Inventory Control Lead

The Inventory Control Lead is responsible for overseeing and maintaining accurate inventory levels of raw materials, work-in-process (WIP), finished goods, packaging, and production supplies throughout the rare earth magnet manufacturing operation. This position plays a critical role in ensuring materials are available to support production schedules while minimizing excess inventory, shortages, waste, and carrying costs.

The Inventory Control Lead will establish and maintain inventory-control systems, procedures, and performance standards while working closely with Purchasing, Production, Quality, Sales, Shipping/Receiving, and Finance.

• Manage daily inventory activities for raw materials, components, WIP, finished magnets, and supplies.
• Maintain accurate inventory records within the Business Central, the company’s ERP/MRP system.
• Establish appropriate minimum, maximum, safety-stock, and reorder levels.
• Monitor inventory movements and investigate discrepancies.
• Develop and maintain inventory-control procedures and standard operating practices.
• Ensure proper identification, labeling, lot tracking, and storage of materials.
• Monitor inventory aging and identify obsolete, excess, damaged, or slow-moving materials.

• Maintain strict inventory accountability for rare earth materials and magnet-related raw materials.
• Track materials by lot, heat/batch, supplier, specification, and production order when required.
• Ensure traceability of materials throughout receiving, production, inspection, storage, and shipment.
• Work with Quality and Production to properly control nonconforming, quarantined, rejected, and rework materials.
• Monitor material yields, scrap, and production losses to identify opportunities for improvement.

• Develop and manage a structured cycle-count program.
• Conduct and oversee monthly physical inventory counts.
• Research and resolve inventory variances.
• Establish root causes for recurring discrepancies and implement corrective actions.
• Maintain inventory accuracy targets and report performance to management.

• Coordinate material availability with Production Planning and Manufacturing.
• Ensure production orders have the required materials available when needed.
• Identify potential shortages before they impact production schedules.
• Coordinate the movement of materials between receiving, raw-material storage, production, WIP locations, and finished-goods areas.
• Work with the Warehouse Manager to help optimize warehouse layout and material flow.

• Work closely with Purchasing to communicate inventory requirements and material shortages.
• Provide inventory data to support purchasing decisions and production planning.
• Monitor incoming materials and identify potential supply issues.
• Assist in evaluating supplier performance related to quantity, quality, lead time, and material availability.

• Maintain accurate inventory, locations, units of measure, and transaction records.
• Ensure all receiving, issuing, transfers, adjustments, and production transactions are properly recorded.
• Develop inventory reports and dashboards for management.
• Analyze inventory trends and identify opportunities to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Support ERP/MRP system improvements and implementation of improved inventory‑control processes.

• Supervise and develop inventory, warehouse, receiving, and/or material‑control personnel.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability.
• Train employees on inventory procedures, ERP transactions, material handling, and documentation requirements.
• Promote a culture of accuracy, organization, safety,…