Inventory Control Analyst

Job Description

The Inventory Control Analyst will play a critical role in supporting the healthcare system by ensuring an adequate supply of medical products and materials, aligning with patient care needs, and minimizing inventory investment. This position is responsible for implementing and monitoring inventory control procedures, supply planning, and demand forecasting. The Analyst will accurately assess demand activity and adjust inventory levels to reflect demand changes in planning systems.

The position works to maintain a high accuracy in forecasting, inventory records, item usage history, and forecasting files. This individual will also serve as a key resource for departments within the healthcare system, providing product and service information and resolving any product-related issues. The Analyst will identify and eliminate inventory discrepancies and workflow issues. This position collaborates closely with logistics, procurement, category management, and hospital or departmental leadership to develop efficient processes that reduce supply disruption and expenditures, improve distribution efficiencies, and support supply chain activities resulting in improved patient care.

• 2 to 3 years’ experience in analysis with emphasis on inventory management, product/category management, or retail forecasting.
• Mastery of Supply Chain Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Demonstrated supply chain experience working in partnership with transportation, distribution, purchasing, supplier management, and/or inventory management.
• Solid understanding of Master Data and Databases, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), and Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Logistics, Transportation, Business or related field

• Monitor and maintain inventory control procedures tailored to meet the unique needs of a healthcare environment, ensuring adequate supply levels for critical medical products.
• Use supply planning and demand forecasting experience and tools to support healthcare departments, aligning inventory levels with patient care needs while managing costs.
• Reflect demand changes accurately in planning systems to maintain optimal inventory and forecast accuracy.
• Review and release inventory replenishment orders from planning system to Enterprise Resource Planning system.
• Proactively work to mitigate stockout scenarios with appropriate safety stock or product substitution.
• Act as product change liaison that works cross-functionally to implement and communicate product changes while maintaining appropriate inventory and timeline to support the product conversion.
• Participate in return and recall processes ensuring inventory changes are processed timely for accuracy and patient safety.
• Ensure high data accuracy in inventory records, item usage history, and forecasting files to support healthcare service continuity.
• Work to understand and offset adjustments or discrepancies in inventory counts or workflow issues in both warehouse and off‑site healthcare locations.
• Analyze data to assess inventory health, assist with departmental inventory recommendations, troubleshoot inventory anomalies, and other research as needed.
• Collaborate with logistics, procurement, category management, and healthcare leadership to create effective inventory processes that enhance supply chain efficiency and reduce costs.
• Assist with onsite operational and other projects, as needed.

• Knowledge of healthcare supply chain management including best practices in inventory control, demand forecasting, and supply planning within a healthcare system.
• Experience with ERP systems and data analytics tools in inventory management.
• Current certification from Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), Institute for Supply Management (ISM), International Society of Logistics (SOLE), Association for Supply Chain Management (NCMA), Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning (IBF), Project Management Institute (PMI), or Institute for Process Excellence (IPX).

At Essentia Health,…