer, the 20,000-square-foot store in Fall River, MA is renowned for its dedication to promoting Portuguese culture and cuisine.

Beyond food, Portugalia Marketplace features the Artigos design shop, which offers products from esteemed brands like Vista Alegre and innovative designers such as Casa Cubista. The shop includes fine china, handicrafts, soaps, cork objects, costume jewelry, and stylish home furnishings, bringing a touch of Portuguese elegance to any home. With nationwide shipping of both perishable and non‑perishable goods, Portugalia Marketplace ensures its customers can enjoy Portuguese products no matter their location.

The Inventory Control Specialist is responsible for maintaining accurate inventory levels across all departments of our specialty Portuguese marketplace. This role ensures that imported products, fresh foods, prepared foods, and retail merchandise are properly received, counted, tracked, and replenished. The specialist works closely with department managers (grocery, dairy, deli, prepared foods, bakery, and produce) to minimize shrink, prevent out‑of‑stocks, and maintain accurate inventory records in the store’s POS or inventory management system.

This is a cross‑functional position that connects with all three branches of the organization: wholesale/imports, marketplace, and e‑commerce.

Because the store carries specialty and imported Portuguese products, the role also requires attention to product rotation, expiration tracking, and proper stock handling to maintain quality and authenticity.

• Conduct daily, weekly, and monthly cycle counts across all store departments.
• Investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies between physical stock and system records.
• Maintain accurate SKU‑level inventory counts in the POS/inventory management system.
• Coordinate with department managers to verify stock levels and correct errors.

• Verify incoming deliveries from vendors against purchase orders and invoices.
• Ensure accurate receiving of imported Portuguese goods, dairy, meats, cheeses, and grocery items.
• Confirm quantities, product codes, and condition of merchandise.
• Report damaged, missing, or incorrect shipments to management.

• Monitor inventory shrink caused by spoilage, damage, expiration, receiving errors, and internal handling issues.
• Work with department managers to implement shrink reduction strategies.
• Track high‑risk categories such as cheese, deli meats, prepared foods, and imported specialty items.

• Ensure FIFO (First In, First Out) product rotation across departments.
• Monitor expiration dates for perishable and specialty items.
• Identify slow‑moving or aging products and notify management for action (promotion, markdown, or removal).
• Monitor inventory levels and alert management when items approach reorder thresholds.
• Coordinate with buyers or managers to avoid stockouts of high‑demand Portuguese products.
• Assist departments with shelf restocking and backstock organization.

• Maintain accurate inventory records and documentation.
• Prepare weekly reports on inventory variances, shrink trends, stock shortages, and overstock conditions.
• Support management with inventory planning and purchasing insights.

• 3‑5 years experience in inventory control, retail, grocery, or warehouse operations
• Experience with POS or inventory management systems
• Experience in grocery or specialty food retail preferred
• Strong attention to detail
• Organizational and analytical skills
• Ability to manage large SKU counts
• Strong communication with department managers
• Basic Excel or reporting skills

• Portuguese language skills
• Familiarity with Portuguese products and cuisine
• Specialty grocery or hospitality experience
• Experience with POS systems

This position is: salaried, varies DOE, $40,000.00 - $65,000.00